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GREAT FALLS - Hobo spiders aren't new to Montana, but more Cascade County residents are noticing them lately.

According to Cascade County Extension agent Rose Malisani, more hobo spiders are making an appearance in Great Falls compared to past years. Malisani says they don't climb walls and will mostly be found on the ground.

They can vary in size and be brown, with yellowish markings on a gray background. The easiest way to identify a hobo spider is by the distinctive pattern on its back, but the only sure way to tell if it's a hobo spider is its anatomy.

If bit by a hobo spider, Malisani says the bite will grow increasingly larger over a short period of time, eating away at the skin's tissue. In case of a bite, seek a doctor right away.

James Winters of Ace Hardware may not be a spider specialist, but he can certainly say he's not the only one experiencing hobo spiders in his home.

He noted, "A lot of people have been coming in, even with the spider in a jar, major questions and concerns about what are they, what do they do? Do we have them here in town? Yes."

Winters suggests using traps and sprays to kills these spiders.

Malisani also suggests keeping things like clothes picked up off the floor.