Pest Library
Wolf Spider
Wolf spiders are large, hairy, patterned hunting spiders that chase prey on the ground rather than building webs. They are among the spiders most often misidentified as brown recluses, and they are the ones people find sprinting across a garage floor at night — sometimes with spiderlings riding on the mother's back.
Profile
- Scientific name
- Lycosidae family
- Identification
- Robust, hairy, with brown-gray patterning, stout spined legs, and eight eyes in three rows including two large forward-facing eyes that reflect light.
- Typical size
- Body from 1/2 to over 1 inch depending on species.
- Behavior
- Nocturnal ground hunter that enters structures while following prey. Females carry egg sacs and young.
- Habitat
- Ground cover, mulch, crawl spaces, garages and door thresholds.
- Diet
- Insects and other spiders.
- Lifecycle
- Females carry the egg sac attached to the abdomen, then carry hatchlings for a time.
- Why it matters
- Wolf spiders are beneficial predators, not aggressive. A bite can be painful but is not considered medically significant; seek medical advice if a reaction concerns you.
- DIY considerations
- Because they wander in from outside, exclusion and lighting changes matter most.
- Professional considerations
- Perimeter service reduces both the spiders and the insect prey drawing them toward the structure.
Signs of activity
- Large spiders running across floors at night with no web present
- Spiders near door thresholds and garage entries
- Eye shine when a flashlight is directed at ground level outdoors
Prevention
- Install and maintain door sweeps and repair screens
- Reduce mulch depth and ground clutter along the foundation
- Adjust exterior lighting that draws in prey insects
- Seal garage and crawl space gaps
Sources
Related information
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