×

Nothing to worry about, it’s harmless

October is the month of Halloween, when people decorate their yards and homes with large spiders to scare people. October is also when people often see real large spiders in their homes. But if this happens to you, don’t be afraid. These spiders are probably wolf spiders. And like the Halloween spiders, they won’t hurt you.

As temperatures drop in autumn, wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) become more visible indoors. These robust, hairy arachnids are active hunters rather than web builders, and their movement into homes is typically driven by the search for warmth, shelter and prey. According to Colorado State University Extension and Virginia Tech, wolf spiders are not dangerous to humans and rarely bite unless provoked.

Wolf spiders undergo a three-stage life cycle: egg, spiderling and adult. Females carry their egg sacs attached to their spinnerets, a behavior among many spider species. Once the eggs hatch, the spiderlings climb onto their mother’s back, hitching a ride for several weeks before dispersing. This maternal care increases survival rates and helps the young spiders find suitable habitats.

Most wolf spiders live for about a year, although females may survive longer. They do not spin webs to catch prey but instead rely on their keen eyesight and agility to ambush insects. Outdoors, they inhabit leaf litter, soil and grassy areas, but in fall, they may enter homes through cracks, gaps or poorly sealed doors and windows.

Some wolf spiders can be large — large enough for some people to think they might be tarantulas, which don’t occur naturally in Ohio. Despite their intimidating appearance, wolf spiders provide natural pest control. They feed on a variety of insect pests, including flies, ants and other small arthropods that may also seek shelter indoors. By reducing pest populations, wolf spiders contribute to a healthier home environment without the use of chemical insecticides.

If you find a wolf spider in your house, you can either leave it alone or capture it and take it outside. For people who won’t go near spiders (I understand that), you can just leave them alone to take care of pests that may get into your house. There is no need to use pesticides on them.

To minimize indoor encounters, homeowners can seal cracks and gaps around doors, windows and foundations. Also, repair door sweeps and screens.

If you find a wolf spider or anything else in your home and would like to have it identified, you can bring it to our clinic. Our clinic is in the OSU Mahoning County Extension office, 490 S. Broad St., Canfield, 330 533-5538. Master gardeners are in the clinic on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon through the end of October. You can drop off your sample anytime during the week from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sprague is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.

Starting at $3.23/week.

Subscribe Today