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Interesting Wolf Spider Facts

If you were to take a guess, how many different types of spiders would you say there are in the world? If you guessed any lower than 20,000; you weren’t even close. There about 40,000 of them. So it isn’t surprising that there are about 2,300 species of spider that fall into the family of spiders known as wolf spiders, or Lycosidae. And, in all of that variety, there are some pretty amazing things to learn. Here are a few interesting facts that might surprise you.

Wolf Spider

Wolf Spiders Have Two Big Eyes


Okay, to be more precise, they have eight eyes altogether, but two of them are really big and noticeable. Not only are they big, they work really well in the daytime and at night. At night, these large eyes will sometimes give them away because they do a great job of reflecting the light from a flashlight. The only problem with these eyes is that they don’t move back and forth on their own, like ours do. Wolf spiders must move their bodies to see what they want to look at. It is a little inconvenient, but they get by.

Wolf Spiders Don’t Weave Webs


These spiders hunt for their food, just like a wolf. They are gifted with great eyesight which they use to hunt their prey. If you see a spider sitting in a web, there is a pretty good chance it isn’t a wolf spider. And, because they don’t make webs, their diet mostly consists of ground-dwelling creatures such as beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers, and a variety of large insects.

Wolf Spiders Make Burrows


While you can find a wolf spider living inside practically any recess or hole, the most likely place to find them is inside a burrow they’ve dug themselves. These burrows are usually shallow and may have a silken door. While not technically a web, a silken door can trap prey for the wolf spider to eat.

Wolf Spiders Carry Their Babies


Female wolf spiders carry their egg sac in their jaws or spinnerets until it is time for those eggs to hatch. But their nurturing doesn’t end there. When the tiny spiderlings come out, they climb onto the back of their mom and stay there for about a week. When they’re ready, they hop off and move on with their lives.

Wolf Spiders Jump

When hunting its prey, a wolf spider will often pounce on it. The distance it can pounce depends on the species of wolf spider doing the pouncing. We’ll just say, it is pretty impressive. Fortunately, they aren’t prone to pouncing on humans.

While wolf spiders are interesting creatures, this doesn’t make it any nicer to have these hunter spiders crawling around inside your home. Here are a few more interesting facts you might enjoy knowing.

  • Wolf spiders are more likely to establish a burrow in a yard that feels like nature. If you keep your lawn trimmed, clutter picked up, leaves raked, and weeds plucked, you’re going to have fewer wolf spiders.
  • Wolf spiders are drawn to areas of moisture. If you have a leaking spigot, a clogged gutter system, or an area where rainwater is being captured, you’re going to lure these spiders in. A lower population of spiders near your exterior walls will mean less of a chance of an unwanted invasion.
  • Wolf spiders often exploit holes created by other pests. It is important to do a routine inspection of your exterior walls and foundation and seal any entry points you find.
  • Ongoing pest control service from Spencer Pest Services covers over 20 pests, including spiders.
  • If you want a spider-free home, and protection from other, more dangerous pests, like cockroaches, ticks, mice, rats, and more, consider starting service for your home.

If you’ve been living with pests, we would love to show how you can live without them. Ask us about our Essential Package, Outdoor Living Package, or Complete Package, and see which one works for you.

Bugs and wildlife may be interesting, but they can bite, sting, spread illness, damage our belongings, and eat away at our equity. Don’t let your home go another day without the essential protection it needs. Reach out to us today to get started.