The bite of a hobo spider is believed to cause wounds that mimic those resulting from the bite of a brown recluse. These are called necrotic wounds, which means that they cause the death of the tissue at the bite location. These wounds can become quite large, exposing underlying tissue, and can take quite a while to heal.
The bite of a brown recluse is reportedly more serious than that of a hobo spider. In extreme cases, a brown recluse bite can cause death, while the bite of a hobo spider has not been known to result in any fatalities.
In addition to their dangerous bites, the hobo spider and brown recluse spider also resemble one another and can sometimes be confused.
These spiders can sometimes bite if they feel threatened. They both hide in dark and infrequently used places, such as storage areas indoors or firewood piles outdoors. People usually come across these spiders entirely by accident.
If a person is bitten by either type of spider, it is important to seek immediate medical attention and take the spider along, if possible.