How to Identify a Wolf Spider

Last Updated: October 31, 2019 References Approved

Wolf spiders don't fit the traditional spider archetype. They don’t spin webs and don't catch their prey in them; instead, they stalk and hunt their prey - just as wolves do. Although it's true that wolf spiders look very similar to Tarantulas, wolf spiders are generally smaller and from a different family of spider. The scientific name for wolf spiders is Lycosidae (Greek for “wolf.”)

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Identifying a Wolf Spider

1
Look for a wolf spider's physical features. Here are some key characteristics: Hairy, brown to gray in color with various markings or lines, females are 1-3/8” (3 4mm) and males are 3/4" (19 mm) long.
2
Look at the arrangement of their eight eyes. Their eyes comprise three rows; the first row has four small eyes; the second row has two larger eyes and the third row has two medium-sized eyes. The two eyes in the center of their faces are distinctively larger than the other six eyes.

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3
See if the spider has three tarsal claws to make sure it’s a wolf spider. A tarsal is the final segment of an insect's leg.^{[1]
X
Research source} In the wolf spider's case there are three claws at the end of them.
4
Look at the arrangement of the fangs. Wolf spiders have fangs that resemble pincers, with a side-to-side orientation. However, this is true of all species within the infraorder Araneomorphae, of which the wolf spider is a member. The infraorder Araneomorphae contains a vast number of species that as a group are known as "true spiders", so the fang orientation is not exclusive to wolf spiders.^{[2]
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Research source}
- However, this may be helpful in distinguishing a wolf spider from a small tarantula, because tarantulas are a member of infra-order Mygalomorphae and have vertically-oriented fangs.
5
Don’t confuse the wolf spider with a brown recluse spider. The wolf spider has the same brownish-grey coloration, but does not have the violin-shaped marking behind its head that a brown recluse has. Also, the wolf spider has shorter legs than the brown recluse or any other web dwelling spider.
6
Check for hairs covering its abdomen.^{[3]
X
Research source}This is why you may confuse the wolf spider with a Tarantula, but most wolf spiders are a great deal smaller than most Tarantulas.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Recognizing Wolf Spider Habitats

1
Check if the spider retreats to a burrow.^{[4]
X
Research source} Examine the areas around your doors and windows, both around your house and any outbuildings you may have. If, you find one moving towards a burrow or crevice, instead of a web, that's further evidence that it's a wolf spider. However, the tarantulas and the trap doors also burrow, though they are usually quite a bit larger than the wolf spider.
2
Look for wolf spiders stalking their prey along the ground. Spiders that spin webs will rarely be found on the ground. Wolf spiders are very comfortable there and will rarely climb tall structures.
3
Look for a white sack attached to the back of the abdomen in the early spring and summer. Female wolf spiders carry their eggs at the back of their abdomens.
4
Check to see if the female is carrying her spiderlings on her back. This is a trait unique to wolf spiders.
5
Be aware that the wolf spider can be found hunting during the day and the night. You'll notice that most of the wolf spider's prey (crickets, caterpillars, etc.) can be found out at day and night, as well. If you have a lot these bugs around, you can expect to find a wolf spider nearby.
6
Watch the speed that the spider runs. Wolf spiders are incredibly fast. They are hard to catch due to their extreme speeds.

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Community Q&A

Question

Can a wolf spider kill you?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

While a person with a strong allergy to wolf spider venom might have a strong reaction, being bitten usually results in minor pain and itchiness that does not require any treatment. It does not appear that there are records of a person ever dying from a wolf spider bite.
Question

Are wolf spiders dangerous to humans?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Wolf spiders can give a bite that can be painful and itchy, but almost never very dangerous unless the person has an allergy to the venom or a weak immune system. See a doctor immediately if you notice symptoms like dizziness, nausea or a rapid heartbeat. However, wolf spiders are not aggressive at all and only bite when provoked.
Question

Where do you find wolf spiders?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Wolf spider species can be found all across the world in nearly every kind of habitat. More specifically, you can find wolf spiders roaming around outdoors, in woods and grassland often near sources of water.
Question

What do wolf spiders like to eat?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Wolf spiders usually prey on ants, crickets, grasshoppers, other spiders and a wide number of other small invertebrates. Large species of wolf spiders may eat small frogs or lizards on rare occasions..
Question

Do brown recluse spiders get as big as a wolf spider?

Community Answer

Very rarely do any of the recluses (Loxosceles spp.) get to the size of wolf and fishing spiders. They may have a similar legspan, but recluses are much thinner and have tiny fangs, while wolf spiders are bulky and have large fangs.
Question

Can a wolf spider bite be fatal?

Community Answer

No. The bite will hurt, but the venom is not potent enough to kill a person.
Question

Can a wolf spider make a web across a front porch above bushes?

Community Answer

This article says a wolf spider does not build a web. It lives in crevices and holes.
Question

Do wolf spiders bite? Are they venomous?

Community Answer

They would rather run the other way. Although painful, their bites are never lethal and do not cause serious damage.
Question

What do wolf spiders eat?

Community Answer

Wolf spiders eat small insects, such as grasshoppers, flies, crickets, and ants.
Question

Can wolf spiders harm a cat?

Community Answer

No, a wolf spider cannot harm a cat.

Warnings

While the wolf spider is venomous, avoid killing wolf spiders; their venom will barely have an effect on you if you manage to get bitten but they are not aggressive. In fact, because they eat so many harmful insects, they are critically important to the ecosystem.

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If you have a weak or half dead wolf spider in a container, you shouldn't give it any insects that can fight back such as live ants for food.

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Do not handle wolf spiders. Although the wolf spider is relatively calm species of spider, it has been known to bite. Their bite has been known to be quite painful.

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