Wolf Spiders

There are many signs that spring has arrived. The bugs, ants and spiders are starting to appear again. We see many wolves around our casa, but not the kind that travel in packs in the woods.

They are wolf spiders that got their name because like wolves, they chase their prey and run it down. They don’t spin a web but roam at night to hunt for food. They are about 4 inches across, hairy, and brown to gray in color with various markings or lines. They are very shy and immediately run away when disturbed.

Soon after mating, the female wolf spider produces a large white, paper like egg sac which remains attached to her body until the young spiderlings hatch. This sac can hold 400 or more eggs. After hatching they climb onto their mother's back and remain there until they are partially grown.

When we first moved in, I spotted a very large spider in my pantry. I called Bruce to my rescue and he swatted it. At the time, we didn’t know if this scary looking thing was a good spider or a bad spider and didn’t realize that it was carrying an egg sac. Within seconds of being hit, hundreds of babies were thrown everywhere. Mother escaped, but we were left with baby spiders everywhere. Oops!

Wolf spiders are harmless so don’t bother us anymore, but our guests kind of freak out when they come across one in their bedroom or bathroom.