How to Catch Wolf Spiders

Wold spiders typically grow to one-half inch in length, although the giant wolf spider can grow nearly 2 inches in length. If you want to collect a wolf spider for a pet, you can find these species beneath rocks and logs, in leaf debris and sometimes around potted plants. Occasionally, when the wolf spider finds its way into your home, it will hide near your doors and windows, in your basement or in your garage. If you find a wolf spider in your home and prefer to not kill it, you can trap the spider and remove it from your premises.

Things You'll Need

  • Garden gloves
  • Pencil
  • Food container with lid
  • Sifter screen
  • Soup can
  • Leaf debris
  • Small clear plastic container
  • Index card
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Instructions

  1. Outdoors

    • 1
      Begin your search in your garden.

      Put on garden gloves to prevent the spider from biting you. Search around your garden or yard to try to catch a wolf spider. Overturn rocks and look under potted plants.

    • 2

      Herd the spider with a pencil or another long object. Urge the spider to go into a food container and secure it with a lid.

    • 3

      Use a sifter screen as an alternative. Still using your gloves, grab a pile of leaf litter and place it into a sifter screen. Sift the debris out, which will trap the spider on top of the screen. You can then use the herding method to catch your wolf spider.

    • 4

      Burrow a hole large enough to fit an empty soup can inside. The soup can should have a smooth inside. This will create a pitfall trap. Surround the can with dirt, so only the hole of the can is seen. Lay leaves around the can, so the spider can't detect the edge of the can. Check the can every day.

    Indoors

    • 5

      Walk close to the wolf spider. Take a small, clear plastic container and quickly put the container over the spider. Ensure that you don't trap its legs beneath the container.

    • 6

      Slide an index card beneath the container and invert your container. The wolf spider will slide to the bottom. Keep the index card over your container to prevent the spider from crawling out.

    • 7

      Take the spider outdoors and gently turn the container over. Remove the card and let the spider out. Keep the container close to the ground to prevent the spider from dropping to the ground.