Characteristics: Brown or gray, with dark markings. Coloration, depending on the species, will often match their preferred environment.
Behavior:
Wolf spiders have excellent eyesight.
They are agile and efficient hunters.
The sensory hairs on their legs give wolf spiders an extremely accurate sense of touch.
They are not web-weavers, but live in burrows.
Wolf spiders are solitary animals.
They eat beetles, grasshoppers, large insects, and other spiders. They will also eat reptiles and amphibians, if the environmental conditions are right.
The wolf spider is venomous, and their bite will cause itching, swelling, and mild pain.
Wolf spiders look intimidating to most people: they’re big, they’re hairy, and they resemble tarantulas in many ways. The many species of wolf spiders live a wide range of environments, including deserts, swamps, mountains, and forests. Wolf spiders will eat a variety of different foods, including smaller insects, other spiders, and even small vertebrates like lizards. Wolf spiders are efficient and agile predators, and after capturing prey, they are extremely reluctant to let it go for any reason.
Although some species of wolf-spiders are known for their outdoor burrowing habits, they have also been known to wander into buildings, either in search of mates, or in search of heat. Females carry their eggs in a sac underneath their abdomen, and despite this addition, remain agile and adept hunters.
Problems Caused by Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders will not attack a human at first sight, but will react aggressively if cornered or picked up. They have large fangs and their bites are quite painful. While their venom is not fatal, it can produce mild pain, rashes, and itching. Wolf spiders will seek out a dark, quiet, burrow-like place to rest, such as underneath shelves in garages, in cardboard boxes, under wood piles, and under floorboards. Because wolf spiders do not spin webs, a wolf spider’s presence may go unnoticed in a building for a long period of time.
Preventing Wolf Spiders
Proper cleaning of the building environment can significantly reduce the chance of an unnoticed wolf spider issue. Reducing clutter and debris in parts of the building that go unused are all part of the basic prevention method. Outdoors, proper lawn maintenance should be observed. Any cracks, holes, or entry points in the building should be properly sealed as well.
Eliminating and Controlling Wolf Spiders
Household upkeep and exclusion tactics can be effective in limiting and preventing human contact with wolf spiders. The best approach to eradicating Wolf Spiders and preventing future problems with them is through professional help, preferably with someone who has a firm understanding of wolf spider behavior. At Pest Control Inc., our pest control experts resolve wolf spider issues using a variety of different treatment techniques including surveillance, removal, dust, and liquid applications.
