Hobo spiders are also given the name aggressive house spiders and they can bite. They are mainly found hiding in rock piles or underneath lumber and logs. In homes, they can seek refuge in garages, exteriors of buildings and barns as they find these places perfect to hide. When you are poking around closets or walking in dark areas like basements, you want to be careful, otherwise you will encounter a hobo spider bite. Hobo spiders may breed in crawlspaces, ductwork, attics, shoeboxes, racks, and under furniture. Old clothing and storage boxes are other places you may find them.
How venomous are hobo spider bites?
The debate as to whether hobo spider bites are toxic to people or not has been on the table for scientific debates. New studies are suggesting that the venom of hobo spiders may not be as harmful as has been previously thought. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has listed hobo spiders, brown recluse spiders, and black widow spiders as among the three venomous spiders, which can be dangerous.
According to a report published by CDC in 1996, it indicated that hobo spider bites can cause necrosis resulting in death of tissue or cells. This is something, which however, has been questioned in the recent years by researchers.
How do hobo spider bites occur?
Hobo spiders are hunting spiders and tend to have external features, which resemble those of common harmless spiders. These spiders are distinguished by features such as yellow chevron-shaped marks that appear on their abdomens. Hobo spiders will not bite unless they feel provoked and threatened.
When the spider builds an egg sac, it becomes a bit aggressive because it wants to protect the sac. When bitten by hobo spider, the area may feel warm in the first couple of hours. It will feel like a mosquito bite in the first 24 hours. However, there are changes, which may occur that can distinguish the bite from those of other spiders.
The blister a bite causes tends to break open in a day or two following the bite. It may form an open ulceration that oozes. While most bites may be minor, at times, an eruption of lesion and flesh hole may occur as a result of dead tissue.
In size, the lesion may take the form of pea. When the dead tissue peels, the underlying tissue may be seen. The sunken wound that forms from the bite can take a couple of weeks to months to recover. Thereafter, an ugly scar forms within the healed skin.
Symptoms of hobo spider bite
Initially, a hobo spider bite will be painless though at times it can be serious. Victims may not have serious complications if the bite is dry, which constitutes close to 50 percent of the bites. In a dry bite, the spider does not produce venom.
Generally, this spider is poisonous and the poisoning is called teganarism. It can be severe and takes time to heal often leaving behind a scar. In case venom has been injected to a victim, he or she may develop symptoms such as nausea, headache, redness around the area after a few hours, fatigue, vision problems, weakness, and temporary loss of memory.
Treatment and first aid
When a person has been bitten by hobo spider, it is essential to provide first aid. The person should remain calm. Ensure the affected area is washed and bandaged. The wound can be washed with alcohol, soap, or some other astringents.
A victim may need to take a pain reliever or it may be applied on the wound in case of a severe bite. Benzocaine is one pain reliever that can be applied directly on the wound. Another thing you can do is apply cold compress. You may apply ice right on the bite so as to delay absorption of the poison or venom.
And, don’t forget to catch the spider because it helps in identification. With the spider, it can help in determining the right medication, which a doctor is going to prescribe you.
The treatment for a bite caused by hobo spider is like the one of brown recluse spider since they are said to possess same envenomation. The venom can be removed surgically by a physician. This needs to happen immediately after an individual has been bitten. A victim should not attempt removing the venom.
Other treatment may involve use of corticosteroids whether injectable, topical, or oral to reduce inflammation. In case of a severe case, an injection with phentolamine may be recommended. A patient can take antibiotics in order to prevent infection by bacteria.
Antihistamines and antibiotics can reduce complications in time of healing and they may help speed up the recovery of the wound. The healing may take a couple of weeks but at times, depending on the severity of the venom and individual response to medication, it can up to two years. The healing time may also depend on psychological and physical factors as well as age of a victim.
Hobo Spider Bite – Pictures
