Rabid wolf spider (Rabidosa rabida)
The rabid wolf spider is a spider in the family Lycosidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 2,225 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 31 states, most of all Texas (1,048), Oklahoma (163) and Virginia (132). Its observation records peak in July.
Rabidosa rabida, also known as the rabid wolf spider, is a species of spiders from the family Lycosidae, native to North America. In the United States it is found from Maine to Florida and west to Texas.
From Wikipedia: Rabidosa rabida, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the rabid wolf spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the rabid wolf spider (family Lycosidae) has venom for its prey, but it is not a widow or recluse, the two U.S. groups whose bites need medical attention.
Which states have the rabid wolf spider?
Records are spread over 31 states; the top three, Texas, Oklahoma and Virginia, hold 60% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 1,048 | 3.6% | 3rd of 386 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 163 | 3.2% | 4th of 149 |
| 3 | Virginia | 132 | 1.1% | 23rd of 176 |
| 4 | North Carolina | 113 | 1.4% | 17th of 184 |
| 5 | Maryland | 66 | 1.2% | 20th of 153 |
| 6 | Missouri | 53 | 2.3% | 9th of 117 |
| 7 | Florida | 51 | 0.4% | 36th of 237 |
| 8 | Georgia | 50 | 0.7% | 30th of 186 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 48 | 1.3% | 16th of 138 |
| 10 | Ohio | 47 | 0.7% | 39th of 332 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 43 | 0.9% | 27th of 189 |
| 12 | Alabama | 37 | 1.0% | 22nd of 143 |
| 13 | Kansas | 37 | 2.2% | 7th of 94 |
| 14 | Louisiana | 36 | 0.9% | 21st of 107 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 35 | 0.5% | 41st of 164 |
| 16 | South Carolina | 33 | 1.4% | 18th of 121 |
| 17 | Kentucky | 31 | 1.7% | 14th of 103 |
| 18 | Arkansas | 30 | 1.8% | 14th of 114 |
| 19 | New York | 29 | 0.5% | 45th of 149 |
| 20 | Illinois | 24 | 0.1% | 109th of 243 |
| 21 | Indiana | 21 | 0.5% | 44th of 133 |
| 22 | Delaware | 20 | 0.9% | 28th of 71 |
| 23 | Mississippi | 14 | 1.0% | 23rd of 117 |
| 24 | New Jersey | 14 | 0.6% | 42nd of 127 |
| 25 | West Virginia | 12 | 1.6% | 17th of 90 |
| 26 | Connecticut | 9 | 0.9% | 24th of 86 |
| 27 | Nebraska | 9 | 0.7% | 31st of 71 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | 8 | 0.6% | 37th of 72 |
| 29 | Iowa | 6 | 0.9% | 18th of 57 |
| 30 | Michigan | 3 | 0.1% | 74th of 122 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | 0 | — | — |
When is the rabid wolf spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the rabid wolf spider run mostly April through October, peaking in July with 19% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 2% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (Florida) and latest in June (Ohio and Pennsylvania). The most common peak month is July, shared by Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and 2 more.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | March through October | June | 1,001 |
| Virginia | April through October | July | 131 |
| Oklahoma | April through October | July | 126 |
| North Carolina | April through October | August | 113 |
| Maryland | May through October | July | 66 |
| Missouri | May through September | August | 53 |
| Georgia | April through October | July | 50 |
| Tennessee | April through October | July | 48 |
| Ohio | June through September | August | 46 |
| Massachusetts | May through October | July | 43 |
| Alabama | April through October | April | 37 |
| Kansas | May through September | July | 37 |
| Louisiana | March through September | June | 36 |
| Florida | February through October | April | 34 |
| Pennsylvania | June through November | July | 33 |
| South Carolina | March through October | August | 33 |
| Kentucky | April through October | August | 31 |
Where the rabid wolf spider is recorded in each state
Texas
Texas holds 1,048 licensed records, the 3rd most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Wilson County, Dallas County and Travis County. Next come Tarrant County (61) and Hidalgo County (59).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 163 licensed records, the 4th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Oklahoma run mostly April through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Woodward County, Mayes County and Cleveland County. Next come Comanche County (17) and Marshall County (12).
Virginia
Virginia holds 132 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Prince William County and Fauquier County. Next come Hanover County (10) and Powhatan County (9).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 113 licensed records, the joint 17th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly April through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Orange County, Cumberland County and Wake County. Next come Durham County (6) and Chatham County (5).
