Hobo Spiders

The hobo spider is also called the aggressive house spider and is a common spider in the Pacific Northwest. Outside, the hobo spider will construct a snare or funnel web, which is a trampoline-like, horizontal web constricting back into a funnel or hole. The web is typically found in a crack between bricks or under wood piles, stones, or vegetation. Inside our homes or structures they build funnel-shaped webs in dark, moist areas such as basements, window wells and under low lying furniture. It is a large (1 to 1¾ inch, including legs), fast-running brown spider with a herringbone or multiple chevron pattern on the top of the abdomen. The hobo spider range from the Pacific Northwest to northern Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado. Although once common in Portland, the hobo spider apparently is being competitively displaced by another European Tegenaria (TEJ-in-Er-ee-uh) species so that it is now difficult (but not impossible) to find hobo spiders in Portland. Hobo spiders are more common in eastern Washington.

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Pest Description

Spider Habits

Even though spiders are beneficial due to their role as predators of insects and other arthropods, they still are a common Northwest pest as many people fear or dislike spiders because of their looks, speed of travel and sometimes reactive bites. Most spider bites occur as a reaction or for protection at night when spiders are more likely to move about in our structures and when we may roll over them during our sleep or sit on one in a piece of furniture. This can be a disconcerting thought which is why many people like to control their populations inside while allowing them to perform their role of insect population control on the outside.

Biology of Spiders

Spiders resemble insects and sometimes are confused with them, but they are arachnids, not insects. Spiders have eight legs and two body parts: a head region (cephalothorax) and an abdomen. They lack wings and antennae. Although spiders often are found on plants, they eat mainly insects, other spiders, and related arthropods, not plants. Most spiders have toxic venom, which they use to kill their prey. However, only those spiders whose venom typically causes a serious reaction in humans are called “poisonous” spiders.

Spider Control & Prevention

Spiders can be a serious pest problem for some customers; if neglected, they can increase the risk of spider infestations and exposure to bites which may be harmful to individuals sensitive to their venom. A trained pest management professional is crucial to resolving your spider problem. Comprehensive spider service includes three steps:

  1. Inspection. Thorough inspection can determine level of activity in the home as well as location of sites where spiders will be predisposed to infest. Based on the technicians findings and information from the customer we can make a proper diagnosis of the treatment strategy as well as recommendations for prevention in the future.
  2. Treatment. Typical treatment options may include treatment of the inside baseboards to quickly help eliminated spiders inside. Outside treatment may include treatment of window and door frames, eaves and/or base of the home or structure to help reduce populations around the home as well discourage infestations in the near future.
  3. Follow-up. Treatment for spiders can be very effective. However, due to the relative short lifespan of environmentally friendly products as well as spider biology (long legs) limiting contact with the dried residual chemical, regular follow-up treatments are recommended to protect the home against future infestations. Quarterly perimeter treatments around the exterior of the home are a great way to ensure your home stays spider free as well as help with other pest issues in and around your home and/or structure.