Whenever I have my macro lens on my camera, I tend to scan small areas very carefully, looking for variations of color and patterns or signs of movement. The colorful markings permitted me to spot the tiny cricket frog that I featured in yesterday’s posting. Not far from the frog’s habitat, it was movement that allowed me to spot this cool-looking wolf spider (Tigrosa georgicola) on Monday. The spider was slowly crawling through some leaf litter and I was able to grab this shot when it paused for a second in an open area.
I believe that this is the first wolf spider that I have ever photographed. Fortunately I was able to get help in identifying it in a Facebook group devoted to spider identification. I know that some people are totally creeped out by spiders, while others are fascinated by them. I apologize to those in the former group, but hope that exposure to these spiders through my photos will help you appreciate their beauty—they truly are amazing creatures.
If you are at all interested in or curious about wolf spiders (and there are a lot of different species), you should check out Pete Hillman’s blog that just yesterday featured a photo of a wolf spider basking in the sun. Those who really like spiders will love a posting that Pete did earlier in the month entitled Not One For The Squeamish that shows a female wolf spider with a group of little spiderlings on her back—be sure to double-click on that image.
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Mike Powell 
Double-clicking on your Wolf Spider here, Mike, and what a beauty it is! It is quite a dark species with a nice pale stripe running from the head. Well spotted, and a lovely shot. I do the same as you, and sometimes when either in the garden or on my walks, I will stop and scan an area for changes or for movement, sometimes just concentrating on one individual plant.
Many thanks for the links and the praise. It is very much appreciated, Mike! 🙂
Spidermen of the world, unite! As you know, it is always a challenge to chase after free-roaming spiders. With species that build webs, it is a little easier to find them. I love the “racing stripe” on this one. I was very happy to include links, Pete, especially because you encouraged me to post this photo at a moment when I was hesitating a bit.
🙂 I like it, Mike!
Great capture, Mike. I’m not bothered by spiders but I’m not sure I’d want to get too close to this guy.
Not to worry, Dan. The spider might look a little ferocious, but it was actually quite small. However, I did read that wolf spiders may bite if provoked and inject venom, so I keep my distance and use a pretty good sized macro lens to make it appear that I am really close. 🙂
Avoid the bite. Landscapers do not like these critters!
Thanks for the advice, Molly. I tend to keep my distance from most critters and use my lens to make it look like I am close. I read that these spiders inject a venom when they bite, which won’t kill you but can be painful.
Nice Mike! Spiders are fun to photograph!
Great! When our boys were young we found a momma carrying all her babies in our house. We had a time capturing them in a jar and putting them out in our woods! Such fun!
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I have heard of mother spiders carrying around the baby spiders but so far have not seen one. It must have been quite a chore to collect all of the babies indoors. The closest I have come is seeing a Nursery Web Spider carrying around an egg sac with her fangs. https://michaelqpowell.com/2013/05/31/unexpected-spider/
Cool! It was fun. The boys sure enjoyed it. 🙂
Oooo…. I don’t like large spiders. Reminds me of a humorous version of a song called Day- 0” by Stan Freiburg, “Hugely deadly black tarantula….” M 🙂
Not to worry. Despite appearances to the contrary, this is a pretty small spider. My favorite spider song is Boris the Spider by The Who. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvFuUaCe8eY
Eewoooo. (Refer: The Who) That voice! Ahhhh! Nightmares tonight M 😦
Good thing there’s an ocean between you two…
Well spotted–and a very good grab shot! There are frequently real rewards for folks who are able to slow down and just calmly & alertly watch what’s happening around them. I can still remember lying on my stomach in the grass as a boy and discovering the busyness of ants, other insects, and spiders. I’m glad I’ve never lost that sense of wonder.
Thanks, Gary. It seems like you have had these interests since childhood. As for me, even though I was a Boy Scout, I was more interested in books than bugs. Only much later in life have I really kindled this love of nature. It’s funny, but so often when you comment, I hear resonances of songs. In this case, your last sentence calls to mind the opening lines of a song that Lee Ann Womack made popular a decade or so ago, “I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed.” When YOU get the choice to sit it out or dance, I’m pretty confident that you will dance. 🙂
And I love the dance! Yes, music has been a very large and essential part of my life, for as long as I can remember. I was putting harmonies on the songs my mom sang well before I started going to school. She played the ukulele and my dad the harmonica, and they loved the old songs like Shine On, Harvest Moon, and I still enjoy singing them with my guitar. In fact, scarcely a day goes by without some random song popping into my head and staying there for a while. The other day, for some reason, it was Gogi Grant’s The Wayward Wind, and I even remembered all the lyrics. Remember that one?
You’ve stumped me, Gary. I listened to her sing in on YouTube and I am pretty sure that I had never heard it previously.