# Giant House Spider (*eratigena duellica*) The Giant House Spider is a fascinating creature that can be found in many homes! With its long legs and quick movements, it helps to keep other pests at bay. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Giant House Spiders commonly live indoors, especially in dark corners, basements, and attics. - **Also known as:** Barn Spider ![Giant House Spider](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tegenaria_gigantea.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tegenaria_gigantea.jpg) ## Appearance The Giant House Spider has a robust, dark brown body with lighter markings on its abdomen and a distinct 'H' shape on its cephalothorax. Its long, hairy legs are banded brown and black, making it appear much larger than its body. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Arachnida - **Order:** Araneae - **Family:** Agelenidae - **Genus:** Eratigena ## Interesting facts - A female can lay hundreds of eggs in a silken sac! - Some Giant House Spiders can live up to 3 years! - These spiders are shy and prefer to run away from people. - They are one of the fastest spiders in the world! ## Special abilities - **Super Speed Burst:** Giant House Spider can run incredibly fast because of long, powerful legs that help them ambush prey and escape danger. - **Web-Trap Weaver:** Giant House Spider can spin a messy, funnel-shaped web that helps them create a sticky trap for unsuspecting insects. - **Night Vision Helper:** Giant House Spider has multiple eyes that help them detect movement in dim light, making them efficient nocturnal hunters. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 1.8 cm - **Size:** 7.5 cm - **Lifespan:** 3 years - **Speed:** 0.53 m/s ## Diet & Feeding These spiders are expert hunters, feasting on all sorts of small insects and other invertebrates! - **Primary Foods:** flies, moths, woodlice, other spiders - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** common house fly (*Musca domestica*) — A primary food source caught in their webs. - **Hunts:** common house spider (*Tegenaria domestica*) — Competes for territory and can be prey. - **Eaten by:** [domestic cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Sometimes hunted by curious house cats. - **Eaten by:** [great tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Sometimes eaten by birds if found outdoors. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always observe spiders from a distance and do not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Giant House Spider? Compare body proportions, leg shape, abdomen markings and the web, if there is one. Eye arrangement can be decisive but rarely shows up in a casual phone photo. A web is a supporting clue, not proof of who built it. Spider Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Giant House Spider? 1.8 cm ### How big is Giant House Spider? 7.5 cm ### How long does Giant House Spider live? 3 years ### How fast can Giant House Spider move? 0.53 m/s ### What does Giant House Spider eat? These spiders are expert hunters, feasting on all sorts of small insects and other invertebrates! ### Where is Giant House Spider usually found? Giant House Spiders commonly live indoors, especially in dark corners, basements, and attics. ### How does Giant House Spider hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Queen Anne Boulevard](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/queen-anne-boulevard) — Washington, US · Park - [Jarstad Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jarstad-park) — Washington, US · Park - [Mount Baker Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-baker-park) — Washington, US · Park [View all places to see Giant House Spider](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/giant-house-spider) ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Giant House Spider: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/giant-house-spider)