Last night, I was walking my dog after dark in my Bay Area yard when I turned around and saw a horrifying sight.
Right in front of me on the path was a gigantic spider. It was the kind of spider that makes you want to pack up your house, run for the hills, and never come back.
I knew that we had tarantulas and some parts of California. But I had no idea we had spiders like this in the Bay Area.
As I did a bit more research, I learned that the spider I saw is surprisingly common in many parts of California. There’s very likely one lurking in your yard right now.
You Don’t Want to Be a Bug Around This Thing
It turns out what I saw is a brown wolf spider. Their bodies alone can be almost 2 inches long, and that doesn’t even count their disgusting, spindly legs.
Once you add those in, you’re looking at a spider that’s almost as big as your hand when fully grown.
It’s no surprise that these California spiders are often mistaken for tarantulas. That’s even earned them the nickname “False Tarantula.”
I can tell you as a person staring one down in the middle of the night, the “false” label there didn’t give me much comfort. There’s something primally scary about seeing a massive spider like this on the path in front of you.
Luckily, I’m not a bug. Unlike traditional spiders that weave webs and wait for their prey to come to them, wolf spiders actively hunt by chasing down their prey.
Imagine being an insect and having this thing loom over you, then chase you down with its legs and teeth. It’s a terrifying thought.
Mostly Harmless
Luckily for us, humans, wolf spiders generally aren’t hazardous. They do bite, and they do have venom, like all spiders.
But their bite is reportedly more like a bee sting than anything serious. It’s painful and will get your attention, but rarely causes more serious issues.
That said, many people don’t want to have these massive insects running around their yards. Professional exterminators have a variety of ways to get rid of them.
Many homeowners, though, choose to let them be. Again, these spiders actively hunt, which makes them excellent at removing genuinely harmful insects from your yard.
So if you can stomach it, it’s probably best to let this false tarantula be, even if seeing one might haunt your nightmares for weeks to come.
Perhaps thank it for its service, and just be glad that you’re not a beetle!
