II.B.1 SCRUB BURROWING WOLF SPIDERS:
The Stay-at-Home Predators
Student Data Sheet

  1. Carefully search the flagged area for burrows made by a scrub burrowing wolf spider. If you find one, stick a toothpick into the sand about 2 cm from the hole to mark the burrow. Look for more burrows nearby and mark them, too.

    2. How many burrows did you mark? ________________

  3. Being as gentle as possible, measure how wide the burrow hole is.


  4. Burrow #1_______mm

    If you found other burrows within 5 meters, measure them, too.

    Burrow #2_______mm

    Burrow #3_______mm
  5. Observe the area right around the burrow hole. What does it look like?
    (Circle the right answer.)
    6. Does the area have:
    a. open sand yes no
    b. lots of leaf litter (dead leaves)? yes no
    c. many small plants and grasses? yes no
    d. a tall tree less than a meter away? yes no

  7. What does the burrow entrance look like?
    8. a. Does the hole have any sand piled up around it? yes no
    b. Do you see a turret (raised collar) of leaves around it? yes no

    What do you think spiders do with the sand they dig from the burrow? Why?

  8. With a pine needle or long grass stem, carefully tickle the edges of the burrow opening. Watch closely for the spider, who might come up to the surface to see the "bug"!
    9. Did you see the spider? yes no
IIB1-Part 1    Part 2    Student data sheet    Class data sheet
Unit II. SAND-DWELLING ANIMALS
A. Ant Lions:    II.A.1
B. Scrub Burrowing Wolf Spiders:    II.B.1
C. Ants:     II.C.1   
D. Glossary    E. Questions for Student Evaluation