They can be found anywhere in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado,and Southern British Columbia. We feel that it is likely that there are Hobos in Northern California. We have also received spider samples from the many parts of Mid-West and North Eastern USA which appear to be Hobo spiders. The Red areas of the maps show regions with Hobo Spiders.

Darwin Vest, the foremost expert on Hobo Spiders, stated that ". . . traps are far and away the most safe and effective measure that can be used for controlling hobo spiders indoors." And, in fact, traps have shown to be the most effective means available to control Hobo Spider populations. In order to kill Hobo spiders with pesticides you usually have to hit the spider directly with large doses.

There are 3 major predator spider types that if found in homes seem to reduce the amount of Hobo spiders: the Steatoda spiders, Large jumping spiders, and the other harmless European House spiders. Pets such as cats will feed on Hobo and Brown Recluse spiders after playing with them. The preying mantis will also eat Hobo spiders but due to its day time activity and the Hobo spiders night time activity optimum results are not achieved.

There are 3 major predator spider types that if found in homes seem to reduce the amount of Hobo spiders. These spiders are the Steatoda spiders, Large jumping spiders, and the other harmless European House spiders. We are working on getting some pictures on our web site but have not accomplished that yet. The preying mantis will also eat Hobo spiders but due to its day time activity and the Hobo spiders night time activity optimum results are not achieved.

In order to kill Hobo spiders with pesticides you usually have to hit the spider directly with large doses. The problem with non discriminate spraying is that you kill the good competitor and predator spiders and insects and thus make more room for the more mobile and hardy Hobo spider. This will often lead to a worse problem with Hobo spiders as I witnessed in 1997 in my own home.

Yes, they definitely can. They are not good climbers and usually fall back to the floor after climbing too high.

No. People often wonder if that's how they get in their bath tubs but as I explained in the question before this one it is not true.

No, all spiders have palps and male spiders have swollen palps. What the swollen palps indicate is that it is a male Hobo spider. Females have them as well but they are not swollen.

http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Biology/Original/b00054d.html says that the life span of spiders can vary from a few months to 20 years.

We are not sure yet. Many people say that they have them and even one person said they took it to a county agent and had it identified as a Hobo spider but we have not been able to verify it yet. Therefore we can not say that Hobos are there for sure, although it makes sense that they would live there, too. Here is a list of areas that we feel confident that there are Hobo Spiders: Anywhere in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Southern British Columbia.

Yes and no. The giant house spider and the domestic or common house spider are both cousins to the Hobo spider and look very similar with obvious differences. The domestic house (Tegenaria domestica) spider is smaller than the Hobo spider and has distinct rings on its legs but it does have similar V shapes on it's abdomen.

Absolutely not, often Hobo spiders are found in bath tubs, etc. The reason they are found there is that they crawled up the sides, fell in and can't get out because of the slick surfaces.

First, it is unlikely that you will find a brown recluse spider in your home since they are not known to occur in Oregon. Brown recluse spiders live in the south central Midwest from Nebraska to Ohio and south through Texas to Georgia. However, you may find a hobo spider, giant house spider, or European house spider in your home. These three spiders are related and they look very similar.

To the left is a picture of a Hobo Spider bite. About 50% of Hobo Spider bites are 'dry,' meaning that no venom is injected, and nothing happens to the victim. Often times the victim does not even realize that he has been bit.

Male Hobos are the most dangerous and baby Hobo spiders carry the most potent venom but they can't expel as much as adults. All of the Hobo spiders are dangerous and should be avoided.

The Spiders From Mars were David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust's three-piece rock band from 1971 to mid 1973, however they were only officially known by this name following the album's release in June 1972. Bowie has said that the inspiration for the name came when he was writing the song "Ziggy Stardust". The band consisted of: quot;It was Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and somehow, along the lines, the Spiders got attached to David Bowie.