With a name like a wolf spider, one would think their life would be in danger if this pest were around. Fortunately, these invasive arachnids aren’t as threatening as many of their close cousins. What they are, however, are annoying and intrusive house pests. If you don’t know much about wolf spiders and are looking for ways to keep them out of your Tracy home, here are a few things to consider.
What Are Wolf Spiders?
Wolf spiders are scary looking arachnids that are commonly found inside homes here in Tracy. Identify this pest by its large body, dark brown coloration, and pale yellow markings and stripes. Female wolf spiders are typically larger than males and grow to be ⅜ to 1 ⅜” in length compared to their gender counterpart at only ¼ to ¾”. One thing that makes this pest scarier than many of their close relatives is its front-facing eyes and thinly haired body. If you don’t know much about spiders, you might mistake one of these invasive pests for the scarier tarantula.
Wolf spiders do not use their silk to construct detailed webs outside of homes. Wolf spiders stick around secluded areas as close to the ground as possible. From there they hunt for beetles, cockroaches, flies, ants, and other creatures of the sort. Due to their larger size, these pests will occasionally eat other spiders as well. When inside a home, wolf spiders hide around basements, crawl spaces, storage areas, and anywhere else with tight, dark, and secluded spaces.
The Dangers Of Wolf Spiders
Although wolf spiders are not the most dangerous spider locally, they still pack quite the punch with their venomous fangs. A bite from this pest has the same pain level as a bee sting and is typically rather unpleasant. If you are allergic to their venom, a bite from one of these pests might send you into anaphylactic shock. To understand your risk, talk to your local doctor.
Some Ways To Prevent Wolf Spiders
The best way to stop creepy crawlies from invading your home is with general pest prevention tips. Here are some of the best ones we recommend:
- Keep your lawn and landscaping well maintained.
- Trim tree branches and bushes back at least five feet from your home’s exterior.
- Knockdown spider webs using a broom.
- Invest in a high-quality caulk gun and use it to fill in holes, gaps, and cracks in your home’s exterior.
- Make sure all of your window/door screens are in good repair.
- If you haven’t already, install door sweeps under exterior doors.
- Check weather stripping and make sure it is damage-free.
- Thoroughly clean your home at least once a week.
- Limit how many rooms you eat and drink in.
- Make sure all your trash cans have tight-fitting lids.
- Avoid feeding your pets outside.
- Turn exterior home lights off at night.
Is Professional Pest Control Better For Wolf Spiders?
If you don’t have time to prevent wolf spiders alone, or want a simpler way to handle these pests, turn to the experts at ProActive Pest Control.
Our team uses advanced pest elimination and exclusion tactics to handle spiders and the other pests they invade to hunt around homes and would be happy to address any problems you are having. Speak to one of our friendly service representatives about your options today.