Probably no other spider is the source of more sleepless nights, frantic calls to the exterminator or the reason for more dents in bedroom walls from hurled shoes than the wolf spider. The sheer size of these creatures is close to legend status and its ability to appear in the middle of a room from nowhere is uncanny.
If sighting stats were taken of this spider I would be willing to bet that more people have seen them while in the shower just as they had a head full of shampoo more than any other place. I’m sure untold numbers of broken ankles and ripped curtains are in direct correlation to this hairy beasts voyeuristic habits.
The wolf spider is by all definitions a beneficial creature. A hunter by trade they stalk insects in the quiet hours of the night and no surface can even slow them down. They have excellent eyesight and sense of touch. They are able to chase an insect down over a short distance or simply wait in the shadows for some unfortunate bug to wander by.
The wolf spider is unique in that the female carries her egg sac on her abdomen until the babies are born. The spider lings then scamper up her legs and ride on her abdomen until they are ready to go off on their own. Although she is somewhat hampered by the load she is still able to efficiently hunt.
There are a about 2300 species of wolf spiders and they range from very small ones that live in the grass to the largest in the Hogna specie whose body can be over an inch long. These larger varieties are among those that wander and hunt and will sometimes come in when the weather turns cold. Wolf spiders inject venom freely (some spiders regulate the flow) but it is generally known that their bite is harmless to man. Symptoms of a bite might be some swelling, itching and mild pain.
Pest control efforts for the wolf spider should include exterior service to try and stop them before they come in. Making sure screens are secure and doors tightly sealed. Garages are difficult to seal so it is easy for the agile spider to get in that way. Garages and interior treatments are best done with dusts and residual sprays with an emphasis on dark hiding spots such as behind furniture, pictures, bookcases etc.
The wolf spider is very resilient and difficult kill. Partly because they can and do walk on many surfaces that you cannot spray, they are very fast and it’s difficult to get a clean shot on them directly and being an arachnid and NOT an insect they do not react the same way to ‘insect’icides.
This spider can take quite a bit of abuse from not only exposure to pesticides, harsh weather but also from swats from homeowner’s shoes and newspapers. It’s not unusual to find injured spiders that are missing legs or somewhat smashed that still thrive inside homes albeit a little slower. Even with only 6 legs the wolf spider is a world class climber and still no less of a reason for the frantic housewife to throw the phone at it, well, right after she’s called her bug guy.
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