# Wolf Spider — Spider Squad

## Common Name
Wolf spider

## Scientific Family
Lycosidae (many species in Ontario — most common home-invaders are Hogna and Tigrosa species)

## Size
Body: 10 to 30 mm depending on species. Leg span: up to 70 mm for larger females. Among the largest spiders regularly encountered in Ontario homes.

## Appearance
Brown, grey, or tan with dark streaking or banding patterns on the body and legs. Eyes arranged in three rows: four small eyes on the bottom row, two large eyes in the middle row (forward-facing, giving excellent vision), and two medium eyes on top. The large, forward-facing eyes are the clearest distinguishing feature.

## Most Common Misidentification
Wolf spiders are the most frequently misidentified spider in Ontario. They are commonly reported as "brown recluse" because they are large, brown, and found at ground level — but brown recluse spiders are not established in Ontario. Wolf spiders have a distinctly different eye arrangement and body pattern; brown recluse have a violin-shaped marking on the cephalothorax and six eyes in three pairs.

## Behaviour
Wolf spiders are ground hunters — they do not build webs. They actively chase and pounce on prey (hence "wolf"). They are fast, which contributes to the alarm they cause. Common in grass, leaf litter, under rocks, wood piles, and ground-level debris, and they move indoors through foundation gaps and door thresholds.

Females carry their egg sac attached to the spinnerets and their spiderlings on their back after hatching — seeing dozens of tiny spiders on a large spider's back is alarming but not dangerous.

## Where Found in Homes
- Ground level — floors, under furniture, behind baseboards
- Basements and crawl spaces
- Garages
- Entry areas near doors
- They do not build webs or occupy corners the way house spiders do

## Seasonal Pattern
Most active late summer and fall. Adult males wander in August and September seeking mates, which is when they're most often found inside. They can also move indoors seeking warmth in October.

## Danger Level
Not dangerous. Wolf spiders will bite defensively if grabbed or trapped, but bites are uncommon and typically produce localized swelling and redness comparable to a wasp sting. Serious reactions are very rare.

## Professional Treatment
Wolf spiders enter through foundation gaps, door thresholds, and any ground-level opening. The Spider Squad perimeter barrier applied to the foundation and entry points kills wolf spiders crossing treated surfaces. Because they're ground hunters, the foundation zone is the critical treatment area.