Hobo spiders (Eratigena agrestis) are web-building arachnids. Understanding their unique web characteristics, typical locations, and how to identify them can help distinguish them from other spiders and clarify their presence in human environments.
The Hobo Spider’s Web
Hobo spiders belong to the Agelenidae family, commonly called funnel-web spiders due to their distinctive silk structures. They construct a funnel web, serving as both a hunting ground and a secure retreat. The web features a flat, sheet-like silk expanse that tapers into a narrow, funnel-shaped tube. The spider waits hidden in this tubular retreat for prey.
Unlike sticky orb webs, hobo spider webs are not adhesive. Their tangled, messy sheet ensnares insects by tripping and tangling them. When an insect lands on the sheet, vibrations alert the hobo spider, which rushes from its funnel retreat to ambush and immobilize its prey. This strategy efficiently captures small arthropods like ants, flies, and beetles.
Common Web Locations
Hobo spiders strategically build funnel webs in locations offering shelter, moisture, and prey. They prefer dark, undisturbed, and damp environments, both indoors and outdoors. Indoors, these spiders are often found at ground level, as they are not adept at climbing smooth surfaces. Common indoor habitats include basements, crawl spaces, garages, storage rooms, behind furniture, in closets, or between boxes.
Outdoors, hobo spiders establish webs in sheltered spots such as woodpiles, rockeries, and retaining walls. They also favor dense vegetation, tall grass, and areas under eaves, logs, or other debris. Webs are constructed in cracks, crevices, or against walls, allowing the spider to create its characteristic funnel. These locations provide concealment and a stable structure for their sheet-like web, maximizing hunting efficiency.
Identifying Hobo Spider Webs
Distinguishing a hobo spider’s web involves recognizing several key visual cues. The most defining characteristic is a funnel-shaped tunnel or retreat within a broader, sheet-like web. This funnel often leads to a sheltered spot, such as a crack, a hole, or an undisturbed corner, where the spider waits. The web itself tends to have a messy, unkempt appearance, often described as a tangled sheet of silk.
Another important identifying feature is the lack of stickiness in the web. Unlike orb weavers whose webs are designed to adhere to prey, hobo spider webs are not sticky to the touch. Instead, they rely on the physical entanglement of insects. Consequently, these webs may accumulate debris, dust, or the remains of past prey, as they are not regularly cleaned or rebuilt like some other types of spider webs. Observing these features, particularly the non-sticky, funnel-shaped sheet web found close to the ground, can provide strong indications of a hobo spider’s presence.