Large Spider for ID

Deedar · #1 (**permalink**) 12-05-2011, 06:52 AM

Could someone please put my little heart at ease and ID the spider I found in my shed yesterday? I looked online but I just sat cringing all the way through.

phptYeZUmPM - Wild About Britain Pics

Thanks, Deedar

nikolai_avenger · #2 (**permalink**) 12-05-2011, 09:02 AM

Tegenaria species, possibly. How big was it, and whereabouts are you in the UK?

Cheers. Nik.

Deedar · #3 (**permalink**) 12-05-2011, 11:57 AM

Hi, I dont actually live in the UK I am based in Germany with the Military, this was the only place I could come with English speakers without going to American sites, I hope this isnt too far away for the species to differ from UK. The size it was about 5 inches, the bottom half of the body alone was about 2 inches, I know the photo doesnt show it but it waas really quite big

windy · #4 (**permalink**) 13-05-2011, 09:11 PM

Thu May 12, 2011 3:15am

Hi

I believe this to be a Orb web spider Nuctenea umbratica, there are various types of orb web spiders and if you look for the Latin name when looking on the web you should be able to find it,
Hope this satisfies your problem

Regards
Richard

No.9 Spider · #5 (**permalink**) 14-05-2011, 10:04 AM

It's definitely a Tegenaria species (Common House spider). I'm not familiar with the distribution of this species in Germany but with a 'true' legspan as you are suggesting, a possibility would be Tegenaria parietina. Some of the other Tegenaria species have almost as big a legspan.