PUBLISHED ON September 15th, 2015
Hobo spiders are becoming a more common pest in homes across the Northwest. Spider pest control experts state that views regarding the hobo spider’s danger are split—some think their bite is dangerous while other think the evidence is inconclusive. As the summer weather cools, Oregon and Washington pest management companies state that the fall is when hobo spiders migrate indoors.
Washington and Oregon spider control experts have observed a rise in hobo spider populations in recent years. The spiders made the news in Montana after a pest control specialists found dozens in a home and has experienced an ongoing rise in spider-related calls. Spider populations tend to grow when they don’t have natural predators. While the arachnids aren’t poisonous, the bacteria in their bites may cause skin to necrotize, or die.
Hobo spiders have brownish legs without any markings. They have enlarged pedipalps that look like extra legs with boxing gloves. According to entomologists, hobo spiders aren’t good climbers. If you see a spider on a ceiling or the upper portion of a wall, it’s probably not a hobo spider. Hobo spiders are funnel-web weavers that build webs in low landscape features, like shrubs. They may enter homes as early as mid-July and stay until the spring. The eggs generally hatch just before spring.
As areas the Northwest experiences surges in hobo spider populations, experts advise:
If you think you have hobo spiders in your home, contact the spider pest control experts at Eden. A specialist will inspect your property, identify the type of spider and control the arachnids in a manner that’s safe for your family and the environment.
[Photo by: tup wanders via CC License]