Males and females are similar in appearance, except that males are generally lighter in color than females. The body and legs of wolf spiders range from brown, light brown, brownish-yellow, to tan in color. All species have at least one row of black stripes that extend from the eyes to the abdomen. Most wolf spiders have light colored chevrons, bands or stripes located on their abdomens. Spiderlings (immatures) look like smaller versions of the adult spiders, but are typically brown in color.

Female wolf spiders can lay many eggs at once and wrap them in a large ball of webbing, which they carry on their backs until the spiderlings hatch. The spiderlings will live on the backs of the female until they are able to hunt on their own.

Wolf spiders are found in herbaceous vegetation, in shrubs, in open wooded areas, in bare habitats, in hammock habitats, and in dry areas throughout the United States.

These spiders feed on various insects, spiders and other small arthropods.

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