In the very late evening of Tuesday, McKay woke up in a lot of pain, with his hand rapidly and inexplicably swelling. Since we were unable to tell if it was affecting his breathing we called the paramedics. They were mystified. We took him to the ER, they too were unsure what it could be. There was really no mark, other than the huge swelling.
In the morning, we saw the small beginnings of a blister and we took McKay to the dr. for follow-up. The dr. felt fairly sure it was a spider bite, but was unsure if it was a black widow or brown recluse. Neither scenario fit perfectly, but it was more satisfactory than other answers, so we began treatment for that (oral prednisone.)
A friend who saw that this was the diagnosis on Facebook suggested looking at Hobo spider bites, as they were often improperly labeled as Brown Recluse bites. After a bit of Googling and identification, I was quickly and sickeningly aware that I have seen this spider MANY times around our yard. I have boldly cleaned up many a web, especially where the siding meets the foundation of the house. I have seen the funnel shaped webs in my rose bushes, at the base where the main branches make a V. I have seen them along the fence as I have watered my garden and picked vegetables. I thought nothing of it, as I am usually fine with the natural cycle of life.
However, I am now planning to be extra vigilant. I have set up hobo traps and we have (while wearing long pants, long shirts and gloves) sprayed all the funnel webs we could find--and there were many. I will be inspecting the children's playhouse and swingset, trampoline, climbers, the hammock and garden area, etc. MUCH more carefully and much more often now.
Again, I am sure you've seen them around. I was shocked (and kind of bizarrely facinated) when I was walking by a rose bush early this year to catch a show of a spider--that I know know was a hobo--jumping from it's web and attacking a wasp in mid-flight. They don't use sticky webs, so they are more agressive, as they are required to be to obtain food.
Anyway, please be aware of these spiders. I have seen them and I have honestly thought they were just a garden spider, and as such I was leaving them entirely alone to maintain the balance of the ecosphere of my yard, etc. No more. I will leave garden spiders alone, but war has been declared on hobos. My yard has entirely too many children playing in it to have these spiders out there. It has been scary and painful, to say the least.
I just wanted to make all of my friends and neighbors in the same area aware that these spiders are out there and what the symptoms and signs of the bites are. Fast treatement is very important to a good, and less painful outcome. We're still in the midst of it, but I hope our fast actions and treatment will make healing much quicker and less painful/scarring, etc.
