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Hobo Spider Bite- Symptoms, Diagnosis, Outlook, treatment, And Prevention!
The hobo spider is not aggressive usually, but a hobo spider bite can cause certain trouble in some people.
A hobo spider is a funnel-building spider. People earlier used to believe that the bite of a hobo spider can be as dangerous as venom. However, scientists do not agree with this. Confirmed cases of a hobo spider bite are very rare. Also, in the reported cases, there are no consequences of a hobo spider bite.
People may believe that the bite was from a hobo spider even if had occurred from another species like the reclusive spider. However, a fungal, bacterial, or viral infection might cause similar symptoms.
Let’s see what a hobo spider bite looks like and what are its symptoms, treatments, and preventions are.
Hobo Spider Bite
What is a hobo spider?
A hobo spider is a common type of spider discovered in the Pacific Northwestern United States. This area comprises the states of Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
The hobo spider got its name from its spider webs that are often located near railroad tracks. It is also found in many other places adjacent to the ground cracks and holes such as rock retaining walks, building foundation, beneath the debris, construction supplies, etc.
Sometimes people call these spiders aggressive house spiders but this is completely wrong. This spider does not live naturally indoors and they are not at all aggressive unless they are catching their prey or trapped against the skin of a person.
These are only cases, in which the hobo spider bite can be seen. Also, it is important to remember that these spiders would rather gain courage and run away rather than bite people. They definitely look intimidating and sprints opposite the floor.
What does this spider look like?
It could be slightly difficult to spot a hobo spider simply by viewing it. Long legs, a grayish abdomen with yellow markings, and a brown body are common for most spiders.
The length of hobo spiders is usually 1/4th to 1/2 inches long. There are over 200 spider species the area looks the same. This spider belongs to funnel-web spider families. They make tube-shaped or funnel-shaped areas from silk material to hide in. They have the ability to run quickly and they can move up to 3 feet per second. When they move from place to place, they are generally fast and good at climbing.
Most spiders belong to the funnel-shaped spider family do not cause any harm and might cause a minor reaction from the hobo spider bite. While the hobo spider bite can be cited often dangerous, many pieces of evidence in recent years have suggested that they are not harmful as once they were referred to as.
How to identify spider bites in general?
Spider bites do not show distinctive features by which you can easily identify them. They might sometimes appear similar to bug bites. According to one study from 2011, they might also match many bacterial infections.
For such reasons, spider bites can be somewhat hard to diagnose, except the person can locate the spider and bestow them to a doctor.
Some general symptoms are seen after a spider bite are:
- Swelling in the region of the bite.
- Rash or itching.
- Pain radiating the bite
- Cramping and muscle pain.
- Blisters
- Headaches.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Anxierya and restlessness.
- Increased blood pressure.
In people having light skin, blisters might become reddish-purple. In people having dark skin tones, they might appear as bumpy or lumpy clusters of lesions that are darker than the epidermis surrounding them.
A bite from a brown recluse spider may result in tissue death and ulcerations. In rare cases, some spider bites may show to be life-threatening.
Anaphylaxis
In case you have an allergy to any spider venom be it a hobo spider bite like a severe anaphylactic shock, you must see a doctor immediately. Symptoms of anaphylactic shock includes.
- Severe itching, change in skin color, and swelling.
- Hoves or rashes.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Wheezing cough.
- Stomach cramps.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Rapid swelling on the lips, eyes, tongue, and throat.
Hobo spider bite- symptoms
It is suspected that a hobo spider bite may occur from July to September. This is the time when male spiders are looking for female spiders to mate.
You might be bitten by the hobo spider during the months without even realizing it. Hobo spider bite is generally painless and it feels nothing more than a pinprick.
One study from 2014 in Oregon verified that a hobo spider bite caused slight redness, pain, and leg twitching that lasted for nearly 12 hours.
However, it is no longer considered that a hobo spider bite causes the tissues to damage or cause necrosis also known as skin death. Unlike many different families of spiders that have been known to cause this condition, the venom from a hobo spider bite is not believed to be toxic to humans anymore as per the reports of the Centers for disease control and prevention.
