TLDR: House spiders are small (5 to 8 mm), build messy webs in corners, and move slowly. Wolf spiders are much bigger (18 to 35 mm), hairy, and hunt by running fast across floors. Neither is dangerous to people. To control both, seal entry points, reduce moisture, switch to yellow outdoor lights, and vacuum webs regularly.
Finding spiders in your home can be startling, especially when you don’t know what type you’re looking at. In Northern Virginia, two species show up most often: common house spiders and wolf spiders. Both are harmless, but knowing the difference helps you pick the right approach.
Spider calls spike every fall across the DMV. Homeowners are usually more alarmed by big, fast wolf spiders, even though both types pose very little risk. And a lot of the “wolf spiders” people find indoors turn out to be something else, which is why this guide also covers the giant house spider look-alike.
Size and Body Structure
The biggest difference between house spiders and wolf spiders is size.
House spiders have body lengths of just 5 to 8 mm, with leg spans around 25 mm. They are small enough to go unnoticed as they tuck into corners and crevices.
Wolf spiders are much bigger. Common indoor species have body lengths of 18 to 35 mm, with leg spans that can reach 75 mm or more. You won’t miss one when it runs across your floor.
Body texture also differs. House spiders have smooth, shiny bodies with mottled tan-brown bellies. Wolf spiders are hairy and stocky with striped patterns along their backs. Their legs are covered in thick bristles that help them hunt.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | House Spider | Wolf Spider |
|---|---|---|
| Body Size | 5 to 8 mm body, 25 mm span | 18 to 35 mm body, 75 mm+ span |
| Body Texture | Smooth, shiny | Hairy, stocky |
| Hunting Method | Web-building | Active hunting |
| Movement Speed | Under 5 cm/second | Up to 1 meter/second |
| Eye Pattern | Two equal rows | 4-2-2 pattern with large central eyes |
Eye Arrangement
One of the best ways to tell these two apart is their eye pattern.
House spiders have 8 eyes arranged in two rows with all eyes roughly the same size. You need a magnifying glass to see them clearly.
Wolf spiders have a 4-2-2 eye pattern. Four small eyes in front, two large eyes in the middle, and two medium eyes on top. The large middle eyes have a reflective layer that causes the green eye shine you see at night with a flashlight.
Giant House Spider vs Wolf Spider
If the spider you found is big, hairy, and fast, and it’s indoors, there’s a good chance it isn’t a wolf spider at all. The Burke Museum says large, hairy, active spiders found inside homes are most often males of the European house spider group. That group includes the giant house spider (Eratigena atrica) and the smaller barn funnel weaver.
These are funnel weavers. They’re a different family from wolf spiders, but they’re about the same color and can run just as fast. The University of Kentucky notes that funnel weavers closely resemble wolf spiders. The easiest way to tell them apart is the web, because wolf spiders don’t build one.
| Feature | Giant House Spider | Wolf Spider |
|---|---|---|
| Web | Flat sheet web with a funnel-shaped tube in a corner | No web |
| Eyes | 8 small eyes in two rows, about the same size | Two big forward-facing eyes in the middle row |
| Body | Long legs, slimmer body, plain legs | Stocky body, thick legs, often striped back |
| Where you find it | Basement corners, garages, stuck in the tub or sink | Running across floors, near doors, outdoors in mulch |
| When | Wandering males in late summer and fall | Fall, when it wanders in from outside |
The tub is a good clue. The Colorado State fact sheet on the barn funnel weaver says these spiders often get trapped in sinks and bathtubs when they wander from the web, and adult males do it most.
Here’s the local catch. The true giant house spider is a European species, and BugGuide (hosted by Iowa State University) places its main North American population in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. Here in Northern Virginia and Maryland, the big funnel weaver in your basement is more often a barn funnel weaver or a grass spider that came in from the lawn. All of them get handled the same way, and none of them are dangerous.
Daren, one of our registered technicians, says the spiders he runs into most across the DMV are common house spiders, funnel weavers, and wolf spiders. So if you’re stuck between “giant house spider” and “wolf spider,” check for a web and look at the eyes. Those two clues settle it most of the time.
Wood Spider vs Wolf Spider
“Wood spider” isn’t a species name. It’s a nickname people give to big brown spiders they find in woodpiles, leaf litter, and wooded yards. Around here, that’s usually a wolf spider or a dark fishing spider, which often lives on tree trunks, logs, and woodpiles far from any water. Check the eyes: wolf spiders have two very large eyes in the middle of the face, while dark fishing spiders have eight smaller eyes in two rows. We go deeper on that pair in our fishing spider vs wolf spider guide.
Web-Building vs Hunting
How each spider catches food is very different.
House spiders spin messy tangle webs in undisturbed corners, under furniture, and along basement rafters. These sticky webs (sometimes called cobwebs) catch flying bugs that blunder into them. The spiders feel vibrations in the web and rarely leave it.
Wolf spiders don’t build webs at all. They stalk or chase down prey on floors, in mulch, and across grass using their sharp eyesight. When you see a spider actively running around your home, it’s likely a wolf spider.
Where They Live
Knowing where each species hangs out helps you find and treat them.
House spiders prefer quiet indoor corners, basement ceiling joists, and porch overhangs. They keep year-round populations indoors, with numbers spiking in summer when warm weather brings more bugs.
