Identifying a Hobo Spider

The Hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis) is often confused with the Brown Recluse. Both are approximately the same size, both are brown, and both are very venomous. A casual encounter could easily cause confusion between these two spiders, or between the Hobo spider and other spiders such as the Wolf spider.

A major difference between the Hobo spider and the Brown Recluse are the areas where they are found. The Brown Recluse is found in the mid-south and mid-west. The Hobo spider is found in the northwest United States. The Hobo spiders territory includes Utah, extreme western Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. It is thought the Hobo spider came to the United States on board a ship and is not originally from this area. The Hobo spider is native to European areas.

The Hobo spider will generally not climb to any great height and is therefore found mostly on the ground floor of a structure or in the basement. The Hobo is generally not very aggressive and will shy away given the opportunity. On rare occasion when defending the nest or being cornered, the Hobo can become aggressive.

The adult Hobo spider will be approximately 5/8 of an inch in size with a leg span as large as two inches. The female will be slightly larger than the male, however the male has two palpi in from of its face. These look like small black gloves on the spider, and are sometimes referred to as boxing gloves. The body of the Hobo spider is brown with chevron shapes across the abdomen.

The Hobo spider's bite can cause nausea, severe headaches, memory lose and blindness. If you believe you were bitten by a Hobo spider you should seek immediate medical care. In most cases the initial bite is painless with symptoms becoming evident within 24 hours of the bite. The Hobo Spider has the ability to bite its victim without injecting venom. These bites are painless and with no venom injected are also harmless. The Hobo spider can control the amount of venom it injects during the bite so the severity of each bite will vary with the amount of venom injected and the reaction of the victim.

While some features of the Hobo spider make identification easier, it is very close in nature to several other spiders and often even experts need a microscope to make a proper classification. If you fear you have been bitten by a Hobo spider you should seek immediate medical attention. If at all possible, capture the spider to allow for a proper identification. Most bites are the result of the spider being trapped between a piece of clothing and the person.