Disclaimer: Tegenaria are very hard to tell apart and I am not at all certain that all the IDs on the tegenaria pages are correct. I have done the best I can to try and classify them correctly but would be happy for anyone to tell me if they believe otherwise – glen
The spider species Tegenaria domestica, commonly known as the Barn funnel weaver spider, the Lesser house spider or the Domestic house spider, is a member of family Agelenidae, and a close relative of the hobo spider. Although its bite is unpleasant, they are rarely known to bite. The female barn funnel weaver spider can reach 7.5–11.5 mm (.3–.45 in); the male 6–9 mm (.24–.35 in).[1] The male has longer legs and a more slender abdomen than the female, and the legspan can reach up to one inch.
It can be difficult to tell the difference between the barn funnel weaver spider and Hobo spider, as they both may have a herringbone pattern on the abdomen; however, the Barn funnel weaver is generally smaller in size, a darker shade of brown, with small circles on the abdomen and a striped pattern on the legs. The barn funnel weaver spider is commonly encountered by humans; however, it rarely bites and its venom is not toxic to humans. On the other hand, the hobo spider (T. agrestis), is believed by many to have a harmful bite, though this is disputed. These spiders generally build a flat sheet-like web with a funnel shaped retreat at one end.
These webs can become quite large if undisturbed. When prey stumbles into the web, the domestic house spider dashes out of the funnel and attacks it. These spiders are generally very active at night. They are not a seasonal spider and can be found year-round if their habitat is survivable. The Barn funnel weaver is commonly found in both Europe and most of the United States. It is thought to have been introduced into the Americas by British colonists who would have unwittingly provided it passage across the Atlantic. (Info. Wikipedia)
