Giant housespider
Know more?
In some areas this species is being displaced by the Cardinal spider. This is one of the species of which adult males can be found in the bathtub. Males get stuck there while searching for females because they can’t climb the slippery walls of the tub. Some other spider can because they have “suction pads” on their feet!
Giant housespider (Eratigena atrica)
Web: Typical funnel web with a funnel-shaped retreat.
Habitat: In and around buildings, with a preference for sheltered, not too dry places. Often outdoors, far away from buildings, i.e. in hollow trees or on rocks.
How to recognize:
- typical light drawing on the abdomen and dark coloured drawing on cephalothorax
- often a more dark appearance compared to the other two house spider species
- legs never darkly annulated
Looks similar to:
- Blackwalls house spider, from which the Giant house spider cannot be distinguished based on general appearance. Only through examining the reproductive structures is it possible to decisively identify species but this examination is not easy.
Size
♀: 11-18mm
♂: 10-15mm
When?
♀: throughout the year
♂: August till October
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Dorsal view female in the web ©Bert Van der Krieken
Dorsal view female in the web ©Bert Van der Krieken
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Female wiht light pattern on abdomen ©Danny Declercq
Female wiht light pattern on abdomen ©Danny Declercq
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Female ©Danny Declercq
Female ©Danny Declercq
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Dorsal view male ©ARABEL image library
Dorsal view male ©ARABEL image library
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Male, typical species to find inside the house in autumn ©Rollin Verlinde
Male, typical species to find inside the house in autumn ©Rollin Verlinde
View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.spinnenspotter.be/en/species/funnel-weavers/24-giant-housespider#sigProId24811ac02a
https://www.spinnenspotter.be/en/species/funnel-weavers/24-giant-housespider#sigProId24811ac02a
