Arachnids of North Carolina

Order:
Scientific Name: Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

View	LYCOSIDAE Members:	NC Records
Geolycosa pikei (Marx, 1881) - a burrowing wolf spider

Female in burrow

Female

Male

Taxonomy

Order: ARANEAE

Infraorder: ARANEOMORPHAE

Family: LYCOSIDAE

Identification

Online Description/Photos:	BugGuide, Google Images, iNaturalist, Wikipedia
Comments: Male: dorsal stripe as wide as posterior eye quadrangle behind the posterior lateral eyes, narrows to the cervical groove and is indistinct from there posteriorly; carapace covered with gray pubescence where it has not been rubbed. Carapace longer than wide (7.4 mm./5.3 mm).behind. Venter slightly dusky, almost unmarked; patellae and tibiae I and II quite dark beneath, almost black; femora I and II somewhat lighter than tibia I; coxae I and II, sternum, labium, endites, and metatarsi I and II. Female: and indistinct from darker than dorsal stripe. dark markings. Venter dusky distal three-fourths of metatarsus than tibia I; coxae

Distribution in North Carolina

Comments: Atlantic coast from Maine to Georgia, and adjacent islands.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Adult phenology: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Coastal sand dunes, but also away from coast.
Observation Methods:
Abundance/Frequency: Uncommon. Matures in August and September, both sexes pass the winter half grown and do not mature until late and the fertilized females live over a second winter and lay eggs in May and June. Young remain a long time with the mother, in one case as late as September.
Behavior: Does not build a "turret" top to their burrows like others in the genus.

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] S3S4

State Protection:

Comments:

