Hobo spiders look similar to wolf spiders, which unfortunately means they look like many other species. They are brown and hairy, with long legs. Because this indistinguishable appearance isn’t a reliable way to identify this species, you should focus more on their web.
The hobo spiders web is a better identifier of the species because it is unlike the clean wheel pattern we know spider webs to be. Hobo spider webs:
- Look messy
- Are funnel-shaped and open on both ends
- The larger opening is used to catch prey
- The smaller opening will lead to a sheltered location acting as an escape route
These funnel webs allow hobo spiders to wait for their prey, subdue it, and then bring it to the narrow end of the funnel to eat.
So, hobo spiders have interesting webs. While this is a helpful fact, you are probably wondering: are they dangerous, where can I find them, and how can I prevent them? Don’t worry; we’ve got the San Francisco Bay Area covered with the facts about hobo spiders.
Image: Wikipedia / CC by SA 2.0
Are Hobo Spiders Usually Found Inside Homes?
Hobo spiders are not a species that prefer the indoors as house spiders do. However, they may still wander into homes from time to time, especially if a prey pest is attracting them. If they do get inside, hobo spiders will find cool and dark places like basements, crawl spaces, and garages to hide.
Now, you might be wondering if you should be worried if a hobo spider gets into your home. The simple answer to this question is no. All spiders are venomous, but only two species in the United States are venomous to people, and hobo spiders are not one of them. Hobo spiders are considered harmless, although there was once some debate on the matter. Hobo spiders were once thought to cause tissue damage or skin death when blood and oxygen are limited in a certain area, causing the tissue to die.
While they might not be dangerous to your health, you still don’t want hobo spiders in your home or their prey pests, for that matter.
What Are Some Hobo Spider Prevention Tips?
If you want to prevent hobo spiders from coming into your home, you also need to prevent pest prey. To do this, you should:
- Remove food sources for pest prey.
- Remove clutter and debris from the interior and exterior of your home.
- Remove entry points by caulking cracks and crevices around your home’s exterior, installing screens and door sweeps, and keeping doors and windows closed when possible.
Who Should I Call About Hobo Spiders?
For more advice or assistance, contact the pros at Smith’s Pest Management. We offer a spider control service in the San Francisco Bay Area to eliminate these pesky arachnids and the prey pests that attract them. Our spider control service offerings include:
- De -webbing- while a spider’s web is useful to them, it can be unsightly around the interior and exterior of our homes. This is why we offer a de- webbing service and an option for Web Out, a cobweb eliminator.
- Spray treatment- used to get rid of spiders on your property. We offer both an organic and a non-organic spray, allowing you to choose which is best for your home and family.
If you believe you have a hobo spider problem on your San Francisco Bay Area property, you should call us at Smith’s Pest Management. We can take care of this pest and the rest that might be bugging you.
