Domestic house spider
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| iDomestic house spider | ||||||||||||||
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| Tegenaria domestica Clerck, 1757 |
The Domestic house spider (sometimes called the Lesser house spider) (Tegenaria domestica) is closely related to the Hobo spider. Although its bite is somewhat unpleasant, it is not a danger to humans.
[edit] Appearance
The female Domestic house spider can reach 9-10 mm in length, and the male 6-9 mm. The male has longer legs and a more slender abdomen than the female, and the legspan can reach about an inch.
It can be difficult to tell the difference between the Domestic house spider and Hobo spider, and they both may have a herringbone pattern on the abdomen. However, the Domestic house spider is generally smaller in size, a darker shade of brown, with small circles on the abdomen and stripes on their legs.
[edit] Habitat
These spiders generally build a flat sheet-like web with a funnel shaped retreat at one end. These webs can become quite large if undisturbed. When prey stumbles into the web, the domestic house spider dashes out of the funnel and attacks it. These spiders are generally very active at night.
The domestic house spider is common in both Europe and the Pacific Northwest of the Americas. Indeed, it is thought to have been introduced into the Americas by British colonists who would have unwittingly provided it passage across the Atlantic.
