How To Get Rid Of Wolf Spiders

Good news, it's pretty easy to get rid of wolf spiders that have ventured into your basement, closet, garage or other parts of your home.

In fact, most homeowners can remove a variety of different spiders, insects and other pests from their house without hiring an expensive exterminator.

Spotting a wolf spider in your house can scare even the bravest homeowner. 

These big, hairy and fast moving arachnids look like they came directly out of a horror movie. 

However, even though they may look scary, the chances of you being bitten by a wolf spider are very slim.

You would basically have to sit on one, or intentionally pick one up to make it feel threatened enough to bite a human. 

To learn more, let's take a closer look at these unique spiders and why they're in your house to begin with.

Get Rid Of Wolf Spiders - What Do They Look Like?

Wolf spiders are very common and they can be found throughout the United States. 

You won't find them hunting in packs or howling like their name would suggest. 

They're actually solitary spiders that prefer living alone.

Wolf spiders hunt and chase down their prey, which is why they have their unique name. 

They don't spin webs to catch their next meal, they simply use their speed to chase down crickets, ants and other similar insects.

Ranging from around 1/2 inch to 2 inches long, wolf spiders are bigger than most spiders you'll find around your home or lawn. 

Typically you'll find them in grassy areas, wood piles, shrubs and other vegetation around your yard.

Wolf spiders have 8 eyes and they have excellent vision, which is pretty unique because spiders usually have poor eyesight. 

Females have an egg sack that can contain as many as 100 eggs. 

Once born, the baby spiders ride on the back of the female spider until they're big enough to hunt on their own.

Their color can range from a orange or tan color to grey and black with dark spots or stripes across their body.  

Are Wolf Spiders Poisonous?

Technically yes, they are a venomous spider that uses their venom to kill its prey. 

However, as stated earlier, wolf spiders are not aggressive towards humans.

In order to get bit by one, you'd basically need to pick it up and provoke it into biting you. 

If you do happen to get bit, it would feel similar to a bee sting causing mild skin irritation and itching.

The spiders can climb but they usually like to stay at ground level. 

It would be possible for a spider to climb into a pair of shoes or a piece of clothing that's laying on the ground. 

This would be one of the most likely scenarios for getting bit.

How To Get Rid Of Wolf Spiders - Prevention

As with most pests and insects, preventing them from coming inside your home in the first place will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.

Use a good quality silicone to seal any cracks or gaps around your homes foundation, windows and doors.

Remember to check the areas where utilities enter or exit your home, such as water spigots or cable lines. 

These are common places where gaps can appear which create an easy access point into your home. 

Most of these gaps can easily be filled with silicone, which is a low cost way to get rid of wold spiders.

Also, wolf spiders love to hang out in wood piles, leaves and long grass. 

Keep the exterior of your home clean by raking up and removing leaves, weed wack the long grass around your homes foundation and don't store firewood near your house.

By sealing off all entry points and removing the items which are known to attract wolf spiders, you'll drastically reduce the possibility of them getting into your house.

How To Get Rid Of Wolf Spiders Using Insecticides

Using insecticides on the exterior of your home is a great way to prevent spiders and a lot of other insects from getting inside.

Talstar is a wonderful product. 

I've used it for years and have had great results with it. 

I typically apply it twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall to the outside of my home. 

I just mix it in a handheld pump sprayer and spray it around my homes foundation, windows, doors and any other access points. 

This invisible barrier works on a variety of different insects including wolf spiders.

If you need to get rid of wolf spiders inside your home, I recommend using Ortho Home Defense and only use Talstar on the exterior of your house.

Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer for Indoor & Perimeter

The Ortho Home Defense comes with a battery powered wand that makes applying the product simple.  

Spray the areas where you've noticed the spiders as well as along baseboards, closets, behind cabinets and other sheltered places that could contain spiders.

About 8 years ago I had a serious issue with wolf spiders inside my basement. 

It was an older home which had a lot of cracks and gaps in the foundation, so I'm sure that's why I had so many spiders.

I used the steps listed above along with using the Ortho Home Defense inside and the results were amazing. 

I went from seeing spiders everywhere, to not seeing any in just a couple days.

How To Get Rid Of Wold Spiders - Overall

It takes a little bit of work, but anyone can easily get rid of wolf spiders that are both inside and outside your home.

Remember, these spiders are not coming inside to harm you. 

They're simply coming inside in search of other insects to eat and to stay warm. 

By following the steps outlined above, you'll not only get rid of wolf spiders, but you'll also get rid of a lot of other unwanted insects that want to call your house their new home.