Hobo spiders natively live in Europe and Central Asia, but were accidentally introduced to western North America. In the U.S., they are primarily found in the Pacific Northwest—specifically Washington, Oregon, and Idaho—and have spread east into parts of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and northern Utah.
Hobo spiders prefer damp, dark, and secluded areas, making basements, sheds, and garages their ideal habitats. The presence of hobo spiders in your home can be linked to several factors. Firstly, the availability of food sources like insects and other small pests can attract these spiders.
Hobo spiders are generally harmless to have in your house. While they have a fearsome reputation for delivering severe, necrotic bites, modern scientific and medical consensus has largely debunked this myth. They are beneficial predators that help control other insect pests, and they will only bite if directly threatened or accidentally crushed.
In North America, the hobo spider lives in the Pacific Northwest, from British Columbia east to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado, and south through Oregon and northern Utah.
Seal gaps, holes, and other entry points.
Hobo spiders and other pests come into your home through small cracks and crevices. Repair or install weather stripping, replace or repair torn window and door screens, and caulk or fill gaps, holes, and spaces.
Tidy up your home, get rid of unnecessary things you are hoarding, and especially clean up your storage spaces, like closets, the garage, and the basement/attic. Also, if you have insect problems, eliminate those insects since the hobo spider is around because you have insects it can have for a meal.
Squishing a spider is never a good idea because it can unleash hidden egg sacs, release foul-smelling pheromones that attract other bugs, and destroy a natural, free pest-control system that targets disease-carrying insects in your home.
A brown recluse is significantly worse than a hobo spider. While both have notorious reputations, medical research and the CDC confirm that brown recluse venom can cause severe skin necrosis (rotting tissue). In contrast, hobo spider bites are no longer considered medically significant.
Spiders don't "hate" specific paint colors, but they do avoid light, bright colors like light blue, white, and yellow. Because they want to avoid predators and stay hidden, they prefer dark, undisturbed corners. Light colors reflect light and make the spiders highly visible, so they usually retreat to darker, more secure areas.
The hobo spider runs at an average speed of about 0.45 meters (17˝) per second, with a maximum speed of about 1.1 meters (40˝) per second. The hobo spider has a brown cephalothorax (the front body region where the legs are attached) with darker brown markings and brown legs (Fig.
Unless provoked, hobo spiders would rather flee than fight. Hobo spiders do not hunt people down and attack them, as some people have come to believe. The quick movements of the hobo spider and the fact that they sometimes run toward individuals when disturbed have fueled such myths.
Yes, spiders can actually hear you talking. While they do not have ears or eardrums, research shows that the tiny, sensitive hairs on their legs can detect airborne sound vibrations, allowing them to "eavesdrop" on human speech from several meters away.
The Sydney Funnel-Web Spider (Atrax robustus) and the Brazilian Wandering Spider (Phoneutria species) are generally tied for the title of the world's most dangerous spider to humans.
Hobo spiders prefer dark, damp hiding places and often make garages and basements their homes. In late summer and early fall, males of the species may wander into houses in search of a mate. Crevices in bricks and dark areas are ideal nesting spots for the pests.
Spiders absolutely hate strong, pungent odors like peppermint, citrus, eucalyptus, and vinegar. Because spiders taste and smell with their legs, overwhelming scents irritate their senses and disrupt their ability to navigate or find prey.
Luring a spider out of hiding directly is difficult since they primarily emerge for prey or to escape. However, you can use a few strategic tricks to prompt a spider to reveal itself, and several methods to catch it once it does.
The Bible mentions spiders a few times, using them to teach lessons about wisdom, diligence, and the fragility of things not built on God.
However, it's essential to know that the vacuum isn't always going to kill them (and may not even catch them in the first place). Spiders generally have good reflexes and will survive being sucked up — some may even be able to get away, sensing the vacuum before you can get them.
Spiders do not feel pain in the same emotional, conscious way humans do, but they do possess a biological defense mechanism called nociception. They will physically react to harmful stimuli to protect themselves, but lack the complex brain structures required to suffer or process psychological anguish.
TERRO® Spider Killer Spray
This water-based spray kills an array of spiders including black widow, brown recluse, and hobo spiders. In addition, the product also works on ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, scorpions, silverfish, Asian lady beetles, and crickets.
Hobo spiders can climb rough or textured surfaces, but they are considered poor climbers compared to other species. Because their feet cannot grip smooth or slick materials, they struggle to scale painted drywall, glass, or porcelain. This limitation keeps them trapped in bathtubs or confined to ground levels like basements.
The most effective way to permanently deter spiders is by eliminating their food supply and removing hiding spots. This requires a dual approach: diligent interior cleaning, structural pest-proofing, and targeted chemical barriers.
Hobo spiders are medium-sized spiders. Their bodies measure about 38three-eighths38 to 58five-eighths58 of an inch (10 to 16 mm) long, with females typically being larger than males. When including their leg span, their overall size stretches to about 1.5 to 2 inches (40 to 50 mm) in diameter.
No, sleeping with the lights on will not keep spiders away. In fact, it can have the opposite effect. Spiders themselves aren’t actively attracted to light, but bright lights inside your room attract flying insects—which are exactly what spiders feed on.
The Jumping Spider (specifically the Regal Jumping Spider, Phidippus regius) is widely considered the friendliest and most interactive pet spider. They are incredibly curious, highly visual, and lack medically significant venom. For a larger, more traditional spider, the docile Chaco Golden Knee (Eupalaestrus campestratus) or the Curly Hair Tarantula (Tliltocati albopilosus) are famously laid-back and handleable.