As small as these little creatures are, it's amazing what a
raucous they can cause. Many spiders are harmless, but there are some
common spiders that should truly be feared. It is important to be able
to identify spiders that are poisonous and the symptoms spider bites can
cause. It would be an excellent idea to place some glue traps around
your house, to help you identify what types of spiders you have living
with you. As it is hard to get a close look at them when they are
running across your floor or when they are squished in a tissue or under
your shoe.
The Hobo Spider
The hobo spider has a brown body and can grow from 1/4 to 5/8 inch in length. It is commonly found in Idaho and Utah. It is a European immigrant that has recently been implicated as a potentially poisonous spider in the United States. They live in funnel web. Most hobo spider bites occur in bed or clothing where the spider is trapped next to the skin.
The initial bite from a hobo spider is usually painless but hardens within 30 minutes. The area of the bite may have numbness and it is common to feel dizzy. After 15 to 35 hours the area forms blisters and can start to slough, which stops after about 24 hours. It causes a slow healing wound. It can take months to heal. The hobo spider bites is not considered to be fatal but fatalities have occurred.
The Brown Recluse
The Brown Recluse spider is one of the few dangerous spiders in the United States. It is also called the fiddle back spider or violin spider because of the violin shape mark on it. It's native to south central United States but can be commonly found in the central mid western states. It is best to use glue traps for brown recluse, because they are not affected by pesticides.
The initial bite from a Brown Recluse spider is usually painless and the victim can be unaware for 3 to 8 hours later. Then the site of the bite might turn red and swollen. The bite can take a long time to heal. It will often leave scaring. It is extremely rare for a fatality to occur from a brown recluse spider bite but they still must be treated as a dangers spider
Black Widow
Adult female black widow spiders are about 1/2-inch long, not including the legs. They are jet black with a red hourglass marking underneath their circular abdomen. The adult males are around half the size of the females. Females can be identified by their red dots and white lines along the abdomen. The male black widow spider is harmless. It's the females you have to watch for. In spring or summer the black widow start to mate.
