The name suits the spider well.
It is quite a hairy, fast, and ferocious spider, but it is not dangerous for humans at all.
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www.brownreclusespider.org |
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This arachnid can actually be found almost everywhere on the planet, in places with plenty of shrubs to hide, plants and, of course, many insects to feed on. Wolf spiders can be perfectly camouflaged with the ground, where rocks, rubbish, sand or dry earth and leaves have the same color of this spider. In fact, the background color of the above picture showing a typical wolf spider has been modified so that you can better identify this species; the picture below shows a wolf spider and as you can see --or can't--, the spider is almost invisible. |
As they can easily be camouflaged, they roam mostly on solid ground, running over their preys and attacking them with powerful quickness and strength.
With a 4 inch leg-span, Wolf Spiders are large in comparison with the average size of arachnids. Their skin is of a brownish grey color, the fangs are long, sharp and hairy, and the creature has indeed quite a fearsome aspect. However, chances are you will never find one of these at home; they are outdoor creatures, garden spiders that hunt by day without the need of a web because of their excellent vision (spiders rarely have good sight, this being the reason why they build web traps).
Wolf spider bite
Wolf spider bite is not a heavy poisonous one; yet, its bite may cause some bad reactions in certain victims, as deep pain, redness and swelling. Sometimes the bitten tissue becomes black, but these effects do not last more than ten days. |