What kind of spider is this? - Ask Extension
Do I have anything to worry about? What are the chances of more of these showing up? How to I keep it from happening? My family is terrified to even s...
Knowledgebase
What kind of spider is this? #276013
Asked September 06, 2015, 12:45 AM EDT
Do I have anything to worry about? What are the chances of more of these showing up? How to I keep it from happening? My family is terrified to even sleep!
Clark County Washington
Expert Response
Nope--not dangerous. It looks like a Callobius severus (~3/4” diam), a common crawl-space inhabitant of houses in western Washington. These large, impressive spiders pose no threat to humans or pets .
If you're concerned that it's a Hobo Spider--here are 3 easy ways to know that it's NOT a HOBO.
By the way--all spiders are beneficial creatures--they eat the insects that cause damage to our plants. This time of year, spiders come into the homes, and the males run around like crazy looking for mates. They aren't the least bit interested in you.
And all spiders have venom. Even the dreaded hobo spider has gotten a bad rep. New research has come out that strongly suggests that reports of "flesh-eating" spider bites fro Hobos just isn't true. Some people are more sensitive to spider venom than others, and can have a more pronounced skin irritation from any spider bite. Also, scratching any insect or spider bite can cause infection.
Take a look at this great article from WSU about the spiders you may encounter here in Western Washington. http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/EB1548/EB1548.pdf
If you're concerned that it's a Hobo Spider--here are 3 easy ways to know that it's NOT a HOBO.
First if it has stripes on its body (tha cephalothorax--the part where the legs are attached) It's NOT A HOBO.See this WSU article for photos and more info: http://pep.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2015/05/PLS116_1.pdf
Second, if its legs are striped, it's NOT A HOBO
Third, if the legs and body are dark orange and shiny (like the spider you sent in), it's NOT A HOBO.
By the way--all spiders are beneficial creatures--they eat the insects that cause damage to our plants. This time of year, spiders come into the homes, and the males run around like crazy looking for mates. They aren't the least bit interested in you.
And all spiders have venom. Even the dreaded hobo spider has gotten a bad rep. New research has come out that strongly suggests that reports of "flesh-eating" spider bites fro Hobos just isn't true. Some people are more sensitive to spider venom than others, and can have a more pronounced skin irritation from any spider bite. Also, scratching any insect or spider bite can cause infection.
Take a look at this great article from WSU about the spiders you may encounter here in Western Washington. http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/EB1548/EB1548.pdf
