It can be found across the eastern half of the United States, primarily in the Northeast and New England, and as far west as Nebraska and Kansas.

T. helluo can be found in diverse habitats including woods, marshes, fields, and riparian areas.

Typically, members of this species prefer to live in wetter areas as opposed to dry environments.

The defining characteristic of T. helluo is its brown carapace and distinct yellow stripe starting from its anterior eyes extending down the cephalothorax.

The underside of the abdomen has distinct black spots that distinguish T. helluo from other wolf spiders.

In addition, T. helluo does not create webs, although females will make burrows under rocks or boards.

Their bites inject venom; however, it is not medically significant to humans, as only minor pain and swelling occur.

T. helluo is also often mistaken for Pisaurina mira, the nursery web spider, due to the physical resemblance.

[3] However, the carapace of T. helluo consists of a brownish color contrasting with a distinctive yellow stripe that extends from the anterior eyes to the cephalothorax.

Tigrosa is defined by the distinct colored pattern on the dorsal cephalothorax, structure of the male palpus and epigynum, leg length, foraging behaviors, and eye arrangement.

The aggressive nature and colorful patterns of these spiders related to the meaning of the word Tigrosa, which is "fierce like a tiger".

[6] However, in states like Florida and Mississippi, T. helluo is most often found in wetter areas such as marshes and lakes.

Thus, sexual cannibalism in T. helluo can be viewed similarly to a predator–prey interaction where size difference affects the actions of each.

These males can invest more into a single copulation by engaging for longer because they are at a high risk of being eaten after mating.

[10] The process of copulation for T. helluo consists of a series of interactions between the male palp and the female epigynum.

After the palp and epigynum are engaged, the male will expand his hematodocha, causing his embolus to enter the female copulatory duct.

[14] T. helluo is able to feed on a large variety of prey and thus enjoys a mixed diet of different insects.

Certain body parts like the cephalothorax and legs were also significantly larger at maturity in the polytypic diet group.

[14] A 1999 study examining the effect of feeding on burrow construction for T. helluo reported that hunger level significantly impacts its behavioral decisions.

In comparison to starved spiders, well-fed individuals had a better nutritional state and made significantly more burrows.

Females of the species T. helluo make burrows in secluded habitats, such as underneath stones, that can also function as a place to hide from predators.

Females build burrows of silk and wait for prey to show up in their current foraging site.

The spiders will show a preference for chemical cues that match that of their most recently hunted prey.

[18] Both Pardosa milvina and Tigrosa helluo are among the more common wolf spider species in the United States, but they do have behavioral differences in their hunting approaches.