Poisonous Spiders You May Find in Your Home

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There are around 1000 different species of spiders in the United States. Many of these do not pose a risk to people but a few can be extremely dangerous to have around your home. Their bites can cause severe reactions and may even require hospitalization. The three most common poisonous spiders you might find in and around your home are the brown recluse, black widow, and hobo spiders.

Brown Recluse

 

• Color: Tan to dark brown

• Distinctive markings: Violin-shaped spot on the head

• Size: ¼ to ½ inch in length

• Legs: 8 legs that are darker than their body

• Eyes: Semicircle of 3 pairs of eyes

• Location: Midwest and South

 

Even though these spiders are small and normally not aggressive, their bites can cause big issues. Their bite may not be apparent at first but will increase in pain over the following hours and you may experience fever, body aches, and chills. The bite will have a light-colored center with purple or blue around it and a red perimeter. The venom injected into the skin from a brown recluse bite can cause the skin around the bite to die and create an open wound that can take months to heal. It is extremely important to seek medical attention if you believe you have been bitten by a brown recluse.

Black Widow

 

• Color: Shiny black

• Distinctive markings: Red hourglass shape on the bottom of the abdomen. May have white or red spots on the top of their abdomen

• Size: 1 ½ to 1 ⅜ inches long

• Legs: 8 legs

• Eyes: 8 eyes

• Location: Throughout the United States

 

Black widows are generally not aggressive and will bite only if threatened and only the female’s bite will cause a reaction. Some common signs that you have been bitten by a black widow include nausea, chills, trouble breathing, abdominal cramping, sweating, pain, and swelling. If you suspect you have been bitten by a black widow it is important to seek medical attention quickly.

 

Hobo Spider

 

• Color: Light to medium brown

• Distinctive markings: One dark line between two lighter lines on its head and a yellow and gray pattern on its abdomen

• Size: 1 to 1 ¾ inches

• Legs: 8 long

• Eyes: 8 eyes in two straight rows

• Location: Common in the Northwest but can now be found in many states including South Carolina

 

Like the black widow and brown recluse, the hobo spider usually only bites when it is threatened. It is often confused with a brown recluse due to its coloring. This has led to a debate on how dangerous these spiders actually are to humans. Their bite used to be described similarly to that of a brown recluse but now it is believed that they may only cause a slight reaction of redness, pain, and swelling.

Keeping Your Home Safe

It is important to make sure your home is safe for all of its inhabitants. These poisonous spiders can pose a health risk to you and your family if not dealt with quickly. Since they are known to bite when threatened, leave the extermination to a trusted pest control company like Rocket Pest. Our technicians will be able to quickly locate any spider infestation and eliminate it before they are able to harm your family. Contact us today for a free quote to keep your home a safe place to be!

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