Wolf and Yellow Sac Spiders (Removal and Prevention)

Wolf and Yellow Sac Spiders (Removal and Prevention)

Wolf Spider — sounds pretty frightening, right? Actually, despite its name, this spider is primarily a nuisance pest and is not a spider you should be alarmed to find on your property. Although wolf spiders can and do bite, their venom is very mild and will likely only leave a red, swollen bump. Thankfully, wolf spiders aren’t aggressive towards humans, and only bite when they are handled. This means that if you have wolf spiders on your property, it shouldn’t be that hard to remove them. Ultimately, the easiest way to prevent wolf spiders from biting you is to prevent them from residing in or near your home in the first place.

Wolf spiders are found throughout the world, and over 125 species are found in the United States alone. These spiders are brown in color and can grow up to 2” long. They get their name from their aggressive hunting habits.

Instead of forming a web like many other spider species, wolf spiders chase down their prey. Because of this, they like to find a secluded place to live and eat. On your property, this means that wolf spiders are often found under stones, leaf debris, firewood piles, or timber. Wolf spiders will enter homes to find prey. If they do, they stay near the ground, living under furniture.

Having wolf spiders in your yard isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. They can actually be beneficial if they are eating other unwanted pests. However, if the population is getting out of hand, or if they begin to venture indoors, you may have a problem. To reduce the likelihood of wolf spiders living in your yard, you have to clean up any clutter. Wolf spiders love anything dark, old, and musty to hide in. If you have old wood piles, tires, or other items near your house that a spider could hide underneath, remove it or relocate it at least 20’ from your house.

To prevent spiders from entering your home, your primary focus should be sealing cracks in doors or windows that give spiders an entry point. You should regularly check the exterior of your house for any cracks or crevices where the spider could get inside. If you do find a weak spot, use caulking to resolve the problem. Another consideration is that wolf spiders need a humid environment to survive. If you have a very moist attic, basement, or crawlspace, it might be useful to purchase a dehumidifier to make the environment less hospitable to wolf spiders.

Yellow Sac Spiders

Did you know that yellow sac spiders account for more spider bites in the United States than any other species? This small, pale yellowish-green spider is not uncommon to find in homes, and they often bite people sitting or sleeping. Finding spider bites on your body can be a cause for alarm and certainly leads many people to seek pest control if the biting continues. Gathering information about the spider is the first step in yellow sac spider control.

If you’ve been bitten by a spider, especially in your sleep, the yellow sac spider is likely the culprit. They are active during the night when they wander around, searching for prey. If they are living in your home they may walk across sleeping bodies, biting as they go by. A bite from a yellow sac spider may be painful, but its venom is generally harmless. The bite will be raised, red, and swollen. It will often have a white center. However, a physician should still be consulted if you find a bite. If you did not see the spider that bit you, it’s possible that a more dangerous spider caused the bite, and your health could be at risk.

Get Lost Pest Control suggests the best method for yellow sac spider removal is detecting their places of retreat. These spiders get their name from the silk sac they build to hide inside. Locating the sac means that you should be able to catch the spider quite easily. Simply remove the sac during the daytime, and the spider will likely be resting inside. The sacs are often built in dark, protected areas along baseboards, ceilings, or behind furniture.

If you only have one or two spiders, yellow sac spider control and removal should be fairly simple. Locate the spider and place it outside at a safe distance from your home. However, for larger populations, or if you can’t find where the spiders are building their sacs, professional pest control will be necessary.

Author: Get Lost Pest Team

Get Lost Pest Control is a family owned and operated business with a customer-first focus. We provide no-contract quarterly and one-time pest control and extermination services to residential, commercial and agricultural customers throughout the Treasure Valley. We have competitive and transparent pricing, so there's no surprises or hidden fees. We know that our success depends on the satisfaction of our customers. That's why we guarantee our work.

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