Wolf spiders
genus Lycosa
Several species of wolf spider, many belonging to the genus
Lycosa occur in cotton fields. Most have a shallow burrow in the soil as a retreat and range over the ground searching for prey. Their coloration merges well into a background of soil. Some species also climb plants. Large specimens have been seen killing large heliothis larvae and attack Heliothis moths. Females of these spiders carry their eggs in a grey ball attached to the abdomen. Wolf spiders are most easily seen in early summer before the cotton canopy closes over furrows.
