Barn Funnel Weaver, Common House Spider
Tegenaria domestica
Agelenidae (Funnel-weave spiders), Order Araneae
Physical Description
The spider has a robust body with a distinct, elongated, tapering oval abdomen and a somewhat flattened cephalothorax. The texture appears moderately smooth to slightly velvety due to a fine covering of hairs. It has prominent spinnerets visible at the rear tip of the abdomen, which is a classic hallmark of funnel weavers.
Size Estimate
Body length is roughly 10 to 15 millimeters, with an overall leg span reaching up to 30 to 45 millimeters. This specimen appears to be an adult.
Coloration & Markings
Predominantly brown tones featuring mottled patterns of dark brown, tan, and beige. The cephalothorax typically exhibits longitudinal dark stripes, while the abdomen features a complex, chevron-like or mottled pattern along the dorsal surface.
Web Type
Builds a characteristic sheet web that funnels into a retreat tube where the spider hides and waits for prey, commonly constructed in dark corners, along baseboards, or in cellars.
Eye Arrangement
Eight small eyes arranged in two slightly curved, roughly parallel horizontal rows across the front of the cephalothorax.
Leg Characteristics
Long, robust legs featuring noticeable spines and faint darker banding. The legs are held in a sprawling posture typical of agelenids when resting on their sheets.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Contains neurotoxic venom used primarily to subdue insect prey. It is low in potency regarding humans and generally unable to cause serious harm.
Medical Significance
Not medically significant. Bites are extremely rare, usually only occurring if the spider is squeezed directly against the skin. Symptoms are minor and localized, comparable to a mild bee sting.
Safety Recommendations
No special precautions needed beyond normal caution. If relocation is desired, gently guide the spider into a container using a piece of cardstock and release it outdoors.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Cosmopolitan distribution found worldwide in temperate regions. Highly adapted to human dwellings, garages, barns, basements, and dark, sheltered outdoor crevices.
Behavior & Temperament
Skittish and fast-moving. They are nocturnal hunters that spend most of their time stationary inside the tubular retreat of their web, fleeing rapidly when disturbed.
Diet & Prey
Generalist predator feeding on crawling insects such as flies, beetles, silverfish, and cockroaches captured on their sheet webs.
Seasonal Activity
Most commonly seen wandering in late summer and autumn when mature males leave their webs in search of females.
Description
The Barn Funnel Weaver is a familiar and harmless indoor roommate found globally in human structures. Recognized by its brownish, patterned body and swift movements across a sheet-like web, it serves as a silent, efficient controller of household insect pests.
Key Features
Elongated, prominent spinnerets at the rear of the abdomen, mottled brown coloration with chevron patterns, and construction of a flat sheet web with a distinct funnel retreat.
Similar Species
Hobo Spider (Eratigena agrestis) and Giant House Spider (Eratigena duatrica). Distinguishing requires close microscopic examination of genitalia or specific structural proportions, though behavior and habitat overlap significantly.
Life Cycle
Females construct silken egg sacs in sheltered areas near their webs, guarding them until they hatch. Spiderlings disperse via ballooning or crawling, undergoing multiple molts to reach maturity over a one to two-year lifespan.
Ecological Importance
Acts as an effective natural pest control agent inside homes and outbuildings by preying on nuisance insects and contributing to local biodiversity.
Conservation Status
Not evaluated by the IUCN, but populations are secure, abundant, and widespread globally.
Interesting Facts
These spiders are exceptional sprinters for their size and have lived alongside human structures for centuries, often surviving entirely on indoor insect populations.
Photography Tips
Use a macro lens with adequate lighting to capture dorsal markings and eye arrangement. Photograph from a top-down angle while the spider is resting on a flat surface.
Identified: 2026-09-15T02:01:43.295761