The wolf spider is autumn’s most frightening home intruder

You’re enjoying dinner with your family when a spider the size of a half-dollar races across the floor and under the table. Even more terrifying — you wake in the middle of the night to find a large, hairy spider sharing your bed. Worse yet, it’s resting on your neck.

The demonlike arachnids invading our homes this time of year are wolf spiders, but they are not as threatening as they appear. They are mostly harmless to humans but are feared because of their large size and their fierce namesake. They bite only when provoked but are not aggressive. They actually are quite shy.