Hobo Spiders

While spiders are technically not insects, many people are concerned about their appearance in the house.  This is particularly common during the colder months when these creatures seek a warm spot to spend the winter!

If you happen across a spider, don’t be concerned unless you have found a hobo spider.  Most other spiders are beneficial, and their bite will not cause a problem.  This is NOT true of the hobo.  If a hobo spider bites you, it can be serious – BUT how do you tell if you are looking at a hobo?

Hobo spiders have clear tan legs.  If you see any spots or stripes on the legs, you are NOT looking at a hobo spider.  One of the most common spiders in southern Idaho is the wolf spider.  Wolf spiders are beneficial and have striped legs.

Also, the hobo spider has a chevron pattern that runs the length of the abdomen.

These spiders are generally nocturnal and a little knowledge about their habits can help keep you from a bite.

Hobo spiders are not good climbers, and are usually found at ground or basement levels.  To climb, the hobo must locate a porous surface.  They can fall easily and are stuck in slick surfaced areas such as washbasins and bathtubs.  They are FAST moving spiders and tend to run along the base of walls and furniture. Hobo spider has a funnel web as seen in the illustrations.

Wear protective clothing (e.g. coveralls tucked into boots and long sleeves tucked into gloves) to cover bare skin when working in infested areas such as crawl spaces, rock gardens, and old piles of wood.  Indoors, shake clothing out that has been stored or laid down in spider-inhabited dwellings.  Routine thorough household cleaning can reduce spider populations, making certain to vacuum thoroughly in corners, in closets, behind furniture, and underneath beds

Calk any openings into your house – pay close attention around the foundation and where the water pipes enter your home or your bathrooms and kitchens.

In case of a spider bite, it is very important to obtain a positive identification of the spider from a qualified professional.  The accurate diagnosis and treatment of tegenarism (hobo spider poisoning) is relatively new and presents a challenge to physicians and other health care workers.  The bite will swell and after a few days will fester and break open.  Do not hesitate to get to your doctor for treatment.  It may take 6 months for the bite to heal and you do not want a secondary infection!

One of the best treatments for hobo spiders is to buy sticky traps, commonly available in local garden and hardware stores.  Place these against the baseboard.  The spiders run into the trap and are stuck.  It’s always exciting to see how effective these simple and non-toxic devices are!

Prevention of the hobo spider bite is much easier to deal with than the treatment for a bite.  Use simple common sense measures to prevent bites.