Drumming sword wolf spider (Gladicosa gulosa)
The drumming sword wolf spider is a spider in the family Lycosidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 418 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 28 states, most of all Massachusetts (85), Virginia (44) and New York (41). Its observation records peak in April.
Gladicosa gulosa (the drumming sword wolf spider ) is a type of wolf spider found, among other habits, in Beech-Maple forests of the US and Canada, where the spider can be found in the plant strata of ground, herb or shrub.
From Wikipedia: Gladicosa gulosa, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the drumming sword wolf spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the drumming sword 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 drumming sword wolf spider?
Records are spread over 28 states; the top three, Massachusetts, Virginia and New York, hold 41% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 85 | 1.8% | 11th of 189 |
| 2 | Virginia | 44 | 0.4% | 56th of 176 |
| 3 | New York | 41 | 0.7% | 36th of 149 |
| 4 | Michigan | 29 | 1.2% | 24th of 122 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 25 | 1.8% | 16th of 72 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 23 | 0.3% | 52nd of 164 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 18 | 0.2% | 71st of 184 |
| 8 | Vermont | 18 | 1.2% | 21st of 74 |
| 9 | Illinois | 15 | 0.1% | 155th of 243 |
| 10 | Maryland | 15 | 0.3% | 75th of 153 |
| 11 | New Jersey | 15 | 0.7% | 41st of 127 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 12 | 0.4% | 61st of 149 |
| 13 | Texas | 10 | 0.0% | 215th of 386 |
| 14 | Arkansas | 7 | 0.4% | 52nd of 114 |
| 15 | Louisiana | 7 | 0.2% | 73rd of 107 |
| 16 | Colorado | 6 | 0.1% | 61st of 378 |
| 17 | Connecticut | 6 | 0.6% | 35th of 86 |
| 18 | Delaware | 6 | 0.3% | 57th of 71 |
| 19 | Maine | 6 | 0.6% | 33rd of 297 |
| 20 | Indiana | 5 | 0.1% | 114th of 133 |
| 21 | Iowa | 5 | 0.7% | 22nd of 57 |
| 22 | Missouri | 5 | 0.2% | 63rd of 117 |
| 23 | Ohio | 5 | 0.1% | 114th of 332 |
| 24 | Georgia | 3 | 0.0% | 136th of 186 |
| 25 | Nebraska | 1 | 0.1% | 68th of 71 |
| 26 | Rhode Island | 1 | 0.6% | 29th of 53 |
| 27 | Tennessee | 1 | 0.0% | 123rd of 138 |
| 28 | West Virginia | 1 | 0.1% | 57th of 90 |
When is the drumming sword wolf spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the drumming sword wolf spider run mostly March through November, peaking in April with 25% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 7% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (Virginia) and latest in March (Massachusetts and New York). Each of these states peaks in a different month: March in Virginia, April in Massachusetts and May in New York.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | March through October | April | 67 |
| Virginia | February through September | March | 44 |
| New York | March through September | May | 38 |
Where the drumming sword wolf spider is recorded in each state
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 85 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Barnstable County, Middlesex County and Norfolk County. Next come Dukes County (11) and Essex County (11).
Virginia
Virginia holds 44 licensed records, the 56th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly February through September, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Accomack County and Powhatan County. Next come Spotsylvania County (2) and Fauquier County (2).
New York
New York holds 41 licensed records, the joint 36th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly March through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Suffolk County, Westchester County and Dutchess County. Next come Tompkins County (4) and Onondaga County (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barnstable County | Massachusetts | 18 | 4.3% |
| 2 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | 14 | 3.3% |
| 3 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 12 | 2.9% |
| 4 | Norfolk County | Massachusetts | 11 | 2.6% |
| 5 | Dukes County | Massachusetts | 11 | 2.6% |
| 6 | Essex County | Massachusetts | 11 | 2.6% |
| 7 | Franklin County | Massachusetts | 7 | 1.7% |
| 8 | Worcester County | Massachusetts | 6 | 1.4% |
| 9 | Suffolk County | New York | 6 | 1.4% |
| 10 | Westchester County | New York | 5 | 1.2% |
| 11 | Suffolk County | Massachusetts | 4 | 1.0% |
| 12 | Dutchess County | New York | 4 | 1.0% |
| 13 | Tompkins County | New York | 4 | 1.0% |
| 14 | Accomack County | Virginia | 4 | 1.0% |
| 15 | Powhatan County | Virginia | 4 | 1.0% |
How recent are the drumming sword wolf spider records?
Most of what is known about the drumming sword wolf spider is recent: 84% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1936; the busiest year was 2025, with 66 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 2 | 0.5% |
| 1960s | 7 | 1.6% |
| 2000s | 23 | 5.4% |
| 2010s | 77 | 18.0% |
| 2020s | 319 | 74.5% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 39 counties where the drumming sword wolf spider is most recorded, 23 are also top counties for each of the first three spiders in the table below; no other spider shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 23 |
| Dimorphic jumper | 23 |
| Filmy dome spider | 23 |
| Nursery web spider | 22 |
| Sixspotted fishing spider | 22 |
| Sixspotted orbweaver | 22 |
| Bronze jumper | 21 |
| Parson spider | 21 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Lycosidae with profiles here: Rabid wolf spider, Koch's wolf spider, Wetland giant wolf spider, Georgia wolf spider, Shoreline wolf spider and McCook's split wolf spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.