Worldwide, the genus Geolycosa contains many species of burrowing wolf spiders, with about 25 in the USA.
They use their chelicerae to dig burrows straight down in sand, spending most of their time holed-up
inside. At night they move near the entrance so they can dart out quickly to grab passing
insects. The Carolina Wolf Spider also makes burrows, but not mainly vertical.
Hogna carolinensis --
Florida
BURROWING WOLF SPIDERS
Geolycosa sp. --
Burrows of the Carolina Wolf Spider
do not go straight down.
Florida
waiting by night at the mouth of her vertical burrow