Hobo Spider
Even though the bite of the Hobo spider is initially painless, they one of the most dangerous spiders in the United States. The venom from a Hobo Spider bite can cause nausea, vision impairment, and a lot of skin damage. They are not always fatal, but fatalities have occurred.
Instructions
1. If you think you might have spotted or encountered a Hobo spider, first see if they reside in your area. Hobo spiders are most frequently found in Western states. States such as Oregon, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana are all places the Hobo spider resides. They are found in the red area on this map.
2. You can also identify Hobo spiders by where you found them. They live on the ground, rarely climbing above ground level, and almost never climbing a vertical surface. They are most likely to be found in the basement of your home.
3. Perhaps the easiest way to identify the Hobo spider is by its appearance. They are brown in color and can vary in size (measured from leg span) from about 2/3 of an inch to 2 inches long.
4. The odd little feature hobo spiders have that other spiders don't is a set of large mouth parts. These two extra ligaments extend out from the head region and appear to be like antennas. This is unique to hobo spiders.
5. If by nothing else, you can identify hobo spiders by their bite. Initially it will be painless, but after a few minutes it will quickly harden. After a day or so the bite will develop into a blister and appear to get worse. This is when you should seek medical attention. If you let it go longer than a day the blister will usually expand until it breaks open. Sometimes severe symptoms can follow including headaches, nausea, temporary vision loss, weakness, or memory loss. If you think you may have been bitten by one, seek medical attention promptly.
Tags: Hobo spider, hobo spiders, identify Hobo, medical attention, seek medical