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For years, it was believed that hobo spider bites were incredibly dangerous, causing flesh-eating wounds. But the rumors of their bites were greatly exaggerated, and there's been no real evidence showing a connection between a hobo spider bite and necrotizing wounds. 

That said, the spiders can and do bite, usually as a defense response. They won't attack you unprovoked, but if you take them by surprise and get close enough, they may bite you. Their bites may cause some minor irritation or itchiness. 

Based on infestation severity, semi-annual or annual checks are recommended.

When it comes to keeping birds from doing their business on your porch rails, you have several DIY options and home remedies you can try: 

• Tie a fishing line from one end of the deck post to the other. Birds won’t be able to see the line across the railing, so they can’t land on it.  

• Hang wind chimes close by, which may scare birds away. 

• Apply a bird gel repellent to the railings, which contains smells that birds generally don’t like. Or, similarly, you can apply citronella or lemon oil around the railings, since birds don’t like strong smells.

A spider infestation happens when an unusually high and problematic presence of spiders occurs in a home to the point it becomes disruptive or poses a significant nuisance. If you notice an increase in spider sightings, numerous webs throughout the home, or see multiple spiders daily, it's likely you have an infestation. In cases where the types of spiders seen are venomous or medically significant species are present, the number of spiders is insignificant and would require pest control measures. On average, pest control costs between $300 to $550 for one-time service.