Hobo Spider Information

The hobo spider by nature is known to be among the more aggressive house spiders. Though they are not as poisonous as brown recluse spiders or black widows, they are typically ranked with them since their aggression makes up for their lack of poison. While hobo spiders may not kill you, their bites can be very painful and result in a festering, necrosis wound that takes a long time to heal. Just the look of the spider alone can incite fear with its quick speed and giant pedipalps. The very fact that this spider will attack you if it feels threatened makes it even more of a danger to have around your home. If you have young children, you cannot risk the chance of an infestation of these angry spiders. They are very territorial and are not afraid to bite or run after the threat, even if that “threat” is an innocent toddler.

General Information

Hobo spiders range in size from 11-15mm while the male is slightly smaller measuring 8-11mm. Their coloring is anywhere in shades from brown to rust colored with mostly solid colored bodies aside from chevron patterns on their heads and abdomen. Male hobo spiders have large pedipalps in the front that look like boxing gloves. These are sometimes confused for fangs but they are in fact male genitalia. Hobo spiders have 8 eyes clustered together and 8 furry looking legs, although these legs are actually quite smooth. They prefer warm and dry environments, which is why your home is the perfect condition for them. When seeking shelter out of the wet or cold weather, they will often come inside homes where the temperature and humidity is more to their liking. Known for their quick, darting movements, they can be difficult to catch and get rid of.

The Signs of an Infestation

The most obvious signs of a hobo spider infestation are the actual sighting of the spider or finding one of their webs. Hobo spiders are funnel shaped, which serves them best when insects fall into the funnel and cannot get out. They build these webs in between two stationary objects. Hobo spiders are often confused with brown recluse spiders, however brown recluse spiders do not build webs so if you have sighted a brown spider fitting the description above and also see a funnel shaped web, chances are that you have a hobo spider infestation. Their webs have another unique characteristic and that is that the silk is not sticky. It is designed specifically to trip or catch their prey and the hobo spider’s aggression kicks in because if they were more docile, they would starve to death. A hobo spider bite is also unique. It might look like a mosquito bite, but in 24-36 hours, the bite will blister and burst open, leaving an oozing wound, which is your body’s reaction to the venom. If you spot any these infestation signs, you need immediate professional spider control.

Treatment

Pointe Pest Control’s effective spider control is just what you need to keep your family safe from dangerous infesting spiders. We implement the most advanced and safest, non-toxic spider control available and will not quit until the job is done. Since many spiders have a protective coating on their legs, it is important to use various spider control techniques and our technicians have a thorough knowledge on exactly how to remove even the the toughest infestations. Call us today!