Hobo Spiders

Spider identification is no easy thing to do particularly if you lack experience and the scientific information that allow one to perform a correct classification. The most common way to perform the identification at a very amateurish level is to actually compare a specimen with a picture or a drawing and see whether there is a match. The important thing about spider identification is to actually be able to tell the poisonous spiders from the non-poisonous ones. Fortunately, the latter are far more numerous than the former, as poisonous spiders are spread only in certain globe areas, and sometimes they have warning features that sets them apart.

In North America for instance, poisonous spider identification is a thumb rule for anyone living close to such creatures; there are not too many species of the kind, hence, once you learn how to set them apart you can relax and feel a lot safer. House species are the first to require proper spider identification since they are the first we come into contact with, and, on certain occasions, it is pretty difficulty to tell them apart. This is the case with the house spider, the giant house spider and the hobo spider; they all live indoors, but only the latter is a real threat to humans, since its bite can cause necrosis.

In order to avoid direct contact with spiders indoors, you can use special sticky traps that will drastically lower the risk of being bitten by a venomous species. For such cases spider identification is not necessary; but we cannot say the same thing about the widow spiders that require the immediate use of an anti-venom. Therefore, spider identification can be crucial when you need to be able to apply the right treatment without any further delay. Spiders that live outdoors are more difficult to identify due to the large number of species both harmful and venomous.

All in all, spider identification serves not only to the scientist but to the average person who either takes a great interest in the various spider species or who’d like to avoid risky exposures and eventual bites. Protection measures need to be taken when working outside in areas where poisonous species live; thus, make sure you wear special gloves particularly if you spend some time around debris piles and wood piles for instance. Such crawl spaces are the favorite habitat of widow spiders for instance, and their threat should by no means be ignored or taken lightly.

Also known as the funnel web spider, the hobo spider is a harmless species that lives both in Europe and on the North American continent. The specificity of the hobo spider is related to the way it weaves its web: the funnel-shaped nest is the perfect structure to wait for prey in. The hobo spider is often found in homes or in their vicinity and though the general reputation of the species is that of high aggressiveness, these creatures are very unlikely to attack a human being. You can only be exposed to a hobo spider bite in case you accidentally crush one; the bite is pretty painful due to the toxicity of the hobo spider venom.

The hobo spider is easy to recognize by the mixture of brown and rust shades; the species also carries another distinguishing mark: a herringbone pattern present on the superior side of the abdomen. Unlike other related species, the hobo spider isn’t hairy; though the legs of these creatures are very strong and large, they are also very smooth. The life extent of the hobo spider is pretty reduced, but though this species lives for a short period of time, their existence is pretty intense. Every year around August and September the hobo spider males are incredibly active, and it is during this time of the year that most bites are reported.

The shape of the web woven by the hobo spider is truly unique, it consists of a very dense silk sheet which is usually curved upwards so that insects that come from above the structure may fall into it. The hobo spider waits in a tubular retreat until the prey is tangled in the threads and only then it comes out and injects the insect with the paralyzing venom. The common prey of the hobo spider includes carpet beetles, earwigs, houseflies and silverfish. The hunting habits are the same regardless of whether we are talking about the hobo spiders that live indoors or out in the fields, gardens and hedges.

The worst consequence of a hobo spider bite is the death of the tissue or necrosis; it is due to such a risk that the general opinion considers the hobo spider highly dangerous. Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning that necrosis is very rare and almost accidental, since it appears in very special cases when the immune system of the victim is already impaired. Otherwise, the reactions to the hobo spider venom are pretty mild and temporary: pain, itching, redness and even swelling may appear, but these symptoms give in to local treatment.

Living in both Europe and North America, hobo spiders are a species that prefers moderate climates, making their nests both in houses and outside, in gardens, hedges, fields and pastures. In the United States, hobo spiders are considered a real danger since their bite can cause severe necrosis; nevertheless, the reported cases are pretty rare, as the most likely symptoms to appear include local pain, itching and swelling of the bitten area. Aloe vera, ice chips and antibiotics applied on the bite are thought to reduce the discomfort and speed up healing; yet, none of them is considered a 100% reliable remedy for hobo spider bites.

The consequences of the exposure to the venom of hobo spiders are less serious than the bites of the brown recluse spider for instance. However, people who have been bitten may expect to experience headaches and a general feeling of malaise. Sometimes, even vision problems have been reported, but under such circumstances you should contact the doctor right away and receive professional help. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to stay calm since anxiety adds up to the severity of the symptoms and that is surely the last thing you’d like to do. One further mention here is that many of the “dangers” related to hobo spiders are in fact rumors and anecdotes found on the Internet.

Hobo spiders definitely do not deserve the label of aggressiveness, and presently, there are trends of opinion among scientists related to the real danger of this species for humans: there are some who actually claim that hobo spiders are no threat to humans. The only time when hobo spiders are really dangerous is when they are laying their eggs, particularly if they see you as a threat to their future siblings. It is also good to know that these creatures seldom inject any venom when they bite, which is why there is little health risk and discomfort.

Even if hobo spiders live both on the American and the European continents, there is no difference in terms of physical specificity or venom composition. The treatment of the hobo spider bite is common with any other procedure applied to puncture wounds; let the bite bleed so as to eliminate as much venom as possible and then clean it with some topical antiseptic. Even if the bite may be itchy, try not to scratch since you may cause an infection of the deep tissues; do not apply cold or hot packs on the hobo bite since such measures are likely to increase tissue damage.

Like other insect injuries, brown recluse spider bites are likely to cause lots of discomfort as they are behind the majority of necrotic wounds reported in the United States on a yearly basis. Though the spider species in question is pretty common and not aggressive, sometimes, their venom has a great impact on the system triggering a very violent response not only at the skin level but in the deep body structures as well. How can one treat brown recluse spider bites?

In order to control inflammation, you should apply some ice on the bite; aloe vera ointment or fresh aloe juice could also help you soothe the pain or the itching. Nevertheless, besides this self-treatment you should also seek professional medical health since brown recluse spider bites are not to be taken lightly. Other measures meant to improve the victim’s condition include the elevation or the immobilization of the body part if the bite has been made on one of the limbs.

Though many patients fail to turn to medical intervention for the matter, the use of antihistamines, anti-venom and antibiotics can prove of great help. Yet, we should nevertheless mention the fact that research on none of these treatments has been conclusive enough to be established as a general remedy for the brown recluse spider bites. In the majority of cases the wound is likely to heal without any medical intervention whatsoever, however, the exception appears in the cases when the venom spreads in a blood vessel.

It is not unusual to misdiagnose various skin infections as brown recluse spider bites, since the symptoms are very often miscellaneous. Statistics show that 80% of the brown recluse spider bites are misdiagnosed. A test has been created to identify the wound and the venom type, but the practice is not part of the medical routine yet. Lots of doctors recommend a minor surgical intervention in the tissue area affected by the venom, yet the excision could impair the recovery as such and may increase the risk of scarring.

The curious fact is that lots of brown recluse spider bites have been reported in parts of America where this species does not live. There are other spider varieties to blame for the matter, but none of them causes necrosis, not even the Hobo spider, that is often held responsible. The brown recluse spider bites are the only ones to cause necrosis but in very rare situations and when the immunity of the victim is very low.