Many people worry about spiders laying eggs in human skin, a fear often stemming from misunderstandings about spider biology. This article clarifies the facts about wolf spiders, their egg-laying processes, and what happens if one bites human skin.
Understanding Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders belong to the family Lycosidae, named for their wolf-like hunting style. Unlike many spiders that build webs, wolf spiders are active hunters, pursuing prey. They are ground-dwelling, often found in gardens, grasslands, and forests, and are solitary creatures.
These spiders are robust and agile, with excellent eyesight from their eight eyes arranged in three rows. They have hairy bodies, typically brown, gray, or black with markings that help them blend in. Wolf spiders are not aggressive and prefer to flee. Bites usually occur only if they feel threatened, such as when accidentally trapped against skin.
How Wolf Spiders Lay Eggs
Female wolf spiders have a unique method for laying and caring for their eggs, disproving the idea of them laying eggs in skin. After mating, the female constructs a spherical silk egg sac, often whitish or bluish-green, where she deposits her eggs. The sac can contain 50 to over 100 eggs.
The female wolf spider attaches this egg sac to her spinnerets and carries it everywhere. This allows her to transport the eggs securely while hunting and moving freely. She protects the sac, often orienting it towards sunlight for development and defending it from predators.
Once spiderlings hatch, they chew their way out. The mother then carries the tiny spiderlings on her back for days to weeks until they can disperse. This process demonstrates that wolf spiders do not lay eggs within human or animal tissue.
Wolf Spider Bites and Your Skin
While wolf spiders do not lay eggs in skin, they can bite if provoked or threatened. A wolf spider bite is a defensive action, similar to a bee sting, and is not medically dangerous. The venom is mild and causes localized symptoms at the bite site.
Symptoms include immediate, mild pain, similar to a bee sting, followed by redness, swelling, and sometimes itching. A small welt or discolored area may develop. These symptoms resolve within hours to a few days with basic first aid, such as cleaning the area with soap and water and applying a cold compress. Even if bitten, no eggs are laid or injected into the skin, and there is no risk of parasitic infestation from a wolf spider.