Originally from Europe, the Hobo Spider is a species foreign to the United States. Initially, hobo spiders were thought to have similar venom, but current scientific research as well as medical literature indicates the venom is not a medical threat to the average person. Tegenaria agrestis, also called the Hobo Spider as well as the Aggressive House Spider (AHS), has been suspected of presiding in the United States as early as the 1920's and 1930's. The brown recluse is native to the U.S., but the hobo spider is an invasive species from Europe.īrown recluse spiders have necrotoxic venom that is capable, although unlikely, of causing necrotic lesions. Hobo spiders are medium size, tan to brown in color with a herringbone pattern on the upper surface of the abdomen (right). Hobo spiders normally are found in the Pacific Northwest, and the brown recluse in the central southern part of the U.S. They also have distinct patterning on their abdomen which a recluse will not.Īnother important distinction is that each spider occurs in very different locations of the U.S. Hobo spider coloration tends to range from rust to reddish brown. The other characteristic that must be seen together with the fiddle to verify a recluse is the six eyes arranged in pairs.
Current evidence and findings conclude that hobo spider bites cause only mild pain and redness (blisters and skin problems have also been documented. Webs may be found in low, out of the way, dark places such as basements, window wells and crawl spaces. To satisfy their hunger, hobo spiders attack their prey. Originally centered in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and large parts of Montana, Wyoming and Canada, the hobo spider has moved eastward into Utah and Colorado, as well as some southern states. Also known as the fiddle-back spider, the brown recluse is known for the violin-shaped marking present atop its abdomen. Hobo spiders are fast runners, up to 3 feet per second, when moving from place to place. Hobo spiders primarily exist in the Pacific Northwest, but their reach is expanding. They both are brown in coloration but have very clear and distinct physical differences. Hobo spiders and brown recluses are spiders with notorious reputations.