identify spider

[Izzy]

Last night whilst sitting in front of the TV I saw something in the corner of my eye that made me literally jump up onto my settee.

Whatever it was ran straight behind the bookshelf only to reappear five mintues later as it crawled up the wall. It was an absolutely HUGE spider and, at the risk of sounding like I've got anglers-tongue, it was about THIS BIG! (holding out my fully stretched adult hand).

OK, so maybe it wasn't that big, but it was still big.

So I was wondering. Is there a record-breaking spider in the UK that has beaten all other spiders to the Big and Hairy crown?

I'm not really scared of spiders, but I'm not their biggest fan either, so I'm not too keen on looking through several books about them to try and find the one that nearly gave me a coronary. Suffice to say that it had a body about the size of a jelly bean and thick, hairy legs that were about two-inches long.

[Izzy]

Woke up this morning and he was sitting on my windowsill....shudderrrrr!

So we've taken some pictures of him and then sent him packing.

I will post them later on this afternoon

[Izzy]

Not a very good picture but it should give you some idea of the size of this monster.

[Eileen]

Hi Izzy,

I've got those big, hairy spiders too!!! Would you believe some are even BIGGER than the one in your photograph!!!!!!!!!!!! They move sooooo fast that I can hardly catch them. They are common or garden house spiders I'm told but they seem to be getting bigger every year. We had one in our livingroom the other day that I swear was as big as a mouse.

Eileen.

[Sue Wright]

Hi Izzy & Eilean,

Thanks Izzy! That means I won't be sleeping tonight for starters. That photo is awful(ly good) but far too realistic for me and came as such a shock, almost as though it was on the PC screen!

No - I don't like them one bit, not unless they're small ones seen in webs almost everywhere at the beginning of Autumn. The fascinate me so much then that I take photos of them too, but THAT one up there is.........................

I'm sure it is true that they're getting bigger each year though as we have some whoppers here at times!

Sue

[Ruth Elsby]

Hi Izzy and you 2 !!!!!

Now that is a whopper!!

Didn't half make me jump when the picture loaded onto the screen!!!!!!!

They don't bother me too much unless they are in the bath and I never know wether to flush them down the plug hole (but then they might come back while I'm having a shower!!!!! ) or catch them and put them out of the window ???

Not seen any THAT big yet though!!!

Ruth.

[intersimi]

I can't view the picture We have loads of spiders in our house. I used to be really scared of spiders, but we have so many, my fear has almost gone now. I have taken a couple of images of spiders now, and am thinking of catagorising them by type! I am using my new Sigma 105mm Macro lens on my Canon EOS 400D camera. Gets you in real close.

[Amiguru]

Sorry, I too can't open your attached image Izzy but I know the spider you mean. Tegenaria domestica can be quite startling when it sets off at a gallop! I have preserved specimen which I found dead in the bath about two years ago. I have just measured it's leg span, even with the legs slightly arched, 92 millimetres, thats 3 and 5/8ths. inches in old money!

[tremault]

Hi, I signed up to let you know that I believe your spider is a giant house spider.
this is a different species from the common house spider and they do indeed grow very large. you don't normally see 'house spiders' this large because the common ones don't grow that big and the giant house spider is rarer.

also, these are the second fastest spider in the world and the only spider indigenous to the uk that can pierce human skin with it's jaws.
you are justified to be scared of it. it can't cause you serious injury but if you are allergic, you could need medical attention if bitten.
don't be scared though. it is rare. if you kill it or put it outside, it is unlikely you will see it again. i've only seen three of these in my entire life.

[No.9 Spider]

I think there are 10 species of Tegenaria recorded for the UK, though not all, T. silvestris for example are found in the house. By far the largest species as leg span goes, is Tegenaria parietina with leg spans of 5 to 6 inches, though having the same body size as Tegenaria species in general. Tegenaria are unlikely to bite and are NOT the only indigenous species in the UK there are a few others! 'House' spider is the common name for Tegenaria, there is no 'giant' house spider.