21 Types of Wolf Spiders in Illinois

21 types of wolf spiders have a verified observation record in Illinois. The most frequently recorded are Wetland Giant Wolf Spider, Rabid Wolf Spider and lance wolf spider. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.

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21 types of wolf spiders have a verified observation record in Illinois. The most frequently recorded are Wetland Giant Wolf Spider, Rabid Wolf Spider and lance wolf spider. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.

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Verified species, source iNaturalist

21 types of wolf spiders recorded in Illinois

21 wolf spider species have a verified observation record in Illinois, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.

1 of the 21 shown is recorded as introduced to Illinois rather than native.

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    1

    Wetland Giant Wolf Spider

    Tigrosa helluo

    1,108 records
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    2

    Rabid Wolf Spider

    Rabidosa rabida

    315 records
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    3

    lance wolf spider

    Schizocosa avida

    256 records
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    4

    Rustic Wolf Spider

    Trochosa ruricola

    227 recordsIntroduced
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    5

    Georgia Wolf Spider

    Tigrosa georgicola

    198 records
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    6

    Brush-legged Split Wolf Spider

    Schizocosa ocreata

    193 records
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    7

    Trochosa sepulchralis

    Trochosa sepulchralis

    175 records
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    8

    Shore Spider

    Pardosa milvina

    159 records
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    9

    Dotted Wolf Spider

    Rabidosa punctulata

    101 records
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    10

    Drumming Sword Wolf Spider

    Gladicosa gulosa

    89 records
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    11

    Woodland Giant Wolf Spider

    Tigrosa aspersa

    64 records
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    12

    Allocosa funerea

    Allocosa funerea

    57 records

Also recorded in Illinois

#SpeciesRecords
13Shoreline Wolf SpiderArctosa littoralis47
14Stone SpiderPardosa lapidicina46
15Ground wolf spiderTrochosa terricola22
16Unbanded Wolf SpiderHogna baltimoriana22
17Shiny Wolf SpiderPardosa moesta18
18Pirate Otter SpiderPirata piraticus13
19Forest Wolf SpiderHogna frondicola11
20Gladicosa pulchraGladicosa pulchra11
21Schizocosa crassipesSchizocosa crassipes10

Plus 23 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.

The Wetland Giant Wolf Spider (Tigrosa helluo) is the most commonly recorded, with 1,108 verified observations, about 35% of all wolf spiders reported in Illinois. If you spot a wolf spider here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.

Illinois also hosts less common wolf spiders such as Drumming Sword Wolf Spider, Woodland Giant Wolf Spider and Allocosa funerea, each recorded fewer than 100 times. These are the species worth a second look when you are out, since a sighting is more notable.

Not every one of these is originally from here. Rustic Wolf Spider is recorded by iNaturalist as introduced in Illinois rather than native, so it arrived with human help rather than on its own.