There are quite a few types of spiders found in Northwest Las Vegas, Nevada. Most recognize the familiar black widow spider featuring the red hourglass-mark and immediately know to keep your distance. With other common spiders, people typically prefer to stay clear of spiders, though, in some instances, spiders can be beneficial to have around. Among the common spiders in the Vegas Valley, hobo spiders make the list. With that in mind, we at Pre-empt Pest Control would like to share some basic fundamentals concerning hobo spiders.
Where do Hobo Spiders Come From?
Coming from its presumed method of expanding its distribution, hobo spiders are believed to hitch rides with humans along the major highways in the Pacific Northwest. Displacing many native spider species as it spreads, the hobo spider was introduced from Europe in the 1930s and has become established in at least 6 states since.
Hobo Spider Identification
Hobo spiders range from light to medium brown in color and feature a dark stripe down center to either side of lighter mid line stripes. The legs are typically a solid light brown and bear no bands. Like all spiders, they skitter around on 8 legs that extend from an oblong abdomen with longer posterior spinnerets visible from an above view. These spiders body size span from /16” to 9/16” and 1 – 1 ¾” in diameter. The females slightly larger than males. They can be found along the northwestern U.S and they continue to expand their range.
Hobo Spider Funnel & Tunnel Habitat
Opening at both ends with one end expanding outward into a broad, slightly curved sheet, the hobo spider build funnels. Commonly built in the back of the web that leads to a deep crack or other protected area, they design an escape tunnel. Males extensively wander about looking for a mate, from late June to October. During the peak activity period in August and September, several roving males may in fact enter the ground level of a structure each day. Due to their wandering habits, they are often the ones responsible for more bites than females are as they come into contact with people. They look for anything that can support their tunnel formation and as such, hobo spiders can be found in almost any habitat containing holes, cracks or crevices. However, they are rarely found above ground level as they are poor climbers. Typically, hobo spiders prefer dark, moist areas and are most frequently discovered in garages, window wells and crawl spaces.
Hobo Spider Bite
Hobo spiders are known to bite defensively, generally when they feel threatened. Hobo spider bites as these spiders are frequently confused with other species, as a result, there is an ongoing debate is to their actual effects. It was previously thought that hobo spiders are capable of causing a necrotic lesion similar to that caused by brown recluse spiders because of the misinformation on hobo spiders. Most can agree on however, that hobo spider bites cause only mild pain and redness.
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If you suspect a hobo spider bit you, you should seek medical attention to be sure. If you have hobo or other spiders around your home, call in the specialists of Pre-empt Pest Control and let our experts take care of the rest.
