PK-AR07 · Spiders, scorpions, and mites
How to get rid of Hobo spiders
Eratigena agrestis
Hobo spiders are funnel weavers of the Pacific Northwest that were blamed for necrotic bites for years. More recent medical and entomological reviews have not supported that reputation the way 1990s headlines did. They are still a large indoor-outdoor spider people want identified. Control is exclusion and vacuuming funnels. Do not treat a Portland sore as “hobo necrosis” without a clinician. Giant house spiders (Eratigena atrica complex) look similar and startle more than they harm.
How to identify Hobo spider
- Brown funnel weaver, chevron-like abdomen marks sometimes, in a funnel web at ground level or in a basement.
- Expert ID often needed vs other agelenids. Not a recluse (wrong region and eyes).
Signs of an infestation
- Funnel webs in a basement corner or window well.
- Large brown spiders in PNW homes in late summer.
Biology and why they show up
Funnel webs, wanderers especially males in season. PNW synanthropic.
Health and property risk
Startle, possible bite pain. Necrotic reputation is not the current scientific consensus — see a doctor for wounds anyway.
Proven control sequence
Work in this order. Skipping inspection or exclusion is why most “treatments” bounce back in a week.
- Exclude and vacuum funnels. Window wells, basement corners, weatherstripping.
- Get expert ID if you are documenting a bite. Do not rely on a 2005 blog.
Prevention that actually sticks
- Screens, door sweeps, less ground clutter at the foundation.
When to hire a licensed professional
Identification. Medical care for lesions.
United States and Tier 1 notes
Pacific Northwest primarily. Not a Florida spider. UK has related house spiders that startle and are medically mild.
Common questions
Is the aggressive house spider going to necrotize my leg?
That story is outdated relative to current reviews. See a clinician for any serious wound. Reduce indoor spiders with exclusion, not panic.