House Spider

House Spiders

The name House spider is used for a wide range of different spider species, including the Common house spider, the Black house spider, the Brown house spider, the Domestic house spider (also known as Lesser house spider ), the Giant house spider, the Aggressive house spider (also known as Hobo spider) and the Daddy long-legs spiders of the family Pholcidae

Domestic house spider

The Domestic house spider is also known as the Lesser house spider. Its scientific name is Tegenaria domestica and it belongs to the same genus as the infamous Hobo spider.

A Domestic house spider bite can be slightly unpleasant, but it is not dangerous to humans. The Domestic house spider is often confused with the Hobo spider since both species display a herringbone pattern on their abdomen. The Domestic house spider is however usually smaller than the Hobo spider. The brown body colour is also darker in the Domestic house spider, the legs are striped and you can see small circles on the abdomen. A female Domestic house spider can grow up to 10 millimetres, while males tend to stay around 6-9 millimetres. The leg span of a male Domestic house spider can be up to one inch or slightly more.

The Domestic house spider is common in Europe as well as in the Pacific Northwest region of the Americas. It probably originated in Europe and then spread to the Americas during the European colonisation of the Americas. The web of the Domestic house spider consists of a flat part that ends in a funnel retreat. The Domestic house spider will stay hidden inside the funnel retreat and wait for prey to become entangled in the web. If left untouched, the web of a Domestic house spider can reach quite a large size.

Giant house spider

The Giant house spider is the biggest species in the genus Tegernaria. Just like the Domestic house spider described above, the Giant house spider is closely related to the well-known Hobo spider and sometimes confused with it. Giant house spider bites are however not dangerous to humans. Giant house spiders can actually help you to keep Hobo spiders out of your home, since both species will compete for the same food and suitable web-spots. The Giant house spider is also known to eat Hobo spiders. The Giant house spider has a colouration that is very similar to that of the Domestic house spider. A female Giant house spider can grow up to 18 millimetres and have a leg span of approximately 45 millimetres, while the males typically stay around 12-15 millimetres and have a leg span of 25-75 millimetres.

In Europe, the Giant house spider is found in the north-western parts of the continent. In North America, the species inhabit the Pacific Northwest. When they enter human dwellings, they typically choose corners to build their webs. They can be found near the floor as well as right below the ceiling, and will also gladly occupy spaces between boxes or similar in storage rooms. During late summer and early autumn, the male Giant house spiders must try to find a suitable mate. During this period, you can often spot them walking around far away from any web.

black house spider
Picture by Erin Silversmith

Copyright 2006 housespider.info. Header pic by wikipedia user Every1blowz
Other network sites: Mammals, Birds & Reptiles - Insects & Fish - Plants - Sponsors
house spider