I just discovered that Washington isn't without a potentially dangerous creepy crawler like I'd thought all these years.
Unfortunately, we have the Hobo spider who's bite can produce the same effects as the Violin spider. Worse yet after looking up pic's to try and identify it, they seem to be the same spider we have in LARGE numbers downstairs (cement floor). They've never bothered me (except for their looks) in the past 11 years but I'm pretty freaked out about being in such close proximity to them now! Despite this I really don't want to kill them or anything, I'd just like to disuade them from coming into the house. These guys are very shy and retiring - and QUICK (and pretty BIG)!!!! We just finished sheetrocking and will be doing the trim and carpet soon so this may help some (oh gosh I hope so!). Right now they hang out between the floor and the void under the sheetrock - once they don't have that little out-of-my-way spot I'm afraid they won't have much choice but to hang out in closer proximity to us. This is the month the males start looking for females and between now and October they can be seen in the house in large numbers. The males (with them big fang looking things out the front which are actually their genitals) are the ones with the potent venom.
HELP!!!!!! The fact that I've taken naps with my dogs (now deceased) on the floor (dog beds) down there against the wall (where the spiders like hanging out), have walked bare-foot without a second thought, grabbed up loads of clothes out of the hamper to launder (where there's almost always a spider) without a second thought...I'm having major second thoughts now! In fact my skin crawls every time I go down there.
Words of wisdom, thoughts, ideas, suggestions would be most appreciated on this subject!
Hobo Spiders
Tough call here!! I would not want to be bitten by one and I would not want to kill them. Nor would I like them in the house in such close proximity. Maybe your local extension office can help you solve this - they might round them up and take them to an old barn or something. I'm sorry I am not helping you much :-)
I'll give the extension office a shot. I've thought about trying to collect them myself and transport them elsewhere but even that gives me the creeps (thoughts of them escaping somewhere in my vehicle or biting me on their way out (or in!)). Thanks for the suggestion!
From what I've read so far on the limited info about Hobo's is that the best control is the giant european house spider (introduced into the Seattle area from Europe just like the Hobo) - they're HUGE, even quicker than the hobo and just as creepy looking! Not a very pleasant solution! I'm sure there's gotta be some other, less creepy solutions!
Keep us posted - good luck :-)
VECTOR Hobo spider trap, it is a prebaited trap not a pesticide,it is a tent-like trap so you do not have to see them. There are other one,s available one co. claims 45 on one trap alone same location, Yikes.... found them on yahoo under hobo spiders. hope this helps going to get some myself today to see if I have any. or maybe i don,t want to know??? jack
Wow - that was nice of you to look! You'd notice if you had them (I'm pretty sure!) and if you haven't seen them in your house you probably don't have them there. They do reside in Canada but not sure how far out they are.
One of my thoughts with the Vector trap is that since it's baited with phermones (sp? - the scent of a female) it would seem logical that the spiders would come (the males live outside til it's time to mate - apparently the females are inclined to live in the comfort and safety of a home - go figure ; )) so it seems like it would just encourage even MORE to come in! How many might come in that sniff out a real female instead of the trap? Just the strange way my mind works ; ).
They're icky looking aren't they?! I think you're safe from these guys if you've never seen one. Thanks for doing research!
found a good site for you, eww look at the section about bites, yikes!! i'd be getting the exterminators in pretty darn quick!! http://www.hobospider.com/info/index.html#Identify%20a%20Hobo%20Spider
lil