House Spider

Eratigena duellica sensu stricto

This record describes Eratigena duellica sensu stricto (species). Recorded family: Agelenidae. Recorded order: Araneae.

Identification and Appearance

House Spider - Eratigena duellica sensu stricto

Examination of the genitalia is required to confirm this species, and some specimens may be intermediate hybrids. If in doubt, record to genus only as Eratigena or as Giant House-spider agg. In hollow trees, under stones in warm locations, often in buildings.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Agelenidae
Genus: Eratigena

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Habitat

In hollow trees, under stones in warm locations, often in buildings.

Seasonal Activity

All year.

Additional species information

Recorded status

Common in Britain

About Spiders: the wider group

Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Eratigena duellica sensu stricto. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

As of 2023, 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded, though an estimated 150,000 species exist. Spiders rank 7th in total species diversity among all organism orders. Only 0.5% of spider species pose any risk to human health.

Ecological role of the group

Spider venom contains complex peptides with diverse pharmacological activities, making them valuable for drug development research. Spiders produce up to 7 types of silk from specialized glands. Spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants for biotech applications.

Economic and practical significance of the group

The global spider community kills an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey annually (2017 study). Spiders provide billions of dollars in natural pest control for agriculture. Spider silk is 5× stronger than steel of the same diameter, driving a biomaterials research industry.

Recorded sources for this group: World Spider Catalog, PNAS, Nature, ScienceDirect. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

Explore Araneae families and species →