Help Identify Spider PLease

[Kia]

Found a spider on our living room wall this morning that looked a bit different to the usual creepies we get here.
My hubby caught it in a glass but I wasn't able to get a clear piccie (not too familiar with my camera, I'm afraid).

The legs were black with tan striping and hairy on the "insides" of the legs (if that makes sense).
The body was about 1.25" long.
Forgive me not knowing my terminology but the spider had small appendages at the front which sort of hung down - near where I'd expect the mouth to be - these were blunt/rounded ended, black and hairy/furry.

When it was in the glass it "played dead", we actually thought it had died, it's legs curled up even when we moved the piece of card. Then it suddenly "came to life".

In the glass it left a small amount of webbing - not spun just loose threads.

I made hubby deposit it the far end of the courtyard (me, not liking anything creepy or crawly, didn't want it to come back in again), it was difficult to tip out of the glass, seeming to "stick" in there.

[Lord V]

Guess at it being one of the house spiders Tegenaria species - not dangerous even though some can get quite big (well for the UK)

Brian V.

[jezlee]

Have to agree with Brian on this – looks distinctly like a Tegeneria species – there will be more and more appearing as they come into houses looking for mates. You won't know they're there until one makes a dash across the carpet when you're watching TV ...

[Kia]

Thank you, both =)

Originally Posted by jezlee

You won't know they're there until one makes a dash across the carpet when you're watching TV ...

*shudders*

[naturegirl]

It's Boris!!!

Judging by the length of it's front legs I'd actually say this is a Garden spider (Orb species) not a Tegeneria species.

Garden spiders spin a web across open spaces overnight and build a new one every night. People take pictures of the webs in Autumn covered in dew.

Venger will know the Latin name of the Garden spiders, I'm afraid I don't and I'm too lazy to look it up, sorry!

Where are you Venger?

Naturegirl

[jezlee]

Originally Posted by naturegirl

Judging by the length of it's front legs I'd actually say this is a Garden spider (Orb species) not a Tegeneria species.

Garden spiders spin a web across open spaces overnight and build a new one every night. People take pictures of the webs in Autumn covered in dew.

Venger will know the Latin name of the Garden spiders, I'm afraid I don't and I'm too lazy to look it up, sorry!

Where are you Venger?

Naturegirl

Araneus diadematus is the common 'Garden Spider' that we all know with the well-defined 'cross' on its abdomen and usually the only way one will come into your house is if it's carried in on clothing or your washing etc. Although the photograph shown wasn't particularly detailed, I think there is still enough there to be fairly sure of it being one of the Tegeneria species ...

[Venger]

Hmm don't think its Araneus diadematus but then I'm not convinced its a Tegenaria either. Going to need a much better photo I'm afraid.
You could pop here and find something that looks similar and them let us know:
Thumbnails of spiders in NW_Europe

[Kia]

The closest I can see is Steatoda albomaculata M. from the striped legs and body shape. No idea how likely or unlikely that may be?
Only the one we caught did not have the white markings on it's back and it wasn't shiny.
The body was also flattish not spherical, like I'm seeing of some of the spiders on there.

[Kia]

Originally Posted by Venger

Hmm don't think its Araneus diadematus

Just looked up images of that. Nope, definitely not (says she whose knowledge of spiders could be written on a postage stamp), we get lots of them out in the courtyard, this was a fair bit bigger and not marked the same.

[Venger]

Originally Posted by Kia

The closest I can see is Steatoda albomaculata M. from the striped legs and body shape. No idea how likely or unlikely that may be?
Only the one we caught did not have the white markings on it's back and it wasn't shiny.
The body was also flattish not spherical, like I'm seeing of some of the spiders on there.

Unlikely to be S.albomaculata they only reach 5-6mm body size and are quite rare, but it depends where you are in the UK?