An atypical macro of Hogna helluo, the second largest Wolf Spider in the US, body length just under 1 inch/2.5cm. The Carolina Wolf Spider is the largest with the body being up to 1.4 inches/3.55cm long. Note that Hogna carolinensis is just the family name - it's widespread throughout the US as well. I just wrapped up some macros of this unexpected visitor in front of my house late last night. I noticed movement on the walkway from the driveway to the front porch while letting out the dog for his last visit outside.

This was all manual focus since it was so dark. I used a mini-Maglite set on the ground about 1 foot away to give me enough light to MF the subject. It can be a hit or miss proposition in these conditions to nail the eyes in focus correctly. Here goes... first image on the driveway, using tripod, cabled remote, extension cable and HSS on the flash. Settings were F/11, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100, EV 0, M mode. Yes, one of her eyes is damaged - the leftmost of the right side of the head.

Female Wolf Spider (Hogna helluo) with her baby spiders (aka "spiderlings"):


Crop:


Link to another image, but cropped even tighter to show the spiderlings - about 50% of actual size on my screen:


Link to EXIF


I took several shots then placed mom in a less stressful spot with all of her babies on a wood tree stump with some rocks - a normal habitat for more than a few kinds of wolf spider. She felt so at home and stress free that she started to clean herself!! One baby crawled around for a short stint on her body....

Normal X-sync mode at F/16, 1/180 sec., tripod, cabled remote, extension cable from hot shoe to flash:

Link to EXIF

The good news is that they will only bite if repeatedly provoked and cornered. Wolf spider bites normally result in localized swelling and some pain - that's it.

Hopefully those who don't like spiders will sleep well tonight...

Regards,
Marc

[K-9]

Hopefully you played black widow and squished it after you took the shot! Nasty looking thing. I wouldn't want all those babies in my yard.

[Andi Lo]

This is my first time seeing a mom other than a fish do something like this... really educative Marc. Great shots!

[Marc Langille]

This is one fantastic shot Marc! You are an inspiration!
Are you using a 540 flash with diffuser rather than a ring macro flash?

Young single mother taking good care of her children despite her handicap!

Or think about the morning routines in this familly! Up you go, all of you, hurry up, we got to go to kindergarden and school so mother can work (hunt). Number 12, don't step on your sisters, and you number 5, hurry up, you can eat the rest of your father when we get back home...

So now she knows what the eight multiplication table is good for
(Fourth are for mamals, Fifth for fingers and toes, Sixth are for insects, but what is the 7th good for?)

My honor Douglas and thanks for the kind words and fun comments too! That's funny stuff you whipped up...

You are correct: AF540 flash with Sto-Fen diffuser. When I tried HSS mode, I noticed it was often WB at 5900K in M mode - very warm but I simply lowered the temp in ACR. I had not really confirmed all the settings beforehand since I was a tad rushed... I shot normal X mode for the second half and the temp range was fine.

Cheers,
Marc

[Marc Langille]

Hopefully you played black widow and squished it after you took the shot! Nasty looking thing. I wouldn't want all those babies in my yard.

No sir - it's my hope that a bit of education on this variety of spider shows that they are actually very, very good for hunting and reducing the insect population. They can be handled without fear of being bitten (unless provoked a fair bit) and prefer to flee if given the choice. Even cornered they are relatively easy to scoop up and deposit elsewhere. Not aggressive at all.

I'll leave you with this question: would you rather be overrun with insects that couldbite you or have several spiders in your garden that are capable of trimming down the insect population? Besides, the great majority of those spiderlings will not make it to maturity.

Thanks for looking and commenting!

Regards,
Marc

[ll_coffee_lP]

{{{{{sssssshudder}}}}}}}}}

Cool shots, but I hate spiders.

c[_]

[jem]

No sir - it's my hope that a bit of education on this variety of spider shows that they are actually very, very good for hunting and reducing the insect population. They can be handled without fear of being bitten (unless provoked a fair bit) and prefer to flee if given the choice. Even cornered they are relatively easy to scoop up and deposit elsewhere. Not aggressive at all.

I'll leave you with this question: would you rather be overrun with insects that couldbite you or have several spiders in your garden that are capable of trimming down the insect population? Besides, the great majority of those spiderlings will not make it to maturity.

Thanks for looking and commenting!

Regards,
Marc

Well said Marc!

Again thanks for the wonderful photos and commentary!

Best,
John

[K-9]

When you see the ugly things, it's not in your mind at that point in time that they will take care of other insects for you. It's just a reaction to want to squish them. I have these wolf spiders in my yard and they seem aggressive to me and one bit my sister in law one day. She said it hurt pretty bad.

[sawtooth235]

Great work as usual Marc, do you know if the spiderlings eat the mother when they reach weaning age? I can't remember from my biology classes.

[MRRiley]

Great photos Marc. We saw something like this (possibly a Carolina Wolf Spider) on our recent Gathering at Blackwater NWR. Hopefully someone who got close enough to do her justice will post photos of our wee beastie. Spiders creep me out (gimme a nice snake any day) so I was standing well back shooting with my BIGMA.

Mike

[Marc Langille]

{{{{{sssssshudder}}}}}}}}}

Cool shots, but I hate spiders.

c[_]

Thank you for the comments!

Well said Marc!

Again thanks for the wonderful photos and commentary!

Best,
John

My honor John. I try to balance things as best I can.

When you see the ugly things, it's not in your mind at that point in time that they will take care of other insects for you. It's just a reaction to want to squish them. I have these wolf spiders in my yard and they seem aggressive to me and one bit my sister in law one day. She said it hurt pretty bad.

Reactions are based on a negative experience, as you clearly point out. I am sad to hear that and I can understand your reaction.

I do wish to point out that I have handled more spiders than I can count (mostly wolf spiders - easily 20 times) and have never been bitten. If they are put into a corner, of course they'll lift up their front legs into a defensive position and possibly strike. However, that's not been my experience when I use my hands (minimal agression) but don't move my hands very much because I never pick them up. I always let them run onto my hand and then they stop. Easy to transport afterwards, since I'll often curl my fingers over top of them and put them into relative darkness. That seems to quiet them down without any issues. I never use a twig or stick.

Again, I understand your post and sorry to hear that you've had that one bad experience with your sister in law. It could be a specific subspecies that has that tendency, but I am not certain.

Regards,
Marc

[Rense]

Great shots Marc. What lens did you use?

[Rense]

So now she knows what the eight multiplication table is good for
(Fourth are for mamals, Fifth for fingers and toes, Sixth are for insects, but what is the 7th good for?)

Days of weeks?

[Marc Langille]

Great work as usual Marc, do you know if the spiderlings eat the mother when they reach weaning age? I can't remember from my biology classes.

I'll research and get back with you. Thanks for looking and kind words!

Great photos Marc. We saw something like this (possibly a Carolina Wolf Spider) on our recent Gathering at Blackwater NWR. Hopefully someone who got close enough to do her justice will post photos of our wee beastie. Spiders creep me out (gimme a nice snake any day) so I was standing well back shooting with my BIGMA.

Mike

Thanks Mike and I am not sure if you enjoyed the series...

Regards,
Marc

[Marc Langille]

Great shots Marc. What lens did you use?

The one on the right...



The FA* 200/4 Macro is not a light lens, but not brutally heavy either.

Thanks Rense for the kind words!

Regards,
Marc

[Marc Langille]

daaaaamn. My skin crawled.

I absolutely love your macros Marc!

Well, they were crawling too...

Thanks very much for the props and I hope you sort of enjoyed this series!

Regards,
Marc