Understanding wolf spiders: the ground-floor predator
Wolf spiders in the family Lycosidae are among the most ecologically important spider groups in BC. They don't use webs to catch prey — they chase it. BC hosts dozens of wolf spider species across different genera, ranging from the small Pardosa species (6–8 mm) common on patios and garden paths to large Hogna and Tigrosa species (20–35 mm body length) that turn up in garages and crawlspaces. The largest Metro Vancouver wolf spiders are legitimately large animals — stocky, fast, and distinctly hairy. They're also completely harmless.
The defining wolf spider feature visible to non-experts is the eye arrangement. Wolf spider eyes are organized in three rows — four small eyes in the front row, two very large eyes in the middle row, and two medium eyes on top. The two large central eyes reflect light at night in the same way a cat's eyes do. If you hold a flashlight near your head while walking through a garden at night, wolf spider eyes glow green. This is a reliable field diagnostic that works without disturbing the spider.
Understanding house spiders: the web-builders
Metro Vancouver's primary house spider species are the European house spider (Tegenaria domestica) and the giant house spider (Eratigena atrica). Both build funnel-shaped sheet webs — a flat, slightly concave platform of dense silk with a funnel-shaped retreat at one end where the spider waits. When prey lands on the sheet, the spider rushes out, bites it, and retreats. The web accumulates debris and is often mistaken for dust or cobwebs. Both species are long-lived (females up to 7 years) and may occupy the same web location for multiple seasons.
House spiders are the species responsible for the autumn floor-crossing behaviour that alarms most BC homeowners. The large, fast spider running across your floor in September is almost always a male house spider in dispersal mode — searching for a female's web. It's not hunting you, it didn't emerge from nowhere, and it's not an infestation indicator. It's a male spider on a reproductive mission that will end in his death within weeks.
Side-by-side identification guide
| Trait | Wolf spider (Lycosidae) | European/Giant house spider (Tegenaria/Eratigena) |
|---|---|---|
| Body shape | Stocky, robust, low to ground | Leaner, relatively longer-legged |
| Hairiness | Distinctly hairy/fuzzy appearance | Less hairy, smoother appearance |
| Eye pattern | Two large prominent central eyes visible | Eight small, evenly arranged eyes |
| Eye reflection | Green eye-shine in flashlight | No notable eye-shine |
| Web? | No web — pure ground hunter | Funnel or sheet web in corners |
| Movement when disturbed | Runs fast across floor | Retreats into funnel web harborage |
| Where typically seen | Floor-level, basements, garages, garden paths | In webs in corners, joist bays, basements |
| Seasonal peak | Spring-summer active | Year-round, males floor-level in fall |
| Egg sac | Carried under abdomen or on back | In web or in retreat |
| Size range in BC | 6-35 mm body | 10-20 mm body |
The mother with babies: a common alarm
In late spring and early summer, Metro Vancouver homeowners occasionally see a large wolf spider carrying what appears to be dozens of tiny spiders on her back. This is normal female wolf spider behaviour: she carries her egg sac until the spiderlings hatch, then the juveniles ride on her back for a few days to a week before dispersing. It looks alarming — a spider covered in dozens of baby spiders — but the mother is not aggressive unless directly threatened, and the spiderlings disperse within days and establish their own independent lives.
The spiderlings don't come indoors en masse. They disperse through the garden, into crevices, and into the leaf litter where they'll spend their first season as small predators of springtails, mites, and small flies. A wolf spider mother carrying young is doing exactly what she's supposed to do, and the encounter is worth a moment of observation before removal if removal is necessary.
Medical significance: both species are safe
Wolf spiders can bite — all spiders can. But wolf spider bites on humans are extremely rare and typically occur when the spider is accidentally squeezed or trapped against skin. The bite produces a brief sharp pain, minor local swelling, and resolves within 24 hours. There's no venom component in any BC wolf spider species that produces serious reactions. The same applies to house spiders: the giant house spider bite is minor to the point that many bitten individuals don't register it as a bite at the time. BC's spider medical risk is genuinely low compared to the public perception.