Are Wolf Spiders Dangerous?

Are Wolf Spiders Dangerous?

Wolf spider – It sounds like a very dangerous name for a very dangerous pest, doesn’t it? Doesn’t your mind just instantly jump to a pack of spiders surrounding a ‘herd’ of crickets and running them ragged until the weakest falls behind so they can pounce on it and kill it? Or maybe your mind envisions super extra-large howling spiders with heavy footsteps that chase people down to feed off from them? Perhaps your mind can see thousands of wolf spiders sitting atop a hillside howling at the moon? Well, if your mind automatically jumped to any of these conclusions, you will be happy to know that none of these are true.

In fact, wolf spiders are relatively harmless creatures. They only bite when they feel threatened or when handled, but their venom isn’t potent enough to cause any harm. Truly, the biggest danger to you is a good scare from their unique and creepy eyes. They have three rows of eyes with 4 small eyes on the bottom, 2 large eyes in the middle, and 2 medium eyes on top. All of those eyes peering at you can tend to elevate your heart rate!

If you are seeing a lot of wolf spiders in or around your home, it may be that you actually have a problem with small insects. These spiders go where their food sources are; which is why it is a really good idea to get a pest inspection done by a professional pest control company if you have these guys in moderate numbers. Remember, wolf spiders do not have webs; therefore, webs are not a good indicator of wolf spider activity.

There are several things that you can actively do to reduce the occurrence of spiders, and small insects, in your home. These include:

  • Inspect your foundation and fill any small holes, cracks or gaps.

  • Make sure that all doors and windows have properly fitted screens that are completely intact.

  • Install door sweeps under all exterior doors.

  • Install yellow bulbs in outside lighting sources to keep from attracting insects which are a food source for wolf spiders.

  • Be sure that all utility and pipe entrances are securely sealed.

With a bit of common sense and hard work, you can keep wolf spiders at bay; but if you have done all of these modifications and you are still seeing wolf spiders in your home, it is time to call the pest control experts here at Russell’s Pest Control. We offer several affordable pest control packages with year-round protection from insects, spiders, and other pests. Contact us today and rest assured that when wolf spiders come crawling around your home, Russell’s Pest Control has you covered.

All You Need To Know About Wolf Spiders

All You Need To Know About Wolf Spiders

Perhaps the first word that comes to mind when discussing a wolf spider is that they are very intimidating. The wolf spider is quite large in comparison to other spiders, ranging upwards of an inch or more not counting the legs. The wolf spider will bite when feeling threatened; however, their venom is rather weak and not harmful to humans. The most you can expect to experience is usually no more than some redness and swelling, but nothing more serious than that has been reported.

The coloring of the wolf spider results in a rather camouflaged appearance of brown, grey, tan, and black with some darker markings. This helps them when hunting their prey as well as protecting them against predators. The wolf spider can be found in almost any corner of the world as long as there is a good supply of insects available for food.

Wolf spiders have incredible night vision and do most of their hunting in the dark. They do not spin webs for which to catch their prey but rather depend on their size and strength to overpower insects. The wolf spider burrows into the ground rather than nesting in a web. Even then, the female will carry her egg sac with her rather than leaving it unprotected.

Mating time is quite risky for the male as they are sometimes killed by the female after the mating has taken place. Those males who do survive will often mate again. The mated female will lay approximately 100 eggs which she will encase in a sac that she carries with her. When the eggs are developed and ready to hatch, the female wolf spider will rip the egg sac open and release her baby spiders. The spiderlings will then climb onto the female’s body and stay with her for a couple weeks until mature enough to be on their own.

With their reproductive ability, wolf spiders can populate a home rather quickly. Even though they have a tendency to burrow into the ground, they will come inside from time to time. Although their bite is not dangerous, it is recommended that professional help is called on for eradication. While there are prevention tips that will help prevent an invasion of wolf spiders, contacting Russell’s Pest Control is advisable for control of a wolf spider infestation. Our Power Programs, designed to prevent and protect, will protect you from wolf spiders plus 30 or more other household pests with guaranteed year round pest free protection.