What S The Truth Are Wolf Spiders Poisonous And Should You Be Afraid

Wolf spiders belong to the Lycosidae family and are known to be burly and quick hunters that possess keen eyesight and legs that are 3 in (7.6 cm) in length. They mostly lead a solitary life outdoors or in dark and it is rare for them to travel in pairs. Their ideal habitat is dark and they can be seen dwelling in places like basements in any house as they prefer to hunt on their own, and one characteristic feature about them is that they do not spin webs.Wolf spiders are brown and have eight legs and their size can reach from 1/2-2 in (1.2-5 cm) in length and they prefer breeding with female wolf spiders. Wolf spiders live outdoors in the grass or grassy areas close to the ground where they hunt for food as well as potential male or female mates. The wolf spider has a set of eight eyes arranged in three rows but varying in their sizes and their bodies have a brown, gray and black texture. They like to hide in dark places like beneath ivy on the ground, stacked up firewood, basements, and can also hide near ground-level debris and wastes since they do not spin webs. These brown, mildly venomous spiders are very opportunistic in nature when it comes to their hunting abilities and are capable of pouncing on their prey. They are quite fast as they have long legs that can reach from one inch to three inches and can chase their food for short distances. Many other wolf spiders including male and female ones prefer waiting for any prey passing them inside or near the opening of a holed burrow where they usually dwell because they cannot spin webs.Wolf spiders look like nursery web spiders, but differentiating them is quite easy. Unlike nursery spiders that carry their eggs in their pedipalps or chelicerae, Wolf spiders hold their egg sacs by adding them to the spinnerets. The wolf spiders have strikingly large eyes which is also helpful for distinguishing them from other similar-looking species of grass spiders.Wolf spiders are not a venomous species of spiders and it is rare for them to bite humans. Venomous spiders in North America include the brown recluse spider which is amongst one of the most venomous spiders, venomous black widow spiders which is a spider notorious for having a deadly and painful bite and have the potential to bite humans if they feel threatened. If bitten by either brown recluse spider or the black widow spiders, it is imperative to immediately seek medical attention as they can lead to a lot of pain, swelling, allergic reactions, and other health issues.In this article, you will find detailed facts about the species of wolf spiders, venomous effects of wolf spider bites, how to treat a wolf spider bite, symptoms if you are bitten by a wolf spider, how to get rid of wolf spiders, benefits of wolf spiders to the environment, how they are good for pest control as they help get rid of pests, pest control methods to get rid of wolf spiders and brown recluse spiders,If you liked our article on wolf spider facts and how poisonous and aggressive they are to humans and animals, then you can check out other similar fun facts articles like orb-weaver spider facts and are spiders bugs? Wolf Spiders: An Introduction To This SpeciesWolf spiders are incredibly fast spiders and hence are known as the sprinters of the arachnids. This class of arachnids do not spin webs and nab their prey by using their 1/2-2 in long legs so that they can hunt their prey and feed on any insect they catch.When they catch an insect to kill, the wolf spider bites it to either inject venom into it to liquefy the innards or smashes it before consuming it. They spend most of their time near the ground and hence the dark, brown colors on their bodies help camouflage themselves, making it better for them to hunt prey and protect themselves from predators. In many instances, they are also known to dig burrows under logs or rocks to protect themselves and live in them. They can be easily distinguished by how the female spiders carry their egg sacs.Despite being large and intimidating to look at, wolf spiders do not pose any threat to humans and are in fact beneficial for homes because they eat larger insects that might cause worse harm. However, if you still want them gone, you can kill them by poisoning them. It is recommended to not squish them because females tend to carry their egg sacs on their back and once they are crushed, you will have more tiny spiders to kill.Wolf spiders can be found nearly everywhere all around the world including North America, Australia, and the like as they have adapted to the environment and can be seen thriving on rocky and cold mountains, volcanic lava tubes, rainforests, deserts, grassy areas, suburban lawns, and even in wheat crops where they prey on pest like aphids. Wolf spiders, therefore are essential for pest control as they help get rid of harmful pests. Field wolf spiders also do not pose a threat to humans and their bite isn’t lethal either and hence, you should leave it alone if you come across one because they are beneficial to farmers.Wolf Spider Bite And How Dangerous It Can BeWolf spiders are very aggressive and will fight back if they are threatened. They do not pose a threat to humans and generally do not go looking for a fight and normally do not chase them. However, if provoked, they are not known to cower with fear or hide and will charge at you if you charge at them.It is hard to distinguish a wolf spider bite unless the wolf spider is obtained. In most cases, they can be easily identified as their bite distinctly differs from most other insect bites because of the two ‘pinpricks’ followed by redness around the bitten area given by the wolf spider when they bite which almost resembles the spider bites of many other species of spiders. Generally, they do not pose a major threat to humans and are only known to bite when they are provoked or handled. Their bite is not venomous, therefore it does not result in fatal medical issues. But, since they are large, their bite can be quite painful. Rest assured that you will not die from a wolf spider bite unless you are severely allergic to spider venom and cannot seek immediate medical help. However, if the person bitten is highly allergic to spider venom they can experience severe symptoms that will require medical care.The bite of wolf spiders almost feels like a bee sting. Common symptoms of a wolf spider bite include pain, soreness, itchiness, and redness that cures shortly. No fatalities to wolf spider venom have been noted.Mild soreness, itchiness, and swelling around the spider bite, will not last long and the pain is supposed to subside within minutes. The swelling commonly goes down gradually, and the itching usually lasts for a few days.In case you feel tight muscle cramping around the bite, headaches or dizziness, a rash and feeling of itchiness spreading outward from the bite site, sweating, vomiting and nausea, breathing problems, ‌fever, uncontrollable shaking and weakness consult emergency medical care at the earliest.Treating Wolf Spider BitesIt is rare for a wolf spider to bite humans, but it does happen. As compared to other dangerous spider venoms like the brown recluse spider whose bite can be fatal, the symptoms you will get if you are bitten by a wolf spider will be like a walk in the park.In some cases, people tend to be allergic to spider bite venom. If this is the case then it is a mandate to seek medical attention. Your doctor will most likely prescribe strong doses of antihistamines to cure the itching around the bite and also administer antibiotics to prevent any infection. In very rare cases when there is a deep wound it can result in a severe infection and will require surgery if nothing works. In most situations, however, for added protection, you will be given a booster for the tetanus vaccination.Wolf Spiders And How Dangerous They Are To PetsCommonly, wolf spider venom is not known to be lethal to humans, as most of them are not allergic to the spider bite.Spider bites can be very fatal to pets especially when it comes to brown recluse spiders, yellow sac spiders, black widows, and hobo spiders. However, wolf spider bites thankfully do not pose a threat to pets either. When pets are bitten by wolf spiders they face similar symptoms of soreness, itchiness, and redness around the bite area. When they get bitten, you will notice them limping or holding their bitten paw up, that is if they are bitten on their foot. Itchiness will make them lick the area around the bite. Wolf spider cannot be specifically distinguished when it comes to pets unless you capture the spider to provide it to your vet. It is very important to determine the seriousness of the bite by examining your pet’s behavior after being bitten because the gravity of the wound depends on the immune system and how it reacts to the venom. Always seek your veterinarian’s advice for your pet’s treatment in these cases to prevent any further bacterial infections.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for What’s The Truth: Are Wolf Spiders Poisonous? And Should You Be Afraid? then why not take a look at What’s The Truth: Are Sponges Animals? Or Are Sponges Plants?, or How Is Lactose-Free Milk Made? Curious Milk Facts Everyone Should Know!