Spiders are creepy and no one wants to encounter one in their home, especially if they are big, hairy and ugly. Wolf spiders don’t really fit the spider mold. They don’t spin webs to catch their prey. Instead, they stalk and hunt their prey like wolves. Many people fear wolf spiders because of their stalking habits and quick movements. This leads people to think they are out to get them!

Wolf Spider, Brown Recluse or Tarantula?

Wolf spiders are hairy and brown to gray in color with markings. The females are 1 3/8 inches and the males are ¾ inches in size. Look at the eyes, if you can get close enough! Wolf spiders have three rows of eyes. Four small eyes make up the first row, two larger eyes in the middle and two medium-sized in the third. The two eyes in the middle row are distinctively larger than the other six. Wolf spiders also have three tarsal claws. Tarsal claws are the final segments of an insect’s leg. The wolf spider is sometimes confused with a Brown Recluse spider. They both look similar to the brownish-gray coloring but the wolf spider does not have the violin-shaped marking. Hairs that cover the abdomen may have you confusing the wolf spider with a Tarantula, but wolf spiders are quite a bit smaller than tarantulas.

Wolf Spider Facts; Habitat, Babies & What They Eat

Watch where the spider retreats. If the spider that moves into a burrow or a crevice, rather than a web, it is a sure sign you’re looking at a wolf spider. You may also see them stalking their prey on the ground. Because wolf spiders don’t spin webs you won’t see them on tall structures. Female wolf spiders will carry their egg sacs on their abdomens and her spiderlings when they have hatched. In fact, carrying spiderlings on their back is a trait that is done only by wolf spiders. In your home, you might find them in windows, doors, basements, garages, and houseplants. They like to hunt for crickets, ants, and caterpillars and will hunt day and night.

Venomous Wolf Spider Bite

You won’t usually find wolf spiders inside the home unless it’s during the fall and winter. They will look for warmer places to find shelter. The bite of a wolf spider should not be taken lightly but the bite isn’t as bad as the reputation they have. Wolf spider bites usually occur when the spider is in fear combined with our ignorance. They won’t think twice about biting if they feel threatened in any way. They will signal they are threatened by retreating first or rearing up on their legs and exposing their fangs. After you are bitten by a wolf spider, you will see the fang marks and the tearing of the skin along with redness and swelling. It will be painful and the pain can last for up to 15 days with the skin around the bite turning dark in color. The venom is very venomous but not fatal. The bite might become infected and lead to complications, so it’s important to take care of any spider bite the right way even if you’re not sure what type of spider bit you.

Wolf Spider Control

Try not to disturb wolf spiders. Locating one in your home means there might be more. The smartest thing you can do is call a pest control company to deal with them. Contact Rentokil today.