To the left is a picture of a Hobo Spider bite. Brown Recluse bites are the same. About 50% of 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.

A Brown Recluse is a relatively rare, poisonous spider that lives in the Midwest US. The following collection of links deal specifically with the habits and behaviours of the Brown Recluse. This site collects information on brown recluse spider bites and tracks information about them. There is a searchable database containing information on treatments, bite location, bite severity and regional distribution.

If you live in San Diego it is highly unlikely that you've been bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider because they do not occur here. Refer to this map (prepared by UC Riverside specialists) that shows where they might occur. For more information on these spiders visit the spider information pages by UC Riverside researchers.

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.

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.

Generally there is local pain, swelling and itching at the site of the bite. There is some evidence that local skin ulceration can occur although this is appears to be uncommon. (BACK)

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.

First, consider seeking medical attention. You may also consider contacting your local, county, or state department of public health. For additional information on spiders, check out the American Arachnological Society or the University of California-Riverside. For mites, check out the Acarological Society of America. For a listing of web sites related to spiders, mites, and other arthropods of medical importance to humans, check out the Arachnology web site. For pest identification, click here.

Since the development of the anti-venene for Red-back spiders (Latrodectus hasselti) in 1956, there have been no confirmed deaths from Red-back bites. If you are bitten by a Red-back spider, serious illness does not develop for at least 3 hours after the bite, giving you enough time to get to a doctor or hospital.

A spider's web is constructed of silk made from a protein the spider secretes. For more information, visit the sites listed on our links page, under "Web". We aren't experts in arachnid identification, and because so many different spiders share similar characteristics, we can't even begin to identify your spider for you. We suggest that you take a look at a field guide for your area, or sites with pictures of spiders.

the owner of a snake you must realize that your boa does not bite out of meanness or aggression, but instead out of mistaken identity or fear. Mistaken Identity: In this case, your hand's smell or movement (or both) is mistaken by the snake to be the smell or movement of prey. This is most likely to occur around the snakes usual feeding time or after you have been handling its meal.

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.

No. The common Brown House spider (Steatoda sp.) is not a young Red-back waiting to grow a stripe. It is a relative of the Red-back and looks similar, but does not have the red stripe or the red hourglass marking under the abdomen.

For most people, symptoms begin 10 days to four weeks after infection, although a person may feel ill as early as eight days or up to one year later. Two kinds of malaria, P. vivax and P. ovale, can relapse; some parasites can live in the liver for several months and up to four years after an infected mosquito bites a person. When these parasites come out of hibernation and begin invading red blood cells, the person will become sick.

Consult a physician. In extreme cases where the bite was not taken care of early, skin graft, amputation, and the possibility of bone marrow failure may occur. Big H products also offers a large catalog of great products for Home & Garden such as Fly traps, Yellow Jacket Traps, DiggitTM tools, novelty lighters, and more.

Being bitten by an infected mosquito will not necessarily make you sick. Most people who are infected with WNV have no symptoms or experience only mild illness. If illness were to occur, it would occur within 3-15 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Despite Hollywood's deadly and aggressive image of the tarantula, the truth is that San Diego County's three resident taratula species are actually quite docile. Although both males and females are capable of inflicting a bite when threatened, they rarely do so and their venom is considered non-toxic to humans. Like most other spiders, tarantulas are beneficial predators who feed on many invertebrates including sowbugs, pillbugs, insects, and even other spiders.