Barn Funnel Weaver, Common House Spider
Tegenaria domestica
Agelenidae (Funnel-Weavers), Order Araneae. Key family characteristics include the prominent spinnerets extending from the rear of the abdomen and a tendency to build sheet-like webs that funnel into a retreat.
Physical Description
The spider has a distinctively oblong abdomen and a compact cephalothorax. The body is covered in fine hairs giving it a somewhat velvety texture. Females are generally slightly larger and more robust than males, though both share a relatively streamlined hunting physique.
Size Estimate
Body length typically ranges from 6 to 12 millimeters, with a leg span reaching up to 20 to 30 millimeters. This specimen appears to be an adult or sub-adult based on body proportions.
Coloration & Markings
Features a mottled pattern of brown, beige, and dark charcoal grey. The abdomen typically displays chevron or mottled markings, while the cephalothorax often shows indistinct darker longitudinal stripes.
Web Type
Builds a characteristic horizontal sheet web that terminates in a tubular retreat where the spider waits for prey. The silk is non-sticky, relying on the tangled knockdown lines above the sheet to disorient insects.
Eye Arrangement
Eight eyes arranged in two slightly curved rows of four, typical of the Agelenidae family, providing good motion detection in low-light environments.
Leg Characteristics
Long, tapering legs equipped with numerous visible spines and fine hairs. The legs are held flat against the surface in a sprawling posture, enabling rapid bursts of speed.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Possesses mild, insect-specific venom used to immobilize prey. It is not considered medically significant to humans.
Medical Significance
Harmless to humans. A bite is rare, usually producing nothing more than mild, transient localized discomfort similar to a mosquito bite, requiring no medical intervention.
Safety Recommendations
No special safety measures needed. If found inside, they can be safely relocated outside using a simple glass and a piece of card. They pose no threat to humans or pets.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Cosmopolitan distribution worldwide, frequently found in human habitations such as basements, attics, sheds, and garages, as well as in barns, stone walls, and woodpiles.
Behavior & Temperament
Crepuscular and nocturnal hunter. Generally docile and extremely timid, preferring to retreat rapidly into its funnel web rather than confront threats. Bites only occur if firmly pressed against human skin.
Diet & Prey
Feeds primarily on crawling and flying household insects, including flies, mosquitoes, roaches, and silverfish, using speed to subdue prey that falls onto its web.
Seasonal Activity
Active year-round indoors, with males becoming particularly mobile and visible during late summer and autumn as they actively search for females to mate with.
Description
A common and harmless resident of human dwellings, the Barn Funnel Weaver is an expert at constructing intricate sheet webs in dark corners. While their presence might startle homeowners, they serve as efficient natural pest control agents, quietly reducing populations of unwanted insects indoors.
Key Features
Prominent rear spinnerets, mottled brown chevron patterning on the abdomen, and construction of a horizontal sheet web ending in a tubular retreat.
Similar Species
Hobo Spider (Eratigena agrestis) and Giant House Spider (Eratigena atrica). Distinguishing requires close examination of structural genitalia and subtle color variations, though all share similar web architecture and harmlessness.
Life Cycle
Females produce flat, papery silk egg sacs hidden near the web retreat, containing dozens of eggs. Spiderlings disperse via ballooning or crawling after hatching, maturing over one to two years with a total lifespan of several years for females.
Ecological Importance
Acts as an effective apex predator of household insect pests, helping to naturally regulate populations of flies, roaches, and other arthropods without the use of chemicals.
Conservation Status
Not evaluated by the IUCN, but highly secure and abundant globally due to its strong association with human structures.
Interesting Facts
Despite their intimidating speed, these spiders have poor eyesight and rely primarily on vibrations transmitted through their silk sheet webs to detect the footsteps of potential prey.
Photography Tips
Use macro lenses with good side-lighting to highlight the texture and chevron patterns on the abdomen. Photograph against a neutral background while the spider is stationary inside a container or on its web.
Identified: 2026-09-30T18:20:32.781339