Wolf Spiders

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Wolf spiders are hairy arachnids that can grow up to five inches in leg span. Quick moving and relatively large in size, wolf spiders inspire fear when they are found within human dwellings. Wolf spiders are also sometimes confused for tarantulas. However, occurrences of wolf spider bites are extremely rare and are not known to be deadly.

The Carolina wolf spider is the largest documented wolf spider in the United States. Its color matches its habitat, allowing for camouflage. Other wolf spider species may inhabit alpine meadows, coastal forests, dry shrub lands and woodlands. Most species are burrowers that live underground, although some specimens can be seen traveling aboveground in leaf litter, on lawns and in gardens. Most wolf spiders are also nocturnal, although some do hunt in the morning. A wolf spider's diet typically consists of insects and other small spiders.