Introduction
Rodents and spiders are notorious for penetrating our homes, and most of them are non-threatening. some may cause great fear due to their appearance and potential ability to bite. The two common mistaken spiders include the wolf spider and the brown recluse spider. Comparing between the two may help alleviate fear and know how to handle the two, in case one is experienced.
Physical Characteristics
Wolf Spider
- Size: Wolf spiders have a wide size distribution, but they are relatively small, typically measuring no more than 2 centimeters in length. Undefined 4 inches of body length have been found, proving their danger to the human body.
- Color: These are mostly brown and grey colors with black, grey, brown, and occasionally white stripes or other marks on their bodies.
- Eyes: They also differ from each other through eye placement, with one side-eye being lower than the other side-eye. These are large and own eight eyes, with two very large and obvious eyes in the center portion, which provide excellent nocturnal vision.
- Body Shape: Its body and legs are rather muscular and covered with a thick layer of hair, which is quite threatening as well.
Brown Recluse Spider
- Size: Spiders involved, such as brown recluse spiders, are generally smaller, being roughly 0. undefined The young adult male chameleon was 7 inches in body length and weighed 1.22 grams.
- Color: It is 8 – 14 cm long and has a grey to light or dark brown color with a violin-shaped pattern on the cephalothorax
- Eyes: Another distinguishing feature of brown recluses is that they are eyed spiders or six-eyes in that they have two pairs of eyes, distinct from the general eight-eyed spiders.
- Body Shape: Its body does not possess much hair, and it is not as harsh as the Wolf spider. Its legs are the same color without any lineations of yellow or black.
Habitat and Behavior
Wolf Spider
- Habitat: Wolf spiders belong to the family Sparassidae and do not create webs to capture their prey. They inhabit terrestrial environments, primarily found on forest floors, under logs, and amidst debris such as fallen leaves in grasslands and wooded regions. They may occasionally invade homes in search of shelter, food, or whatever they intend to do.
- Behavior: They are carnivores and are mostly active during the night. Being a type of hunting spider, wolf spiders crawl and pounce on their prey, using their acute vision.
Brown Recluse Spider
- Habitat: The brown recluse spider’s habitat is rather calm. It inhabits basements, attics, closets, and spaces under furniture. It spins an irregular web in dark corners.
- Behavior: Brown recluse spiders indeed prefer seclusion and typically avoid human contact. They are also night hunters, and they go out in search of insects at night.
Bite and Medical Significance
Wolf Spider
- Effects: It is important to note that wolf spider bites are not poisonous or lethal to humans. They can produce only a slight sting and skin redness, which is somewhat similar to that experienced from a bee sting.
- Symptoms: In most instances, the symptoms disappear on their own, but if they show signs of allergy, it is wise to go to the doctor.
Brown Recluse Spider
- Effects: Stings from brown recluses can be worse. They also induce necrotic skin lesions, which lead to tissue damage around the affected region by the bite.
- Symptoms: Sometimes, the first signs and symptoms displayed are elements like redness, pain, and itchiness. The wound area may eventually form a blister that can then become an ulcer after some days. These complications can easily generalize to become systemic, where patients present with symptoms such as fever, chills, and nausea that require further medical intervention.
Prevention and Control
Wolf Spider Prevention
- Sealing Entry Points: Tom says, ‘’Seal your doors and windows and any other gaps in the house where the spiders can gain entry into your house.’’
- Regular Cleaning: This involves ensuring that your home is always clean; you should not allow the accumulation of items that can act as spiders’ hideouts.
- Outdoor Maintenance: If you have wolf spiders in your compound, ensure you clean it regularly, clear the leaves, and cut the grass.
Brown Recluse Spider Prevention
- Decluttering: The items stored in areas such as basements and attics should be cleaned and redecorated often.
- Sealing Cracks: It is advisable to seal any cracks and crevices that may be present on the foundation as well as in the walls of your home to keep off spiders.
- Using Sticky Traps: To control the number of brown recluse spiders, sticky traps should be placed in areas, particularly areas where people move.
Conclusion
It is imperative to provide information and distinguish between wolf spiders and brown recluse spiders to enable the necessary action to be taken. Although both spiders may seem ferocious, they are different from each other in terms of their general behavior and the effects they can have on humans. Even though they are big and move pretty fast, most wolf spiders are not poisonous to humans. On the other hand, there are dangerous spiders, such as the brown recluse spider, that tend to harm humans through their venomous bite. Therefore, we always remain at risk of guarding ourselves against them, and understanding how to spot them correctly helps us live safely together with these spiders.