Wolf spiders normally live outdoors in leaf litter, mulch, lawns, and near foundations. But they often push inside during September and October looking for shelter from the cold. Basements and ground-level rooms are their most common indoor spots.
From what I’ve seen on jobs, wolf spiders turn up most in basements and garages where they hunt for prey. House spiders stick to their corner webs where you’ll find them all year.
Is a Wolf Spider a House Spider?
No. There’s no such thing as a “house wolf spider.” Wolf spiders are outdoor hunters that sometimes wander inside. The Burke Museum puts it plainly: in North America, no wolf spider is part of the regular house spider fauna. The museum notes that the common ones that wander indoors don’t survive there.
The two big ones you’re most likely to meet in a Mid-Atlantic house are the Carolina wolf spider and the tiger wolf spider. Penn State Extension lists Carolina wolf spider females at 22 to 35 mm long and tiger wolf spider females at 18 to 25 mm. It also notes that females overwinter in sheltered spots, including buildings, which lines up with the fall sightings we get.
So if you find one wolf spider in the basement in October, it most likely walked in under a door. If you keep finding them, look for a gap at ground level and for the bugs they’re following inside.
How They Reproduce
House spiders hang papery egg sacs inside their webs and don’t care for babies after they hatch.
Female wolf spiders carry their egg sacs attached to their bodies, then let newly hatched babies ride on their backs for 1 to 2 weeks. This is a common sight that alarms homeowners who don’t expect to see dozens of tiny spiders riding on a big one.
Are They Dangerous?
Neither species is a real threat to people.
House spider venom is weak. Most bites go unnoticed. Only rare allergic reactions have been documented.
Wolf spider bites feel like a bee sting with mild redness and swelling. They only bite if they’re handled or pinned against skin.
Penn State Extension says wolf spiders bite only if mishandled or trapped against the skin. The usual reaction is pain and redness at first, sometimes with some local swelling, and no serious medical problems from these bites have been noted. The CDC names only the black widow and the brown recluse as the venomous spiders of concern in the United States.
Neither species causes tissue damage or serious health problems. Both would rather run away than bite. If you’re worried the brown spider you found is a recluse, our brown recluse vs wolf spider guide walks through the violin mark and six-eye pattern. Severe reactions are rare and tied to individual allergies, not venom strength.
How to Get Rid of Spiders
Remove Webs
Vacuum webs and wipe surfaces with a damp cloth to remove silk anchors. This stops them from rebuilding in the same spot. Focus on corners, window frames, and basement areas.
Reduce Their Food
House spiders follow their prey. Cut down on flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and moths by switching to yellow outdoor lights, fixing moisture problems, and keeping food sealed.
Seal Entry Points
Caulk gaps around windows and foundations. Install door sweeps. Screen vents with fine mesh.
Block Their Way In
Wolf spiders enter through ground-level gaps. Install tight door sweeps, caulk foundation cracks, and seal gaps around utility lines. Focus on basement doors and garage thresholds.
Remove Shelter Near Your Home
Keep mulch and leaf litter away from foundation walls. Trim dense plants that touch your siding. Store firewood at least 20 feet from your home.
Reduce Indoor Prey
Wolf spiders go where the food is. Treat for other bugs like ants, crickets, and stink bugs to make your home less appealing.
Individual Removal
For single wolf spiders, use a glass and piece of paper to trap and move them outside. Avoid grabbing them with your hands.
Whether you’re dealing with house spiders or wolf spiders, the same core prevention steps apply to both.
- Moisture control: Use dehumidifiers in basements, fix leaky pipes, keep humidity below 50%
- Lighting: Switch to yellow LED bulbs near entry points to attract fewer bugs
- Barriers: Install door sweeps and seal gaps around windows and foundations
- Cleaning: Vacuum webs weekly and reduce clutter in storage areas
- Outdoors: Keep mulch and leaf litter away from foundation walls
These prevention steps handle most spider problems. But if activity keeps up despite your efforts, it’s time to bring in a pro.
When to Call a Pro
Call a pro for spider problems when:
- Webs keep rebuilding despite regular cleaning
- You see wolf spiders inside on a regular basis
- Heavy web buildup covers eaves and entry points
- You’re not sure what species you’re dealing with
At Better Termite & Pest Control, our techs physically remove webs and egg sacs, then apply non-repellent perimeter treatments along the foundation to stop new spider activity. We also check for the moisture problems and entry points that draw spiders in.
Daren tells customers up front that there’s no instant chemical for spiders. Inside, he finds where activity is heaviest and treats those baseboards and corners, because spiders are best hit on contact. The bigger job is outside: cutting down the insects they feed on. If spiders are lined up around your windows, he’ll usually point to a porch light or indoor light shining out at night. That light pulls in flying bugs, and the bugs pull in the spiders. As he puts it, controlling the insects around the house is the biggest tool you have against spiders.
With 58+ years in the DC metro area and 1,800+ reviews, we know the local spider species and what works against them. We’ve removed nine of the harshest chemicals from our programs and use products we’d use in our own homes.
If you’re dealing with spiders in your Northern Virginia, Maryland, or DC area home, call us at 703-683-2000 or email info@bettertermite.com. We’ll ID the species, find the source, and put together a plan that works — our Clinton pest control team handles spider calls like these every fall.
