In sticking with our spider theme for Halloween, one of the largest and most interesting spiders we see around Charlotte and North Carolina is the Carolina wolf spider (Hogna carolinensis).

This large, heavy-bodied spider is one of our largest spiders, typically being around 2-3 inches, including leg span.

They are called wolf spiders not because they howl at night, hunt in packs, are furry or maliciously bite. They are called wolf spiders because they chase and run down their prey instead of using webs to subdue them.

They are very good at hunting down cockroaches and other home pests and are found in abundance around homes, mulch, woods, leaf litter, etc. This is a spider that, if you don’t have to kill it, don’t. They are helping you with your pest control and work for a LOT less most exterminators! Remember, spiders are good for our ecosystem and play a vital role in keeping insect numbers down.

Here’s a neat thing to do: Go outside with a flashlight, hold the light right next to your eyes and shine the beam along the ground, especially in wooded areas. You may see little blue-green twinkling spots of light reflecting the light. If you walk closer, you will see a tiny (or sometimes not so tiny) wolf spider. You’ve just been spider sniffin’!