18 Types of Wolf Spiders in Wisconsin

18 types of wolf spiders have a verified observation record in Wisconsin. The most frequently recorded are Rustic Wolf Spider, Brush-legged Split Wolf Spider and Wetland Giant Wolf Spider. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.

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18 types of wolf spiders have a verified observation record in Wisconsin. The most frequently recorded are Rustic Wolf Spider, Brush-legged Split Wolf Spider and Wetland Giant Wolf Spider. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.

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Verified species, source iNaturalist

18 types of wolf spiders recorded in Wisconsin

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

1 of the 18 shown is recorded as introduced to Wisconsin rather than native.

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    1

    Rustic Wolf Spider

    Trochosa ruricola

    242 recordsIntroduced
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    2

    Brush-legged Split Wolf Spider

    Schizocosa ocreata

    102 records
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    3

    Wetland Giant Wolf Spider

    Tigrosa helluo

    98 records
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    4

    Shoreline Wolf Spider

    Arctosa littoralis

    97 records
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    5

    Drumming Sword Wolf Spider

    Gladicosa gulosa

    76 records
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    6

    Pirate Otter Spider

    Pirata piraticus

    47 records
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    7

    Forest Wolf Spider

    Hogna frondicola

    45 records
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    8

    Shiny Wolf Spider

    Pardosa moesta

    41 records
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    9

    Allocosa funerea

    Allocosa funerea

    38 records
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    10

    Ground wolf spider

    Trochosa terricola

    33 records
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    11

    Unbanded Wolf Spider

    Hogna baltimoriana

    32 records
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    12

    lance wolf spider

    Schizocosa avida

    30 records

Also recorded in Wisconsin

#SpeciesRecords
13Woodland Giant Wolf SpiderTigrosa aspersa30
14Stone SpiderPardosa lapidicina27
15Shore SpiderPardosa milvina26
16Missouri Burrowing Wolf SpiderGeolycosa missouriensis17
17Redlined Wolf SpiderArctosa rubicunda10
18Pale Thin-legged Wolf spiderPardosa distincta10

Plus 20 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.

The Rustic Wolf Spider (Trochosa ruricola) is the most commonly recorded, with 242 verified observations, about 24% of all wolf spiders reported in Wisconsin. If you spot a wolf spider here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.

Wisconsin also hosts less common wolf spiders such as Wetland Giant Wolf Spider, Shoreline Wolf Spider and Drumming Sword Wolf 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 Wisconsin rather than native, so it arrived with human help rather than on its own.