Wolf Spider Facts
Wolf spiders will only bite if they feel threatened. They are extremely intelligent and perceptive arachnids that belong to the Lycosidae family. LIke the wolf, they see very well at night. If you shine a light in their eyes, it will come back green. The wolf spiders scientific name is Rhabidosa rabida. Wolf spiders can be found all over United States, from Florida to Texas and California, as well as northern territories like Ohio and Michigan.
Facts:
* The wolf spider is an active hunter. This means it does not use webs to catch prey. Instead they will chase or pounce on their prey.
* They have very powerful jaws. Spider jaws protrude and are called chelicerae – they are used to carry objects and crush prey.
* Wolf spiders are poisonous. Like most spiders, the wolf spiders bite is designed to liquefy the inside of its prey for easier digestion. Their bite hurts like hell, but they are not fatal to humans.
* These spiders can be identified by their eyes. The bottom row is composed of four small eyes of equal size. The top row, or posterior, is curved backwards against the middle two eyes which are enlarged in size
Wolves, Politics And The Endangered Species Act
The fact that wolves have been removed from the Endangered Species Act has created waves nationwide. Two precedents have been set with the delisting of this species. First of all, Congress has never removed a species from the Endangered Species Act before. Second of all, the way the removal came about was alarming. The removal was an annex to a disputed bill and came about after a long political battle that began while George Bush was president.
Many environmentalists are alarmed at this turn of events and their concerns are valid. The environment is a complex place; even scientists do not purport to know all that there is to know about conservation and endangered species. Politicians naturally know a lot less than scientists and yet they have given themselves the power to allow a previously endangered species to be hunted and shot.
How this will affect the balance of nature and wildlife in states with a wolf population is not known. Many ranchers feel that delisting the wolf is a wise decision, as the wolf is an apex predator with no natural enemies. However, what many people do not realize is that apex predators do play an important role in the environment. Each species on earth is meant to be here and is part of the natural balance. Eliminating a species or severely reducing its numbers always has unexpected and unpleasant results.