Home / Funnel Weaver Spiders / Giant House (Eratigena atrica)

Giant House (Eratigena atrica)

Giant house spiders are a harmless species belonging to the genus Eratigena. Like their cousins, they don’t have a good vision and can only differentiate between light and dark. Their name comes from the fact that they are commonly found in households most of the time.

Scientific Classification

Giant House Spider

Physical Description  and Identification

Adults

Size: Females are around 0.7 in (18 mm) while males are 0.39-0.59 in (10-15 mm). The leg span of females is around 2 inch (45-50 mm) while males have 0.9 in-3 in (25-75 mm).

Color: The entire body is beige, brown or orange with sternum having three beige, gray or brown dots on its two sides. The posterior or the opisthosoma has a line with six dots on each side.

Other Characteristic Features: The legs, abdomen, and palps are hairy. Eight eyes are settled in two rows and all are of the same size.

Giant House Spider Size

Eggs

40-60 eggs are released in a single sac.

Spiderlings

All spiderlings stays together for around a month. Each of them goes through the molting phase at least 8-10 times before becoming mature.

Giant House Spiderlings

Is the Giant House Spider Poisonous

This spider is unlikely to bite, rather it prefers to escape when threatened; its bite is similar to a bee sting. The pain of agatoxin doesn’t generally last for more than a couple of hours.

Giant House Spider Image

Quick Facts

Distribution Northern Africa, Central Asia, and Europe
Habitat Rocks or caves of dry forests
Web Type Funnel-web
Poison Fact Non-toxic to Human
Diet Blowflies, fruit flies, moths, wasps,
Mode of Reproduction Oviparous
Number of Eggs Around 60
Lifespan 2-3 years, sometimes around 6 years
IUCN Conservation Status Not listed

Giant House Spider Web

Picture of a Giant House Spider

Did You Know

  • The giant house spider was once enlisted in the Guinness Book of World Records for its speed (1.18 mph).
  • It is often confused with another spider species namely hobo spider due to their similar appearance.
  • The giant house spider was previously included in the genus known as Tegenaria.

Image Credits: Allaboutants.net, Falsewidowspider.org.uk, Swlakestrust.org.uk, Static.independent.co.uk, I.ytimg.com, D.ibtimes.co.uk

Giant house spiders are a harmless species belonging to the genus Eratigena. Like their cousins, they don’t have a good vision and can only differentiate between light and dark. Their name comes from the fact that they are commonly found in households most of the time.

Giant House Spider

Physical Description  and Identification

Adults

Size: Females are around 0.7 in (18 mm) while males are 0.39-0.59 in (10-15 mm). The leg span of females is around 2 inch (45-50 mm) while males have 0.9 in-3 in (25-75 mm).

Color: The entire body is beige, brown or orange with sternum having three beige, gray or brown dots on its two sides. The posterior or the opisthosoma has a line with six dots on each side.

Other Characteristic Features: The legs, abdomen, and palps are hairy. Eight eyes are settled in two rows and all are of the same size.

Giant House Spider Size

Eggs

40-60 eggs are released in a single sac.

Spiderlings

All spiderlings stays together for around a month. Each of them goes through the molting phase at least 8-10 times before becoming mature.

Giant House Spiderlings

Is the Giant House Spider Poisonous

This spider is unlikely to bite, rather it prefers to escape when threatened; its bite is similar to a bee sting. The pain of agatoxin doesn’t generally last for more than a couple of hours.

Giant House Spider Image

Quick Facts

Distribution Northern Africa, Central Asia, and Europe
Habitat Rocks or caves of dry forests
Web Type Funnel-web
Poison Fact Non-toxic to Human
Diet Blowflies, fruit flies, moths, wasps,
Mode of Reproduction Oviparous
Number of Eggs Around 60
Lifespan 2-3 years, sometimes around 6 years
IUCN Conservation Status Not listed

Giant House Spider Web

Picture of a Giant House Spider

Did You Know

  • The giant house spider was once enlisted in the Guinness Book of World Records for its speed (1.18 mph).
  • It is often confused with another spider species namely hobo spider due to their similar appearance.
  • The giant house spider was previously included in the genus known as Tegenaria.

Image Credits: Allaboutants.net, Falsewidowspider.org.uk, Swlakestrust.org.uk, Static.independent.co.uk, I.ytimg.com, D.ibtimes.co.uk