Last Updated on March 28, 2022 by admin
What are the wolf spiders?
There are around 2,000 species of wolf spiders distributed worldwide. The ones inside your house are likely to be minor, about 5mm in length for females and 3mm for males. They have eight eyes in total, which are arranged in three rows. The bottom row consists of four eyes, and they are followed by the middle row, which has two eyes. The last row consists of four eyes which are the largest amongst all. Male wolf spiders are longer-legged than females, and it is easy to identify them from a wolf spider female once they are in the adult stage.
You might not find wolf spiders harmful, but they can be dangerous for some people. Wolf spiders are not poisonous species that can cause any harm. Still, wolf spiders might bite you if they feel threatened, and this is likely to happen when you accidentally disturb them or place your hands on them, and wolf spider bites include pain and swelling, which last for hours or days. An interesting fact about wolf spiders is that females carry their egg sacs attached to their spinnerets though it is common among most other spider species.
What do wolf spiders eat?
Wolf Spiders prey on several insects such as ants, beetles, butterflies, cockroaches, crickets, flies, grasshoppers, and many others. They tend to kill the big game by pressing them with solid legs, so there is a greater chance of wolf spiders becoming a threat when they are in your house.
How do wolf spiders behave?
When a wolf spider is in your house, it will not crawl on the ceiling or around light areas similar to other spiders. It often hides under logs and stones during the daytime and prefers hunting at night when you are asleep. You can find wolf spiders mostly in basements, bathrooms, garages, and storage rooms with shelving for their shelter. They also prefer moist areas with few webbings, especially behind furniture. Wolf spiders prey on insects, but when needed, they might eat other smaller wolf spiders, which creates problems sometimes as you cannot expect the wolf spider population to keep control inside your house by eating each other.
Are wolf spiders piousness?
Wolf Spider bites and how to avoid wolf spider bites. If you remove wolf spiders from your surroundings and there is a chance you will get bitten by wolf spiders, it is better to be safe than sorry since wolf spider bites can become serious for some people. Wolf spider has a nasty taste that can cause redness and burning sensation – though these symptoms last within 24 hours. In rare cases, wolf spider bites may develop into a blister as well as the affected area might spread up to 10 centimeters, affecting breathing and blood circulation in humans. Even those who have a medical history of being bitten by other kinds of spiders or insects should immediately consult.
How to get rid of wolf spiders?
As wolf spiders live mainly outdoor and hunt, you might notice their presence mostly around your house. They are fast runners and have excellent vision.
You may also find wolf spiders inside your home, as they tend to hide under furniture, in the basement, or garage. Sometimes wolf spiders build a web near rocks or other objects to shelter them from rain or sun heat.
1) Wolf Spider Prevention
The best way to get rid of a wolf spider is by keeping them away from your place entirely. However, if you don’t want to leave your house for weeks and months to create a wolf spider-free zone around it, you can use some wolf spider traps and wolf spider repellents.
2) Glue Wolf Spider Trap
Glue wolf spider trap is one of the easiest ways to get rid of wolf spiders. Prepare a jar with a small opening where wolf spiders can’t climb back from inside once they crawl in. Pour some vegetable oil on its surface to wet the upper part but not drip. Place wolf spider trap near furniture or other objects where wolf spiders might hide, take a night lamp and turn it towards your wolf spider trap. The light coming from the night lamp attracts wolf spiders, as they are nocturnal hunters – moths use a similar method for attracting mates. One wolf spider will crawl into your wolf spider trap, but it is stuck in the vegetable oil once it tries to crawl out.
3) Wolf Spider Repellent Spray
You can use wolf spiders repellent spray against wolf spiders as well. It is easy since you won’t have to touch or even see wolf spiders directly. Prepare a wolf spider repellent spray bottle with water and add some peppermint essential oil inside it. Before spraying wolf spiders, try to find their hiding places first by looking under furniture or other objects where wolf spiders might hide. If there are no wolf spiders around, keep your wolf spider repellent spray bottle ready for use near doors and windows – that’s where chances are wolf spiders may show up.
4) Wolf Spider Traps
Another way to get rid of wolf spiders is using wolf spider traps, where you can catch wolf spiders alive. Prepare a jar with a small opening so that wolf spiders can’t climb back from inside once they crawl in. Pour some vegetable oil on its surface to wet the upper part but not drip. Place wolf spider traps near furniture or other objects where wolf spiders might hide, take a night lamp and turn it towards your wolf spider traps – the light coming from the night lamp attracts wolf spiders, as they are nocturnal hunters. If possible, put several wolf spider traps next to each other. Once one wolf spider crawls into your wolf spider trap, other wolf spiders will creep in, and too wolf spiders are social hunters.
5) Natural Wolf Spider Repellent Methods
If you are looking for natural wolf spider repellent methods, you can try using mint or peppermint essential oils against wolf spiders. Place your wolf spider repellent containers with mint/peppermint essential oil near doors and windows where wolf spiders may come in through. Organic farmers also use mint or peppermint repellents to keep wolf spiders from their farmhouses.
6) What attracts wolf spiders?
Wolf spiders are attracted by light so place your wolf spider traps near night lamps. However, they rely on more than just light alone when it comes to finding prey, so don’t think wolf spiders are somehow attracted to wolf spider traps only because of the night lamp.
Wolf spiders are nocturnal hunters. They use light from a night lamp to find wolf spider traps near doors and windows where wolf spiders may come in during nighttime. However, wolf spiders do rely on more than just light alone when it comes to finding prey, so don’t think wolf spiders are somehow attracted to your wolf spider traps only because of the night lamp.
7) Deter Wolf Spiders with Household Items
There are several things found around your house that you can use as wolf spider repellents against wolf spiders:
- Mint or peppermint essential oil, placed into a wolf spider repellent container and then put near wolf spider traps or wolf spider hiding places
- A lemon peel is placed into a wolf spider repellent container and then put near wolf spider traps or wolf spider hiding places. Lemon can also be used as a wolf spider pesticide but bear in mind that it may take up to two weeks to kill wolf spiders from your house.
- Wolf spiders hate bay leaves. You can put wolf spiders’ bay leaves into wolf spider traps or hang them across the windows and doors.
- Wolf spiders hate cucumbers. You can put wolf spiders’ cucumber slices into wolf spider traps or place wolf spider’s cucumber peelings near wolf spider hiding places.
FAQs
1. What is a wolf spider?
Wolf spiders are a large family of spiders, the Lycosidae. They have excellent eyesight and possess a particularly well-developed ability to detect natural movement from considerable distances away. Their specialized sight and their speed and propensity for attacking prey readily without any hesitation make them capable hunters. They are often seen lashing out at prey that they sense just beyond their reach. Wolf spiders constantly roam outside at night, catching prey coming from them, hence the “wolf” spider.
2. How giant are wolf spiders?
The size of a wolf spider depends on the species in question and ranges between .25-.75 inches.
3. Are wolf spiders poisonous?
Some wolf spiders are not poisonous to humans as their venom is relatively harmless to us. Some wolf spider bites may cause a slight red mark, itchiness, or swelling, but they will generally disappear within a few hours all by themselves. The vast majority of wolf spider bites do not even require any medical attention.
However, some wolf spiders’ venom is dangerous to small children and older adults. It may cause systemic effects, including vomiting, high fever, seizures, disorientation, and even coma.
