It may hurt a lot because wolf spiders have large fangs, but the pain should subside quickly. If you are bitten, it will probably hurt like a bee sting for a few minutes. Basically, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them unless you force into a corner. Wolf spiders rarely bite humans, and when it does happen, it’s usually through human error by stepping on one, trapping it inside clothing, or trying to handle the spider. But no one has ever reported a serious health problem related to a wolf spider bite, not ever, not once. With several hundred native wolf spider species in North America, it’s likely you’ve seen at least a few in your life. Tarantulas are the largest members of the wolf spider family, but other species may be as small as ¼ inch long. This means that the vast majority of all the spiders you’ll ever encounter represent no serious threat.Ī lot of people are afraid of wolf spiders because they’re big and hairy and have 26 eyes. that are considered potentially deadly: the black widow, brown recluse, and hobo spiders. There are only three spider species found in the U.S. With that definition in mind, we shouldn’t ask, “Are wolf spiders poisonous,” but rather, “are they venomous?”Īnd yes, they are venomous, but not dangerously so. Venom is used by snakes, ants, and spiders, which inject it into their prey. Before we answer this question, let’s clear up a small terminology issue: poison is secreted by amphibians and insects to keep other animals from eating them.

Wolf spider poisonous to humans