Maryland
Maryland holds 66 licensed records, the joint 20th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly May through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Montgomery County, Frederick County and Prince George's County. Next come Howard County (4) and Baltimore County (4).
Missouri
Missouri holds 53 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 117 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Missouri run mostly May through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Texas County, Jackson County and DeKalb County. Next come St. Louis County (5) and Boone County (4).
Florida
Florida holds 51 licensed records, the 36th most recorded of 237 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Florida run mostly February through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Escambia County, Orange County and Putnam County. Next come Hillsborough County (4) and Sarasota County (4).
Georgia
Georgia holds 50 licensed records, the 30th most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly April through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Clarke County, Jones County and Dade County. Next come Floyd County (3) and Greene County (3).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 48 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly April through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Davidson County, Hamilton County and Bradley County. Next come Shelby County (5) and Anderson County (2).
Ohio
Ohio holds 47 licensed records, the joint 39th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly June through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Summit County, Clermont County and Adams County. Next come Athens County (6) and Cuyahoga County (2).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 43 licensed records, the 27th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly May through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Barnstable County, Middlesex County and Plymouth County. Next come Dukes County (7) and Essex County (5).
Alabama
Alabama holds 37 licensed records, the joint 22nd most recorded of 143 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Alabama run mostly April through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Tuscaloosa County, Jefferson County and Blount County. Next come Cullman County (4) and Pickens County (2).
Kansas
Kansas holds 37 licensed records, the joint 7th most recorded of 94 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Kansas run mostly May through September, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Leavenworth County, Douglas County and Riley County. Next come Kingman County (2) and Morris County (2).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 36 licensed records, the 21st most recorded of 107 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Louisiana run mostly March through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from East Baton Rouge Parish, Calcasieu Parish and Saint Tammany Parish. Next come Vernon Parish (3) and Orleans Parish (2).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 35 licensed records, the 41st most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly June through November, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Allegheny County, Bucks County and Bedford County. Next come Centre County (2) and Chester County (2).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 33 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 121 spiders listed there. Its observation records in South Carolina run mostly March through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Abbeville County, Horry County and Lexington County. Next come Richland County (4) and Pickens County (3).
Kentucky
Kentucky holds 31 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 103 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Kentucky run mostly April through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Madison County, Rowan County and Fayette County. Next come Simpson County (1) and Washington County (1).
Arkansas
Arkansas holds 30 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 114 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Arkansas come from Craighead County, Benton County and Greene County. Next come Perry County (3) and Washington County (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilson County | Texas | 130 | 5.8% |
| 2 | Dallas County | Texas | 74 | 3.3% |
| 3 | Travis County | Texas | 63 | 2.8% |
| 4 | Tarrant County | Texas | 61 | 2.7% |
| 5 | Hidalgo County | Texas | 59 | 2.7% |
| 6 | Williamson County | Texas | 54 | 2.4% |
| 7 | Brazos County | Texas | 36 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Bexar County | Texas | 35 | 1.6% |
| 9 | Denton County | Texas | 34 | 1.5% |
| 10 | Orange County | North Carolina | 30 | 1.3% |
| 11 | Harris County | Texas | 29 | 1.3% |
| 12 | Woodward County | Oklahoma | 28 | 1.3% |
| 13 | Collin County | Texas | 28 | 1.3% |
| 14 | Milam County | Texas | 26 | 1.2% |
| 15 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 25 | 1.1% |
How recent are the rabid wolf spider records?
Most of what is known about the rabid wolf spider is recent: 91% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1928; the busiest year was 2025, with 369 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 17 | 0.8% |
| 1930s | 5 | 0.2% |
| 1940s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1950s | 1 | 0.0% |
| 1960s | 2 | 0.1% |
| 1970s | 3 | 0.1% |
| 1980s | 3 | 0.1% |
| 1990s | 5 | 0.2% |
| 2000s | 21 | 0.9% |
| 2010s | 394 | 17.5% |
| 2020s | 1,798 | 79.9% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 255 counties where the rabid wolf spider is most recorded, 153 are also top counties for the spotted orbweaver, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Spotted orbweaver | 153 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 150 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 144 |
| Bold jumper | 134 |
| Nursery web spider | 134 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 120 |
| Spined micrathena | 117 |
| Arrowhead orbweaver | 104 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Lycosidae with profiles here: Koch's wolf spider, Wetland giant wolf spider, Georgia wolf spider, Shoreline wolf spider, McCook's split wolf spider and Brush-legged split wolf spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.