Shoreline wolf spider (Arctosa littoralis)
The shoreline wolf spider is a spider in the family Lycosidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 562 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 39 states, most of all Texas (93), California (87) and Oklahoma (73). Its observation records peak in July.
Is the shoreline wolf spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the shoreline 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 shoreline wolf spider?
Records are spread over 39 states; the top three, Texas, California and Oklahoma, hold 45% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 93 | 0.3% | 64th of 386 |
| 2 | California | 87 | 0.2% | 67th of 309 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 73 | 1.4% | 13th of 149 |
| 4 | Arizona | 46 | 1.0% | 11th of 162 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 42 | 0.9% | 28th of 189 |
| 6 | Florida | 30 | 0.2% | 62nd of 237 |
| 7 | Michigan | 30 | 1.3% | 23rd of 122 |
| 8 | Minnesota | 14 | 0.5% | 46th of 145 |
| 9 | New York | 13 | 0.2% | 71st of 149 |
| 10 | Delaware | 12 | 0.6% | 41st of 71 |
| 11 | Maryland | 12 | 0.2% | 82nd of 153 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 10 | 0.3% | 75th of 149 |
| 13 | New Jersey | 7 | 0.3% | 63rd of 127 |
| 14 | New Mexico | 7 | 0.3% | 65th of 247 |
| 15 | Utah | 7 | 0.3% | 35th of 97 |
| 16 | Virginia | 7 | 0.1% | 123rd of 176 |
| 17 | Illinois | 6 | 0.0% | 218th of 243 |
| 18 | Indiana | 6 | 0.1% | 108th of 133 |
| 19 | Louisiana | 6 | 0.1% | 75th of 107 |
| 20 | Georgia | 5 | 0.1% | 121st of 186 |
| 21 | Ohio | 5 | 0.1% | 114th of 332 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 5 | 0.2% | 68th of 121 |
| 23 | Colorado | 4 | 0.1% | 87th of 378 |
| 24 | Missouri | 4 | 0.2% | 69th of 117 |
| 25 | Arkansas | 3 | 0.2% | 82nd of 114 |
| 26 | Kansas | 3 | 0.2% | 67th of 94 |
| 27 | Mississippi | 3 | 0.2% | 72nd of 117 |
| 28 | Montana | 3 | 0.1% | 46th of 75 |
| 29 | Nebraska | 3 | 0.2% | 57th of 71 |
| 30 | North Carolina | 3 | 0.0% | 142nd of 184 |
| 31 | South Dakota | 2 | 1.0% | 18th of 29 |
| 32 | Vermont | 2 | 0.1% | 57th of 74 |
| 33 | Alabama | 1 | 0.0% | 121st of 143 |
| 34 | Iowa | 1 | 0.1% | 50th of 57 |
| 35 | Maine | 0 | — | — |
| 36 | Nevada | 0 | — | — |
| 37 | Oregon | 0 | — | — |
| 38 | Rhode Island | 0 | — | — |
| 39 | Wyoming | 0 | — | — |
When is the shoreline wolf spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the shoreline wolf spider run mostly March through October, peaking in July with 19% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 6% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (Texas) and latest in June (Massachusetts). The most common peak month is August, shared by Arizona and Massachusetts.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | February through October | October | 88 |
| California | March through November | June | 74 |
| Massachusetts | June through October | August | 42 |
| Arizona | March through September | August | 41 |
Where the shoreline wolf spider is recorded in each state
Texas
Texas holds 93 licensed records, the 64th most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly February through October, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Mills County, San Saba County and Briscoe County. Next come McLennan County (4) and Wilson County (4).
California
California holds 87 licensed records, the 67th most recorded of 309 spiders listed there. Its observation records in California run mostly March through November, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Riverside County, Los Angeles County and Mono County. Next come Ventura County (6) and San Bernardino County (5).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma holds 73 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Oklahoma come from McIntosh County, Woodward County and Marshall County. Next come Cleveland County (1) and Comanche County (1).
Arizona
Arizona holds 46 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 162 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Arizona run mostly March through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Pima County, Maricopa County and Yavapai County. Next come Coconino County (4) and Cochise County (3).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 42 licensed records, the 28th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly June through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Barnstable County, Plymouth County and Worcester County. Next come Dukes County (3) and Nantucket County (2).
Florida
Florida holds 30 licensed records, the joint 62nd most recorded of 237 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Florida come from Broward County, Escambia County and Osceola County. Next come Palm Beach County (2) and Santa Rosa County (2).
Michigan
Michigan holds 30 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 122 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Michigan come from Benzie County, Emmet County and Leelanau County. Next come Ottawa County (3) and Charlevoix County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McIntosh County | Oklahoma | 65 | 11.6% |
| 2 | Pima County | Arizona | 23 | 4.1% |
| 3 | Barnstable County | Massachusetts | 23 | 4.1% |
| 4 | Riverside County | California | 15 | 2.7% |
| 5 | Los Angeles County | California | 12 | 2.1% |
| 6 | Mono County | California | 11 | 2.0% |
| 7 | Plymouth County | Massachusetts | 8 | 1.4% |
| 8 | Maricopa County | Arizona | 7 | 1.2% |
| 9 | Mills County | Texas | 7 | 1.2% |
| 10 | Yavapai County | Arizona | 6 | 1.1% |
| 11 | Ventura County | California | 6 | 1.1% |
| 12 | San Saba County | Texas | 6 | 1.1% |
| 13 | Briscoe County | Texas | 6 | 1.1% |
| 14 | San Bernardino County | California | 5 | 0.9% |
| 15 | San Diego County | California | 5 | 0.9% |
How recent are the shoreline wolf spider records?
Most of what is known about the shoreline wolf spider is recent: 80% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1934; the busiest year was 2024, with 89 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 4 | 0.7% |
| 1940s | 2 | 0.3% |
| 1980s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 2000s | 17 | 2.8% |
| 2010s | 148 | 24.5% |
| 2020s | 432 | 71.5% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 82 counties where the shoreline wolf spider is most recorded, 33 are also top counties for the banded garden spider, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Banded garden spider | 33 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 32 |
| Bold jumper | 31 |
| Green lynx spider | 31 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 31 |
| Whitebanded crab spider | 30 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 28 |
| Arabesque orbweaver | 26 |
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, 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.