Tegenaria domestica

This spider lives in homes around the world.

It is brown, beige, or orange. Its legs have stripes.

The spider builds a web shaped like a funnel. It sits in a dark corner of the web. When bugs hit the silk, the web shakes. This tells the spider food is near.

The spider rushes out to grab the bug. It pulls the food back to its home. Most of these spiders stay in one place. They like to hide in quiet spots.

The domestic house spider lives in many places.

In North America, people call it the barn funnel weaver. These spiders live in Europe and North Africa too. They have been found in many new lands. This includes Australia and New Zealand.

These spiders have long bodies. They are often brown, beige, or orange. Their legs have stripes on them. The top of their body has two dark stripes.

To hunt, they build a special web. It is shaped like a funnel. The spider sits in the back of the funnel. It waits for a bug to hit the silk. When the silk moves, the spider feels it. This is called a vibration. The spider rushes out to grab the bug. It pulls the food back to the funnel.

Most spiders are not mean. This spider will usually run away if you bother it. It might hide in a ball. They rarely bite people. If they do, it is to protect themselves.

The domestic house spider is a small, busy hunter.

In North America, people call it the barn funnel weaver. These spiders belong to the funnel-web family called Agelenidae. They live in many places all around the world. You can find them in Europe and North Africa. They also live in parts of the Middle East. Humans have brought them to the Americas and Australia. They even live in New Zealand. In Europe, they go from Scandinavia to Greece.

This spider has a very special way of hunting. It builds a web shaped like a funnel. The web uses many silk threads stretched over a flat surface. The spider sits in the back of the funnel shape. It waits for a bug to hit the silk. When the silk moves, it sends vibrations to the spider. The spider feels these vibrations and knows food is near. Then, the spider rushes out to grab the prey. It drags the meal back to the safety of the funnel.

Scientists have studied these spiders for a long time. A man named Carl Alexander Clerck described them in 1757. In the past, people thought they were close to the Giant House Spider. Later, scientists moved the Giant House Spider to a new group called Eratigena. This new group actually has three different species. The domestic house spider stays in its own group. It is one of the smaller spiders in its genus.

There are many interesting facts about how they look and live. Adult spiders are often dark orange, brown, or beige. Their legs have stripes and their bodies have two dark lines. The abdomen often has a pattern like argyle clothes.

Males have longer, more agile legs than females. Male numbers usually peak in June and July. Most males die in the autumn after they mate. Females are much tougher and can live for a long time. Some females in quiet places like attics live for seven years.

Most people do not need to worry about these spiders. They are not very aggressive and usually run away. If you bother them, they might hide in a ball. They rarely bite people at all. If they do bite, it is only to defend themselves. The bite is usually not strong enough to break your skin. If you want to move one, use a container. Put the container in front of the spider. Since they move forward when disturbed, they will walk right in.

The species *Tegenaria domestica* is a widespread spider belonging to the funnel-web family, Agelenidae. In Europe, these spiders are commonly known as domestic house spiders. In North America, they are often called barn funnel weavers. These spiders are significant because they have successfully spread to many different environments around the world. They are found in Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East and Central Asia. Humans have also introduced them to the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand.

Physically, *T. domestica* has an elongated body with a somewhat flattened cephalothorax. The cephalothorax is the front part of the spider's body. It also possesses a straight abdomen. The ratio of its body to its legs is typically between 50% and 60%. This species is one of the smaller members of the *Tegenaria* genus. Adult coloring usually ranges from dark orange to brown, beige, or even gray. Their legs often feature stripes. The cephalothorax typically has two dull, black, longitudinal stripes. The abdomen often shows a mottled pattern of brown, beige, and gray. This pattern often includes chevrons that run lengthwise, similar to an argyle design.

These spiders use a specialized hunting mechanism involving a funnel-shaped web. The web consists of many stressed silk threads spun over a flat surface. This structure includes a funnel-like shape that reaches back into a sheltered corner or area. The spider sits at the back of this funnel to wait for prey. When an insect hits the silk threads, it creates vibrations. These vibrations travel through the web to notify the spider that prey is at the mouth of the funnel. The spider then rushes out to attack the prey. It quickly drags the meal back to the safety of the funnel's rear.

Behavioral traits also help the spider hunt and survive. Six of their eight eyes are positioned to look forward. This allows them to detect movement and focus on prey items effectively. They are also photosensitive, meaning they react to light by moving toward it or fleeing from it. Their movement is very precise. Rather than using a continuous gait, they move in short intervals. They often stop several times to decide their next direction. This careful movement helps them navigate their environment with accuracy.

Historically, the classification of this spider has changed as science progressed. It was previously thought to be a close relative of the Giant House Spider. However, scientists later moved the Giant House Spider into a different genus called *Eratigena*. This change separated the Giant House Spider into three distinct species. *T. domestica* remains its own distinct species. The species was described by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1757.

The life cycle of *T. domestica* involves distinct stages and varying lifespans. Young spiders hatch from an egg sac and reach maturity within one year. Male populations typically peak during the summer months of June and July. This suggests that mating occurs during this time. Males usually die in the autumn shortly after mating and rarely live longer than one year. In many cases, females consume the males after mating occurs. Females are much more resilient and can survive the winter. If they find a sheltered area, they can produce several egg sacs. Some females living indoors in temperate places, like attics or cellars, can live for up to seven years.

There are also unusual instances of how these spiders interact with other species. While they are usually solitary, a unique colony was discovered in the Sulfur Cave between Greece and Albania. In this location, thousands of individuals shared a web built over by *Prinerigone vagans*. Scientists hypothesize that the darkness and the size difference between the species allow *P. vagans* to avoid being eaten by the larger *T. domestica*. This colony is sustained by an abundance of predators and chemoautotrophic bacteria.

Regarding human interaction, *T. domestica* is not considered an aggressive species. Their primary defense is to retreat. If their web is undisturbed, they will move to the tip of the funnel and stop responding to movement. If the web is attacked, they may try to flee or huddle into a ball against a nearby object. They rarely bite humans, and if they do, it is only in self-defense. Such bites are unlikely to break the skin. If you need to move one, you can place a container in front of it. Because their reflex to being disturbed from behind is to move forward, they will often walk into the container.