If you’ve spotted a large, fast-moving brown spider in your basement or garage, you are likely dealing with a hobo spider.
In Idaho Falls and surrounding areas, such as Rexburg, these spiders are a common sight as the weather cools and they search for dark, damp places to hide.
While their size and color often cause homeowners to mistake them for the more dangerous brown recluse, hobo spiders have distinct markings and behaviors.
Understanding these differences is the first step in keeping them out of your living space. Because they are rapid runners and prolific web builders, a proactive approach is necessary to prevent them from entering your home.
Here is what you need to know about identifying hobo spiders in Eastern Idaho and how professional perimeter pest control can stop them before they get inside.
Don’t freak out, but they’re pretty big, with females about 1¾ inch long (including legs) and males about one inch. Their size and brown color lead some people to mistake hobo spiders for the more dangerous brown recluse spider.
Hobo spiders have herringbone striping on their abdomen, while brown recluse spiders have a distinctive violin-shaped marking on their backs.
Hobo spiders prefer dark, damp hiding places, such as garages and basements. You’ll also find them outside, underneath rocks and woodpiles.
Unlike the poisonous brown recluse, the hobo spider’s venom isn’t toxic, but if it bites you, the wound is often slow to heal.
So, are hobo spiders dangerous? If a hobo spider is caught in a threatening situation, they will bite, leaving a painful, red, sometimes blistery bruise.
Small dogs and the occasional kitten. Kidding! House flies, cockroaches, ants, and even other spiders.
Hobo spiders are known for making funnel-shaped webs to catch insects. They hang out on their webs waiting for insects to land. That causes a vibration that tells the spiders it’s time for brunch.
The worst part: hobo spiders run with rapid, darting movements. Spiders that run. That’s a big nope. That’s all the reason you need to get rid of hobo spiders, right?
Like most spiders, the hobo spider has very poor eyesight – it can only see objects within a range of about three to six feet. (So if you’re brave enough, maybe you can sneak up on it with a baseball bat.)
More good news: Perimeter pest control is a great way to get rid of hobo spiders.
This outdoor barrier protection helps prevent hobo spiders and other spiders and insects like ants and box elder bugs from entering your home and foundation.
Lawn Buddies technicians in Idaho Falls, ID, spray around the perimeter of your home and yard to repel pests, such as the hobo spider, for about 3 months. Since the treatment is performed outside, no chemicals are applied inside your home.
In fact, perimeter pest control treatments don’t even require anyone to be home at the time they’re applied. We’ll deliver your insect control while we’re already on your property for lawn care treatments—no extra hassle for you.
Perimeter pest control focuses on prevention – carrying out insect control before bugs and hobo spiders enter your home and begin to cause problems.
Lawn Buddies technicians typically treat about 3 feet up on the house and 6 feet out, creating a wide protective barrier that includes the landscaping and lawn directly around your home.
The spray leaves a residue on surfaces that kills insects and continues to work for up to three months.
Good insect control goes beyond spraying the outside.
Here are a few things you can do on the inside:
How to get rid of hobo spiders? Put down that baseball bat and leave it to us.
Lawn Buddies perimeter pest control services in Idaho Falls, ID can be added to our Complete Lawn Care Program.
The first step to taking advantage of Lawn Buddies' perimeter pest control is to sign up for our 6-step complete lawn care program.
You’ll be glad you did.
Choose an Idaho Falls professional lawn care service that makes it easy, bundling your yard’s most-needed treatments into one convenient, no-fuss plan.
Got a few minutes? That’s all you need to get started. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at (208) 656-9131 or read more about our services. Then, you can kick back and relax in your healthy, thriving yard and pest-free home.