How Do Wolf Spiders Carry Babies on Back?
WouterWolf spiders, a family of spiders, are known for their large, powerful legs. They are agile hunters, with a strong sense of smell. They usually live in open meadows, but can also be found in wetlands and rainforests. They don’t spin webs to catch prey, instead they run down smaller insects.
Wolf spiders are unique amongst the spiders that inhabit the earth. Their unusual parenting methods have been the subject of scientific interest. In particular, their ability to carry babies on their back for several weeks.
Wolf spiders are the only creatures on the planet that have this nifty little feat. Females carry young on their backs, and then move them when they’re big enough to survive on their own.
The egg sacs they carry are distinctive in shape and colour. Some are shaped like a ball, while others are made of multiple layers of wrapping, or even soil. The most elaborate are equipped with extra-strong silk.
The most impressive part of this behavior is that a wolf spider can carry dozens or even hundreds of baby spiders. This isn’t something that happens often; in fact, no other spider species carries off their youngsters for any length of time.
Wolf spiders are extremely athletic, running at up to 2 feet per second. They can cover their entire body in their baby clings.
The females of these spiders have a super-sensitive sense of touch, and they can even sense the temperature of their eggs. In some species, the females even wrap their eggs in more silk to create the “egg sac” of the title.
