Hobo Spiders Bites

In the state of California, the hobo spider had never manifested its presence and there were no reports documented. There are however a lot of misidentification made by the general public and by pest control operators of hobo spiders in related spiders. Hobo spiders in United States generally live in northern Utah, Oregon, and Pacific Northwest from Washington to Montana. But up until now, there has still been no confirmation by arachnologist on the existence of hobo spiders in California.

The spider family Agelenidae is where the hobo spider belongs. This group of spiders usually spread throughout United States and California. This type of species usually lives in their habitats having very dense populations. The Agelenidae family assembles a snare considered as a funnel web which appears to be horizontal web narrowing back into a hole, funnel and resembles that of a trampoline. This web is usually located in between cracks of vegetation, under wood, stones, or bricks. The spider patiently remains at the end of the funnel until its prey falls into the horizontal surface. By then, the spider dashes out to grab the prey and bring it back to its habitat to consume. It is during the dewy morning when you can see most of these funnel webs.

Web-building characteristics and coloration are only few of the traits that the hobo spider shares with its relatives in the Agelenidae family. The hobo spider has a size of about 1/4 to 5/8 inch in its body and brownish in color. Among its relatives that share the web-building traits of a hobo spider are members of the genera Calilena, Rualena, Hololena, Agelenopsis, and Novalena. The genus Sosippus is a unique wolf spider that also builds a funnel web. So if you see funnel webs in California, there are a number of considerations to associate them with spiders before the hobo spider. Fortunately, these species do not cause necrotic wounds or serious injuries in their bites.

Signs and Symptoms

Almost half of the cases of Hobo Spider bites appear to be dry. This signifies the absence of venom and that no injuries can be attributed to the victim. In fact, the bite might not even be realized by the victim. However, in cases where venom is injected into the victim, he immediately experiences skin redness which may ultimately disappear in a few hours. More often than not, the bite resembles that coming from a mosquitoes’. After which, blistering may then occur at its center. The blisters break open within 24 to 36 hours, leading to oozing ulceration.

Bites of hobo spiders are medically known to inflict necrotic wounds (rotting flesh) which would progress within several days. These bites are quite similar to those coming from a brown recluse bite. Headaches, which may last from 2 to 7 days, can be one of the reported symptoms of hobo spider bites. Unfortunately analgesics are not quite effective medications.

The ulceration forms into a scab within the three weeks from the first bite. This usually leaves a permanent scar. The bite might depend on the kind of tissue affected. If it is in a fatty tissue, the developing tissue may run deep and extensive and usually heals longer for over two or three years. Hobo spider poisoning may cause systematic reactions including flu-like symptoms, headaches, soreness, vomiting, and nausea. In rare extreme cases where the bite is not medically attended to, amputation, skin graft of bone marrow failure may result.

Diagnosis

Spider bites are categorized in the three separate classes: possible, probable, and proven. The first class of spider bites are associated with those cases in which the doctor can conclude that the bite came from a spider but still lacks sufficient proof for an accurate diagnosis. The probable category applies to cases where the spider is positively identified but was never recovered and there is enough clinical and/or circumstantial evidence to justify the diagnosis. Proven spider bites are those which all of the elements are preset: circumstantial evidence, positive identification and presentation of the spider. Almost 80% of the reported cases of spider bites in U.S. have been attributed to be the result of other grounds in the final diagnosis. On the other hand, in most cases, upon initial evaluation most spider bites are misdiagnosed.

Upon clinic or emergency room admission, the first diagnostic factor is to rule out other possible causes. This is the easiest way to arrive at an accurate diagnosis yet more often than not, is difficult to do. Immediate and delayed type hypersensitivity reaction to bites of parasitic arthropods has been occasionally mistaken to be coming from a “spider bite”. Alleged “spider bites” that manifest in patches or rows are almost always bites coming from parasitic arthropods, which usually feed and bite at a single site and then move a couple of centimeters to dwell on it again.

Treatment

If an alleged bite comes from a hobo spider, immediate medical attention must be sought after. Treatments for necrotic conditions in hobo spider bites are somehow similar and are employed in treatment methods for brown recluse spider bites.

Physicians have often differed in their medical opinions regarding the effectiveness of a number of treatments for the hobo spiders. Highly recommended treatments include surgical excision of the bite area, oral, topical, and injected corticosteroids, and subcutaneous injection of phentolamine. To alleviate the discomforts of the symptoms and to minimize secondary infections, antibiotics and antihistamines are prescribed. Dapsone has been a popular drug for treating leprosy as well as curing brown recluse spider bites (caution must always be considered in administering this drug). Corticosteroid compounds injected to victims may seem to help when administered within 24 hours from the initial bite. This is one of the reasons why immediate medical attention is necessary.