BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 23, 2023
Not every spider sits in the middle of its web or drops down from above on a string of silk. In Maine, there are spiders that also jump and spiders that make hissing-like sounds. While neither is poisonous, coming across either can be a bit startling. Among the spiders commonly found in Maine is the wolf spider, a rather athletic spider that is a ground dweller. Instead of catching flies in a web, the wolf spider hunts and runs down its prey, including small bugs and even other spiders. They have excellent night vision and because they make a hiss-like sound, they are among the so-called hissing spiders. Wolf spiders prefer to run away, but will rear up on their hind legs and wriggle their front ones at you if cornered. Jumping spiders are not aggressive and have even been described as friendly.