4 to 4.5 inch brown house spider

Codbelly · #1 (**permalink**) 21-09-2010, 09:48 PM

Last night I had a very large spider in my house. Its body was about 1.25 inch in length and was medium brown in colour. It had a 4 to 4.5 inch leg span. The legs where dark brown. I have seen a few 2.5 inch dark grey spiders over the last 12 years but nothing this big or colour before. I've been on Google images and the only spider I can find that resembles the one I saw is the American Brown Recluse spider. I live in the north-west of England. Please could someone tell me what was in my house.

John_M · #2 (**permalink**) 21-09-2010, 10:39 PM

Most likely a Tegenaria species.

Codbelly · #3 (**permalink**) 22-09-2010, 10:48 PM

Thanks John_M for the quick reply. I think I may have had a Tegenaria duellica / T. gigantea in my house. I have a phobia of spiders so don't want to see one of these guys again, lol.

John_M · #4 (**permalink**) 22-09-2010, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Codbelly

Thanks John_M for the quick reply. I think I may have had a Tegenaria duellica / T. gigantea in my house. I have a phobia of spiders so don't want to see one of these guys again, lol.

Can't really determine to species level without looking at the palps / epigyne, but Tegenaria are widespread. They're harmless, although if you have a phobia, I can appreciate that saying they're harmless is pretty useless...