Giant Wolf Spider

Giant Wolf Spider (Hogna carolinensis)


Spiders! I love 'em. Especially ground dwelling, hunting spiders. Especially the ol' Wolf spider. Currently, I have one in an empty liquor jug siting right behind me! It was quite difficult to get a picture of the arachnid so I will tell you the tale-tale markings of a Wolf spider. As you can see from the picture above, the back has a creamy stripe but what really gives it away as a Wolf spider is the belly. Wolf Spider bellies are black. Now, how do you know you have a GIANT Wolf spider? Well if the spider is old enough you'll know my its SIZE. Its not a tarantula, but it certainly can reach the "oh my" mark. The reason I love the Wolf spider so intensely is that they are great hunters. I plop a cricket bigger than the spider is in the jar and she'll pounce on it! Its amazing to watch. Of course then she'll suck all the liquids from the crickets body until there is a mangled, dried up, cricket skeleton left, but hey, it all in the aura of such a remarkable predator. Also, the Wolf spider has a painful bite and is venomous though non-aggressive unless provoked.


These spiders are usually found at night around houses and in gardens and such. They like tall grass with lots of grasshoppers, crickets and other prey in it. I see more in the summer, around July. Happy hunting!




Here's a link to information spiders in Alabama. It'll tell you which are venomous and which are not.   http://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html

Here's a link to information for ALL states on which spiders are venomous and which are not.   http://www.termite.com



Questions? Ask me!! I love answering. 

Broadhead Skink

Broadhead Skink (Eumeces laticeps)


The second largest lizard species in the Southeast, second to the Glass Lizard (this lizard has no limbs! Just like a snake!), the Broadhead s the largest skink species. It can grow up to a foot in length. I caught the big fella pictured above right in my backyard with the help of my dog, a Yorkie named Hadley. From my experience, this big lizards are ferocious killers. Within in seconds of dropping a grasshopper into his cage the skink would chase and devour it. Once he grabbed hold of his prey he rolled with it, which reminded me of a gator! Very interesting to watch. This species, like every species of skink, is shy and non-aggressive to humans. Even upon capture he refused to bite my hand. A Broadhead Skink spends most its time up trees so it was a very wonderful surprise to find one sunbathing on my back porch! He put up a good run, too. To tell the difference between males and females: males have a bright red head such as the one pictured. Females have blue tails and are similar in appearance to a ten-lined skink, a common skink down here in the South. 


Don't hesitate to ask me any questions!  I love to talk about any animal.