Tegenaria duellica (house spider)

[sezra]

I have just found the biggest house spider I have ever seen crawling about my room. Its bigger than the one in this pic I found just doing a google search.

http://www.uksafari.com/jpeg3/sphouse4.jpg

I would say its at least 7, maybe 8 cm across... We are having some really hot weather here in the UK, coupled with a wet winter, so there are more bugs this year than in recent summers. I suspect thats why its so big.

Any way, I know males tend to wander looking for mates, but would you say its a female due its size? Also, is it cruel to keep it? I have a spare critter keeper that would be suitable, but if it is male, I dont want to deny him his chance to breed. I'll keep him/her until the morning, and try to get a picture so we can sex it.

Truly fascinating animals.

 

[Hanska]

T.duellica is known as Eratigena atrica nowdays.
Nice catch, post pics soon.

 

[sezra]

T.duellica is known as Eratigena atrica nowdays.
Nice catch, post pics soon.

I didnt know that. However, this girl has a huge bum. So im guessing its a girl...

Hopefully she'll feel at home and web up the critter keeper. I have some pin heads that I feed to OBT slings so she should feel at home.

 

[The Snark]

Cruel to keep it. I've been given the impression that these can live happily in close proximity with humans. They seem to get used to the huge monsters quite quickly. On the loose though they run foul of modern amenities and get squished frequently.