Huge WolfSpiders in the shop?

[oj]

I have seen several wolfspiders in the shop that are 3-4" across, I generally see them that big at the end of summer. I just reached for a body hammer and one bigger than a mouse was next to it! It was huge! And for some reason they don't run and hide, I've been able to dispatch them easily.
Anybody else see them this big, or do I have an infested shop that I need to abandon?

[George49Ford]

I just googled "Wolf Spiders". Nasty looking things, but there is a couple of photos of them crawling on a guys hand! Me personally - I would be going with the abandon shop idea. You need John Goodman (from the movie Arachnaphobia).

[V8 Bob]

When we moved into our present home, it had been on the market and vacant for almost a year. The house was kept clean and bug free, but the pole barn/shop was not. I must have killed 5 -10 wolf spiders every night for many months, with some 2-3" wide. Eventually I found and killed two females carrying their young in the large "baskets" on their backs! Slowly, I was able to bring them under control, and now see 5-10 a year!
I was told by a "bug man" not to kill them because they do can more good than harm, so I now just keep the heated shop area free of them. Strange thing is they have been found in and on many things, but never on me, in spite of many hours on the floor or creeper while working on vehicles. I really don't want one on me or to be bit by one, but have been told the bite is no worse than a mosquito. Hopefully, I'll never find out!

[Herman Munster]

For the most part the bite is not lethal unless you are allergic to their bite.
Their bites can be painful though.
I leave most spiders alone, since they are beneficial as said above, unless they are in the house.

[smtichy]

In our old house wolf spiders would sometimes come in the house in early fall. I'd be watching TV in the evening and spot them by the shadow they cast (in the TV light) when crossing the living room floor! Yikes.

On the other hand they are good to have around the wood pile as they keep borers and other pests under control.

[LOWRIDER]

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Beneficial or not, it's still creepy. I don't see too many spiders in my garage here in Az. I did have an encounter with a snake last week. I had been working on the a/c on my Ranchero then parked it outside to shuffle my other car in. When I went to move the Ranchero again a snake crawled out from under the hood, across the windshield and down the left fender. All I could think of was Indiana Jones. Took 20 minutes to find him. Wasn't a rattler or poisonous (RedRacer) so I just shooed him on his way.

[oj]

These wolfspiders are huge, I saw one lift his rear legs and pee'd all over a dynoflow tranny I've sittin here! I guessed he didn't llike them either.

[HOTRODPRIMER]

The only good spider is a dead spider when they invade my space. HRP

[Herman Munster]

Spider snacks anyone?

[LSGUN]

^ Haha. I'm a sissy when it comes to spiders...can of brake clean will do the trick.

[smtichy]

Thanks for the visuals Herman, now I won't be able to sleep.

[Herman Munster]

I have others that'll make your skin crawl every time you feel an itch.

[Ole Don]

I knew an old guy who was under a ten wheeled dump truck in ND greasing it. He looked over and saw a rattle snake near his head and he almost tipped over the dump truck getting out from under it. That would be me with a spider that big. I dont like those eight legged critters.

[TDO]

Spiders don't bother me ' the only thing that bothers me is snakes. there is only 4 kinds , big ones, little ones, live ones, and dead ones. guess which ones I like.

[Herman Munster]

I don't mind snakes either, tastes like chicken.

[56 Fairlane]

Wasn't there a song one time about this thread, " I don't like spiders and snakes"

[frank long island]

yup 70's I think jim Stafford sang it {more useless info from deep in the brain}

[RCM]

Hehe, I dont have spiders that big but I've got a resident (although almost never seen) small wild cat and many of those long orange and black centipedes. Got bit once as it went up my shirts sleeve. If I had spiders that big, I'd shoot them with my pellet gun! Must make a nice burst of green muck!

[Herman Munster]

Small wild cat something like this?

[RCM]

No, not one of those.
Its one of these:


Dont know what you call them or even if you have these ones. Here it is known as a "gineta".