It can bite, but the reputation is out of date. The hobo spider was blamed for necrotic wounds for years; the evidence did not hold up and the CDC removed it from its venomous spiders list in 2017. Treat a bite as you would any spider bite — clean it and keep an eye on it.
We identify, we don't diagnose. If you've been bitten or stung and symptoms develop, or you're worried, seek medical attention.
Size8–14 mm body, 27–45 mm leg span
MarkingsMottled brown, with a row of pale chevron markings down the abdomen · Legs without obvious bands — banded legs point to a different funnel weaver
WhereGround level: basements, window wells, garages, and the gaps behind stored boxes. Outdoors it uses retaining walls, woodpiles and dense ground cover.
SeasonMales wander indoors looking for mates in late summer and autumn
How to tell it apart
Mottled brown, with a row of pale chevron markings down the abdomen
Legs without obvious bands — banded legs point to a different funnel weaver
Eight eyes in two roughly straight rows
Flat sheet web with a funnel retreat at one edge, not a round web
Runs fast in short bursts at ground level, then freezes
Where you’ll find it
The Pacific Northwest — Washington, Oregon, Idaho, western Montana and up into British Columbia. It is genuinely uncommon outside that range, so a hobo spider identification in Florida or Texas is almost certainly wrong.
Ground level: basements, window wells, garages, and the gaps behind stored boxes. Outdoors it uses retaining walls, woodpiles and dense ground cover.
Males wander indoors looking for mates in late summer and autumn.
How it behaves
It is a poor climber, which is a useful tell: a spider running across the floor may be a hobo, but one sitting in a ceiling corner almost certainly is not. It does not chase people. The nickname 'aggressive house spider' comes from a misreading of its species name agrestis, which means 'of the fields' — not from anything it does.
What a bite looks like
Most bites produce nothing more than a small red mark, much like a mosquito bite, which fades over a few days. The dramatic necrotic wounds once attributed to this species have not held up to investigation, and many were later traced to infections or to other causes entirely.
Often not felt at all. Where it is, people describe a brief sharp prick followed by mild soreness.
We identify, we don't diagnose. If a bite becomes increasingly painful, spreads, or you feel unwell, see a doctor — that is true of any bite, and infection is far more common than venom effects.
A skin mark cannot confirm which animal caused it. Read the bug bite and sting guide for the limits and the symptoms that should end an online search.
You’ve found one indoors
There is no need to do anything. If you would rather it were outside, put a glass over it and slide card underneath — because it climbs badly, a smooth-sided jar holds it easily. Sealing the gaps under doors and around basement windows does more than any spray.
Common questions
Are hobo spiders dangerous?
Not in the way their reputation suggests. The CDC removed them from its venomous spiders list in 2017, after the evidence for necrotic bites failed to hold up. They can bite, and it is unpleasant, but it is not medically significant for a healthy adult.
How do I tell a hobo spider from a giant house spider?
Mostly you cannot, not from a photograph. The two are closely related and separating them reliably needs a microscope and an adult specimen. That is why we answer at family level here rather than claiming a certainty the image does not support.
Why is it called an aggressive house spider?
A misreading. The species name agrestis means 'of the fields'. It got taken for 'aggressive', the name stuck, and the spider has been living it down ever since.
Do hobo spiders live in my state?
Only if you are in the Pacific Northwest. They are common in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana, and genuinely rare elsewhere in the US.
Tone Killick · CC-BY