16 Types of Wolf Spiders in Minnesota

16 types of wolf spiders have a verified observation record in Minnesota. The most frequently recorded are Shoreline Wolf Spider, Ground wolf spider and Rustic Wolf Spider. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.

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16 types of wolf spiders have a verified observation record in Minnesota. The most frequently recorded are Shoreline Wolf Spider, Ground wolf spider and Rustic Wolf Spider. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.

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Verified species, source iNaturalist

16 types of wolf spiders recorded in Minnesota

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

1 of the 16 shown is recorded as introduced to Minnesota rather than native.

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    1

    Shoreline Wolf Spider

    Arctosa littoralis

    121 records
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    2

    Ground wolf spider

    Trochosa terricola

    109 records
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    3

    Rustic Wolf Spider

    Trochosa ruricola

    59 recordsIntroduced
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    4

    Shiny Wolf Spider

    Pardosa moesta

    56 records
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    5

    Pirate Otter Spider

    Pirata piraticus

    55 records
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    6

    Forest Wolf Spider

    Hogna frondicola

    43 records
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    7

    Redlined Wolf Spider

    Arctosa rubicunda

    31 records
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    8

    Spinyrib Wolf Spider

    Alopecosa aculeata

    29 records
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    9

    Pale Thin-legged Wolf spider

    Pardosa distincta

    27 records
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    10

    Wetland Giant Wolf Spider

    Tigrosa helluo

    25 records
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    11

    Brush-legged Split Wolf Spider

    Schizocosa ocreata

    19 records
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    12

    Shore Spider

    Pardosa milvina

    15 records

Also recorded in Minnesota

#SpeciesRecords
13Unbanded Wolf SpiderHogna baltimoriana13
14Pardosa fusculaPardosa fuscula11
15Stone SpiderPardosa lapidicina10
16Drumming Sword Wolf SpiderGladicosa gulosa10

Plus 24 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.

The Shoreline Wolf Spider (Arctosa littoralis) is the most commonly recorded, with 121 verified observations, about 19% of all wolf spiders reported in Minnesota. If you spot a wolf spider here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.

Minnesota also hosts less common wolf spiders such as Rustic Wolf Spider, Shiny Wolf Spider and Pirate Otter Spider, 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 Minnesota rather than native, so it arrived with human help rather than on its own.