Geolycosa pikei (Marx, 1881) - a burrowing wolf spider

Photo Gallery for Geolycosa pikei - a burrowing wolf spider

Photo Gallery for Geolycosa pikei - a burrowing wolf spider
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Currituck Co. Comment: 93 active burrows: 3mm-2, 4mm-8, 5mm-3,6mm-9, 7mm-24, 8mm-12, 9mm-9, 10mm-5, 11mm-2.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 11 active burrows: 5mm-2, 6mm-2, 7mm-1, 8mm-3, 9mm-3. Normally burrow always on a level surface, two were on a 15 percent slope of sand.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 11 active burrows: 5mm-2, 6mm-2, 7mm-1, 8mm-3, 9mm-3. Normally burrow always on a level surface, two were on a 15 percent slope of sand.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Cumberland Co. Comment: Sandhills section. 12 active burrows: 4mm-1, 6mm-2, 7mm-1, 8mm-2, 10mm-1 with 7mm high turret, 12mm-1, 14mm-1, 15mm-1.\\r\\n
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, C. Bowers, H. Anderson, J. Brown Cumberland Co. Comment: 22 active burrows in front of barn, 8 active burrows in parking area	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, C. Bowers, H. Anderson, J. Brown Cumberland Co. Comment: 24 active burrows, fairly vegetated area, mowed grass shoulder
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Harnett Co. Comment: 11 active burrows, 3mm-2, 5mm-9.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 8 occupied burrows, 7,7,8,8,9,9,9,13 mm.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Carteret Co. Comment: 12 active in burrows, female photographed, 4-5mm burrow diameter.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Carteret Co. Comment: 12 active in burrows, female photographed, 4-5mm burrow diameter.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Bladen Co. Comment: 1 adult in burrow. 18 active burrows, 4mm: 1; 5mm: 4; 6mm: 7; 7mm: 3; 8mm: 2; 9mm: 1.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Bladen Co. Comment: 1 adult in burrow. 18 active burrows, 4mm: 1; 5mm: 4; 6mm: 7; 7mm: 3; 8mm: 2; 9mm: 1.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R.E. Thomas Moore Co. Comment: WEWO - female col. at WEWO (S 109) 9/20/83 from burrow without turret entrance, deep sand ridge; Weymouth Woods-SNP, Southern Pines, NC	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J. A. Anderson New Hanover Co. Comment: CABE - @ -77.905108, 34.046033	Recorded by: J. A. Anderson New Hanover Co. Comment: CABE - @ -77.905108, 34.046033
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 1 female, total body lenght 11mm, legspan 20mm wide by 28mm long, inside a 7mm wide burrow. Additional active burrows 7, 7, 8 and 12mm.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 1 female, total body lenght 11mm, legspan 20mm wide by 28mm long, inside a 7mm wide burrow. Additional active burrows 7, 7, 8 and 12mm.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 1 female, total body lenght 11mm, legspan 20mm wide by 28mm long, inside a 7mm wide burrow. Additional active burrows 7, 7, 8 and 12mm.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 1 female, total body lenght 11mm, legspan 20mm wide by 28mm long, inside a 7mm wide burrow. Additional active burrows 7, 7, 8 and 12mm.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 1 female, total body lenght 11mm, legspan 20mm wide by 28mm long, inside a 7mm wide burrow. Additional active burrows 7, 7, 8 and 12mm.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 1 female, total body lenght 11mm, legspan 20mm wide by 28mm long, inside a 7mm wide burrow. Additional active burrows 7, 7, 8 and 12mm.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 1 female in 7mm burrow. 12 other active burrows in mm 6,6,7,8,8,8,9,9,10,11,13,13.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 5 active burrows, level with ground, no turrets. 12mm wide, 8" deep, 12mm wide, 8" deep, 12 mm, 6 mm, 5mm.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Scotland Co. Comment: 14 active burrows. 13 mm wide 7\" deep; 12 mm wide 5\" deep; 11mm wide 5\" deep; 8mm wide, 10mm turret, 7\" deep; 7mm wide 5mm turret and 3\" deep; 7mm wide 4\" deep; Additional burrow width 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 5mm, 7mm, 7mm, 8mm, 12mm.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 1-11mm burrow, 10 burrows 5-7mm. Several with raised mounds of sand or shells.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 1-11mm burrow, 10 burrows 5-7mm. Several with raised mounds of sand or shells.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 1 17mm burrow, 1 11mm burrow.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 1-14mm burrow, 1 7mm burrow, 1 6mm burrow, 1 4mm burrow, 32 3mm burrow.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 1-14mm burrow, 1 6mm burrow, 2 5mm burrow, 138 2-3mm burrows.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: Male in vicinity of burrows. 1 5mm burrow, 5 3mm burrows. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: Male in vicinity of burrows. 1 5mm burrow, 5 3mm burrows. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: Male in vicinity of burrows. 1 5mm burrow, 5 3mm burrows. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: Male in vicinity of burrows. 1 5mm burrow, 5 3mm burrows. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: Male in vicinity of burrows. 1 5mm burrow, 5 3mm burrows. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: Male in vicinity of burrows. 1 5mm burrow, 5 3mm burrows. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 1 10mm burrow, 10" deep, vertical, 1 4mm burrow, 1 5mm burrow. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 1 10mm burrow, 10" deep, vertical, 1 4mm burrow, 1 5mm burrow. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: 1 10mm burrow, 10" deep, vertical, 1 4mm burrow, 1 5mm burrow. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, turkey oak understory, longleaf pine overstory.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 1 female in burrow. 113 burrows in 40 square foot area, several 7-8mm, most 4-5mm in width. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter and grasses, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 1 female in burrow. 113 burrows in 40 square foot area, several 7-8mm, most 4-5mm in width. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter and grasses, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 14 burrows in 30 square foot area, one 17mm, two 7mm, rest 4-5mm in width. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 14 burrows in 30 square foot area, one 17mm, two 7mm, rest 4-5mm in width. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 2 females in burrow, 1 male nearby a female in burrow. 14 burrows in 20 square foot area, all 4-5mm in length. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 2 females in burrow, 1 male nearby a female in burrow. 14 burrows in 20 square foot area, all 4-5mm in length. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 2 females in burrow, 1 male nearby a female in burrow. 14 burrows in 20 square foot area, all 4-5mm in length. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 2 females in burrow, 1 male nearby a female in burrow. 14 burrows in 20 square foot area, all 4-5mm in length. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment: 2 females in burrow, 1 male nearby a female in burrow. 14 burrows in 20 square foot area, all 4-5mm in length. Hard pack sand, some leaf litter, some understory pines. Few with small turrets of leaf material. Those in open sand were raised up. All had a silk pad around lip of burrow containing sand or leaf litter, which prevented additional materials from sliding inside burrow. All burrows led straight down vertically, with a turn 6-12 inches down.
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA
	Recorded by: Matt Windsor Dare Co. Comment: JORI - pitfall trap I set in the woods directly behind the maintenance shop	Recorded by: Mark Ciarrocca fide Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: Photographed on top of dune