Male wolf spiders use “purring” vibrations to serenade their sweethearts, but this wooing only works if the females can feel these vibrations.
For the females to feel these vibrations, the courting couple must be standing on a suitable surface that can vibrate, like dry leaves. This group of spiders doesn’t have typical ears, and it’s assumed that the critters can’t actually hear any airborne sounds.
The “purring” wolf spider (Gladicosa gulosa) may help researchers learn how some animals use vibration, but not sound, to communicate, he said. Moreover, it’s possible that acoustic communication evolved from vibration.
The courting wolf spider uses its pedipalps to vibrate dry leaves to attract females. This sound can be heard by the human ear from as far away as three feet.
