Wolf spiders can be found anywhere and are one of the most abundant spiders found in the United States. They are patterned colors of black, gray and brown hues and can get as big as 1 1/4 inches. This is only the body length. Including its legs, it can be as large as 4 inches.
Wolf Spider Facts
In the fall, wolf spiders will search out the warmth in our homes to spend the winter. You will rarely find them in groups as they are mostly solitary, hunting alone day and night.
Their diet consists of insects with crickets being one of their favorites. They also eat fly-grubs, roaches, mealworms and beetles. They will stay on the ground in areas where prey is available. These areas are around doors close to plants and windows, garages and humid basements.
They are known to wait patiently for prey to come by and then attack. Wolf spiders will pounce on their prey, crushing them with their powerful jaws and injecting venom into their victim to liquefy their insides to make it easier to digest.
Their good eyesight doesn’t allow them to discriminate between an insect and a finger. This makes people think they’re aggressive when they aren’t. They have eight eyes arranged in three rows. Two large eyes in the middle with two smaller on top and 4 even smaller below. The eyes of a wolf spider will reflect light well. If you shine a flashlight in wolf spider territory, you may see lots of eyes looking at you.
They can inhabit woodlands and dry, inland shrub lands to wet, coastal forests and alpine meadows. They do not spin webs and will live in burrows that can be open or closed with doors made of silk.
What Happens When a Wolf Spider Bites You
Wolf spiders will only bite if they feel threatened or provoked. They can inflict sharp stinging bites. Furthermore, they are venomous and their venom is poisonous. If the bite penetrates the skin, it will cause pain, swelling, and itchiness.
These symptoms may only last a few minutes and others can develop a wound that can take days to heal. The average length of time that you will experience pain from a Wolf spider bite is 10 minutes.
Getting Rid of Wolf Spiders
Exclusion is the best way to keep wolf spiders out. You need to seal any entry points and check weather-stripping.
Nine times out of ten, they will come inside through the garage. Garages are entry points for many pests, so consider glue boards on the interior. Remove any areas that they will use to nest. They will find shelter almost anywhere so make sure that leaf and plant clutter is kept away from the house. Check all screens on windows and doors to make sure they are free of rips and sealed well.
Exclusion along with pesticides is effective. Spray flowerbeds, perimeters, potential entrances, and under possible dwelling sites. It’s not a good idea to smash a wolf spider.
The females will often be carrying either eggs or spiderlings on her back, and doing so may send hundreds of baby spiders everywhere.