This is supported by various studies where the hobo spider bite venom was injected into certain animals and they failed to show any harmful or adverse reactions in the skin. Spiders in the United States having toxic venom and are dangerous to humans include brown recluse spider and back widow spider.
How a hobo spider bite is treated?
Any skin lesion that is painful, red, blistering, or turning black needs immediate medical attention. Spider bites are blamed very often for many skin conditions. However, many studies have shown that the skin infection MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in the actual cause rather than a hobo spider bite.
If you think you have been bitten by a hobo spider, there are few things you must do right away. These are:
- Clean the bite area using mild soap and water.
- Apply any cool compress to the bite region to reduce any swelling and pain.
- Elevate your legs or arms if a hobo spider bite has occurred there.
- Apply a moisturizer based on a suitable ointment to damp skin and remain covered by a band-aid if possible.
- If you have pain, you can use ibuprofen and acetaminophen after a doctor’s suggestion.
- Apply ice briefly if itching is there.
After delivering the first aid, you must see the doctor right away. A tetanus booster injection or shots must be required. If you can, bring the spider with you for diagnosis.
What To Ask The Doctors
If you are highly concerned about a hobo spider bite, you may want to ask them the following questions to remain sure:
- What is the best treatment option for the symptoms I am facing?
- Should I look for other signs of complications?
- Is there a risk of other problems related to a hobo spider bite?
- How do I prevent a hobo spider bite in the future?
How to prevent a hobo spider bite?
Spiders, including the one that belongs to funnel-shaped web-building spiders only bite for feeding and protecting themselves when they feel trapped between any object or your skin. They never attack humans on purpose.
If you wish to present the bites from hobo spider, you must follow all these:
- Limit wood and rubbish piles around your house as they are known to provide a good place for these spiders to hide.
- Learn more about different types of spiders and which are poisonous so that you can know which one to protect yourself from. Also, know where the spiders like to hide and avoid the spiders and places where they can be more prominent.
- Seal the tools that are restored in garages and sheds in plastic bags to avoid any spider encounters,
- Make sure you wear long-sleeved shirts and tee-shirts, long pants, and hats tucked into the gloves, socks, and boots when working with firewood and stored boxes. Also, follow the same when you clean out basements, attics, crawl spaces, sheds, and garages.
- Look inside and shake gardening boots, shoes, gloves, and clothing items that you have not used for an extended time being.
- Trap the spiders in a jar using a piece of paper slipped beneath the jar so that the bite from spider can be safely removed from your house. This also helps to identify the spider.
- Make sure the windows and doors are screened and all the cracks are sealed up so that no spider can enter.
- keep your beads away from walls and only the legs of the bed touched the floor, not the entire bed. This allows you to clean beneath the beds.
- Catch the spiders using sticky traps along with your doorways without using any chemicals.
Outlook
The outlook is pretty good for a hobo spider bite. Current researches and studies suggest that a hobo spider bite is not dangerous to humans. Skin reactions are however short-lived and limited, If you are slightly concerned about reactions, go for proper diagnosis. Although it looks like a spdier bite, it may be due to other underlying conditions that must be diagnosed early and treatment should be done.
When to see a doctor
If you are concerned about any changes in their skin after a hobo spider bite or due to an unknown cause, you must see a doctor. If an individual knows that a spider has bitten, they must take a picture or collect h spider so that it can be shown to a doctor.
To enable identification, they must bring the spider alive without damaging or hurting it.
The Bottom Line
A hobo spider bite is not as dangerous as people claim it to be. Spiders definitely have a and reputation but they are very helpful in reducing other insects that destroy land and crops. They do not really want to attack or bite humans unless they feel trapped within your clothes or skin. They bite to defend themselves.
Most spider bites are completely harmless with no signs and symptoms. Your healthcare provider will be able to offer other suggestions to alleviate any symptoms you’re facing at home itself. You must seek immediate medical attention if a brown recluse, black widow, or a hobo spider bites you (the risk of symptoms is very less in this bite).
This was everything you needed to know on a hobo spider bite.
