Grasshoppers Galore And Rabid Wolf Spiders That Never Are

My Nature Journal Summary

My Nature Journal Photos

Rabid Wolf Spider Rabidosa rabida

Humans gave Rabid Wolf Spiders an unfortunate name.

The “rabid” part of their name references the truly terrible and exceedingly dangerous infectious disease known as “rabies”. Rabies is a legitimate and serious concern amongst many creatures, like bats and foxes. Infected animals behave strangely and aggressively, often rushing straight at humans instead of running away.

Before the development of a rabies vaccine (truly one of the most astounding and underappreciated public health achievements of all humanity), creatures that ran straight at people terrified them.

Rabid Wolf Spiders are ground hunters. They spend their time dashing across the ground, looking for prey to attack. Sometimes, wolf spiders may accidentally rush in our direction (which can be disconcerting, I’ll be very honest about that!). But it’s just a coincidence. Their prey are small invertebrates—nothing like the size of humans. Rabid Wolf Spiders have no specific interest in us.

But the behavior made people nervous, and reminded them of “rabid” animals. Thus, they gave an innocent spider species a name that conveyed their fear.

But, to be clear, Rabid Wolf Spiders aren’t rabid and never carry the disease. I wouldn’t go picking one up on a lark, as they do have venomous fangs, but they aren’t any kind of threat to us otherwise.

This is great news. It leaves us free to enjoy them for what they are—fantastically evolved creatures that do what they do without any consideration of us.

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias

I often see Great Blue Herons at the lake. Today was no exception.

I caught this bird from a distance in mid-flight across the lake. If you’ve never seen or paused to observe a Great Blue Heron fly before, you’re in for a treat if you do so.

These are large, impressive birds. Their wings span nearly six feet so when they take flight, they’re a sight to behold. They beat their wings in slow, methodical, shallow strokes that somehow convey calm power.

Check it out for yourself the next time you’re at a lake where these statuesque birds live.

Differential Grasshopper

Grasshoppers filled today’s nature walk with bouncing, whirring energy. They were everywhere in the meadow. I think most of them were Differential Grasshoppers, like the one in the photo. This species lives throughout the United States and is particularly abundant in my area.

This time of year, adult grasshoppers are about as large as they’re going to get. Many of them are impressive specimens indeed. I estimated this individual as about 1.75 inches long (4.5 cm), which would be a substantial mouthful for any insectivorous predator. And he was only one of many I saw hopping and crawling amidst the vegetation. Nature’s abundance truly amazes me sometimes.

Christine

Christine is the creator and author of NowIWonder.com, a website dedicated to the animals and plants that share our world, and the science that helps us understand them. Inspired by lifelong exploration and learning, Christine loves to share her knowledge with others who want to connect with wild faces and wild spaces.

See Full Bio