Native to Europe, the aggressive house spider, or western hobo spider, was accidentally introduced to the Northwestern United States in the s. They are found primarily in:. Hobo Spider vs. Brown Recluse. Call Residential Commercial. Tegenaria agrestis. What Orkin Does Your local Orkin technician is trained to help manage hobo spiders and similar pests. Call us or. Get Your Quote. How did I get hobo spiders? How serious are hobo spiders?
Do They Bite? Are They Dangerous? Other Pest Problems Although the hobo spider is known as a formidable predator, it is also a food source for other predators.
What are the signs of a hobo spider infestation? Appearance Tegenaria agrestis are known as hobo spiders and aggressive house spiders. Behavior Hobo spiders belong to the Family Agelenidae, a group of spiders known for their funnel-like web construction. Diet Hobo spiders feed on various insects and may also consume other arachnids. Webs Hobo spiders weave webs in the shape of funnels that also serve as mating grounds.
Reproduction Males cautiously approach their female counterparts, mating only after finding that the female is receptive, rather than hostile. Habitat As a species of house spider , hobo spiders are most commonly found in and around human dwellings and work spaces. Geographic Range Native to Europe, the aggressive house spider, or western hobo spider, was accidentally introduced to the Northwestern United States in the s. The hobo spider, Eratigena agrestis, is native to Europe and was introduced into the Pacific Northwest in the 's.
The spider has expanded its range south and east, and can be found extensively throughout northern Utah Vetter et al. Originally, the hobo spider was named "the aggressive house spider," which originated from an incorrect interpretation of its species name-agrestis-which means "of the field or land.
Giant house spider has also been introduced into the Pacific Northwest, however there are no records of this spider in Utah. There is some disagreement among researchers as to the length of the hobo spider life cycle.
Only one year may be required to complete a generation among the warmer coastal regions; however, inland populations, such as those living in Utah, are believed to require two or three years to complete a generation. Eggs deposited in the fall begin hatching in the spring. The spiderlings will molt shed their skin once before breaking free from the egg sac around early June.
The juvenile hobo spiders grow and develop over the summer or several summers and will overwinter again before reaching maturity the following year. Males and females will mature from June to September. Males seek out females for mating during the summer and most die before October. Mated females start laying eggs in mid-September, with one to four egg sacs produced over a period of four weeks. Fewer eggs are produced if food is limited or if temperatures are cooler than normal.
Cold temperatures eventually terminate the production of eggs by the females. Most females will die in late autumn, but some may overwinter and live into the following summer. The webs are funnel shaped, sort of like a tornado but really wide at the top. The spider waits in the small hole at the bottom of the funnel for prey to make contact with the web.
When it senses a vibration it will emerge from the hole to envenomate its prey. Funnel web spiders have "feet" designed for walking on their webs and large hobo spiders aren't designed to climb smooth surfaces in homes, such as painted walls. Consequently, when they enter homes they are usually found at ground level in the basement because they cannot climb walls or slick surfaces to escape.
A common place to find hobos is in the bath tub or sink because the porcelain or plastic is too slick for them to climb. However, this is not to say hobos can't climb. They can easily climb carpeted stairs, curtains, towels, bed skirts, highly textured walls, cement walls, brick, etc. Funnel web spiders, the hobo and domestic house spider in particular, can be found frequently in homes while wandering in search of mates in August through October, and when looking for web sites in the spring.
The hobo spider is a member of the funnel-web spider family Agelenidae not to be confused with funnel web tarantulas in the family Hexathelidae commonly found in Australia.
Funnel-web spiders are long-legged, swift-running spiders that build funnel or tube-shaped retreats. The hobo spider runs at an average speed of about 0. While the hobo spider greatly resembles certain other members of the funnel-web spider family, which are harmless, it has important distinguishing characteristics. The hobo spider has a brown cephalothorax the front body region where the legs are attached with darker brown markings and brown legs. The abdomen the second body region has a distinctive pattern of yellow markings on a grey background, although this pattern can be difficult to discern without the aid of a microscope or hand lens.
The pattern is generally more distinctive in immature specimens. Unlike many other similar-looking spiders, hobo spiders do not have dark bands e. Spiders with such banding are not hobo spiders.
Mature female hobo spiders are 9. Males have enlarged pedipalps located near the mouth, resembling short legs. Identifying a hobo spider requires the use of a microscope. The presence of a brown spider in your home does not mean that it is a hobo--there are many brown spiders that look similar to hobos.
Additionally, you cannot identify a hobo based on the "chevron" markings on the abdomen; many spiders have a very similar appearance to a hobo.
See this page for more info. To properly identify a hobo spider, three key characteristics should be observed under a microscope. The following characteristics should be used when identifying a hobo spider: 1. Plumose setae are diagnostic of the family Agelenidae, or the funnel web spiders.
These fine, almost clear hairs have a feather-like appearance. A microscope or strong hand lens is needed to see these hairs. Do not be confused by the large black spines, or smaller, thick black hairs.
The plumose hairs lay nearly flat against the body and are difficult to see. Plumose setae do not differentiate between species of Agelenidae, but if your spider lacks these setae, then you can rule out having a hobo spider.
This picture shows the 6 to 8 teeth which can be found on the cheliceral retromargin. This structure can be looked at by removing the chelicera from the spider and turning them over. The retromargin is the one that would have been closest to the mouth when the chelicerae were still attached to the spider. In addition to the above characters, a hobo can be separated from other spiders by the combination of the following characteristics:.
The male "boxing gloves" or palps are part of the spiders reproductive system. Genitalia can be used by arachnologists to identify spiders to species. The hobo palp has two prongs as indicated by the red arrows. Closely related species such as the domestic house spider and the giant house spider will only have one prong.
Additional identification guides can be found at the following links: Utah State Univ. Washington State Univ. In Utah, hobos are frequently found indoors from August through October. This inward migration is driven by their mating season.
Males are searching for females at this time and are following chemical scents pheromones given off by female hobo spiders. They suspected the spiders were in their attic. When they opened the door, sure enough, all the spiders began coming out and into other parts of their home.
The Hobo spider very much resembles an ordinary house spider, but has longer, bigger, hairier legs. They are also known to be more aggressive than normal spiders, a trait which Forrester discovered first hand. When you corner them they rear up their legs," Garland said in an interview. According to arachnid experts, the bite of a Hobo can be very serious if not cared for properly.
The bite can cause necrosis in the tissue surrounding the wound and surgery may be required in extreme cases. Some people who have been bitten by Hobo spiders report that their vision became blurry and had headaches.
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