Your Guide to Wisconsin Spiders

If you’ve spent any time living in Wisconsin (especially small towns and rural countryside), you’re likely to be familiar with at least a few types of arachnids local to the area, including: black and yellow garden spiders, barn spiders, grass spiders, wolf spiders, crab spiders, and jumping spiders.

But you might not know how to identify these creepy crawlies, recognize which ones are venomous, or take the precautions you should to make your home resistant to their invasion.

In this guide from Terminix Wil-Kil Pest Control, we’ll help you identify common spiders in the area, and discuss how Wisconsin spider control can save the day if you’re suffering from a troublesome infestation.

Types of Spiders in Wisconsin

We can’t possibly cover every single spider native to Wisconsin (there are quite a few!), but we’ll do our best to cover the most common Wisconsin house spiders likely to cross your path.

Jumping Spider

The jumping spider is a species of spider that has a length ranging from 8 to 15 millimeters, and features a black body with white spots. It is typically found in woodlands, fields, and gardens.

As its name implies, this species is an excellent jumper that uses its powerful back legs to pounce on unsuspecting prey. The jumping spider also has keen eyesight, which allows it to identify potential food sources from long distances.

While these spiders may seem intimidating due to their size and appearance, they are not considered venomous or dangerous to humans. In fact, they typically spend most of their time alone in search of food rather than interacting with other organisms or defending themselves against predators.

Wolf Spider

The Wisconsin wolf spider is a large, robust arachnid that can reach up to two inches in body length and three inches in leg span. With its pronounced orange-brown coloration and striped legs, the Wisconsin wolf spider can be easily identified as it scurries around on the ground or hides among vegetation.

The wolf spider eats insects, like grasshoppers and other spiders, but will also feed on small vertebrates such as lizards or frogs if they come across them. 

Although this species was once thought to be venomous, recent studies indicate that Wisconsin wolf spiders are not dangerous to most humans (barring allergic reactions). That being said, their bites are quite painful, so you should still try to avoid them.

Brown Recluse Spider

Wisconsin’s brown recluse spider, also known as the violin spider or the fiddleback spider, can be identified by its distinctive dark brown coloration with a violin-shaped mark on its back. While it is one of the most infamous spiders, it’s not particularly aggressive and would rather flee than bite humans.

However, when threatened, this species can deliver one of the most dangerous spider bites in Wisconsin, as their venom can cause skin necrosis or tissue death around the wound site. In severe cases, victims may experience fever, chills, and other systemic symptoms such as nausea and muscle pain. Nonetheless, fatalities from brown recluse bites are rare due to treatments made available by modern medicine.

Spider Control You Can Count On

Terminix Wil-Kil Pest Control recommends preventing spider invasion by sealing up any cracks or holes in your doors, window frames, and other points of entry into your home. This is usually accomplished with caulk or a similar material. You’ll also benefit from installing screens, tidying up clutter that spiders could hide in, or removing plants they might call home.

If none of that works, don’t worry. Terminix Wil-Kil Pest Control understands how frustrating these pests can be, and has the resources to crack down on your spider infestation. Reach out to us today, and one of our masterful experts can offer you a quote about how we can make your eight-legged issue go away.