# What Do Giant House Spiders Eat?

> What giant house spiders eat: Carnivore (flies, moths, and other invertebrates), foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Houses, sheds, garages, log piles, gardens.

- **Species:** Giant House Spider (*Eratigena atrica*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore (flies, moths, and other invertebrates)
- **Habitat:** Houses, sheds, garages, log piles, gardens
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giant-house-spider/what-do-giant-house-spider-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giant-house-spider/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The giant house spider (Eratigena atrica) is one of Britain's largest spiders, a fast-moving but harmless funnel-weaver often seen indoors in autumn. Females reach a body length of up to about 7.5 cm across the legs, with a leg span reaching around 12 cm, and adults live for around three years. It builds sheet-like webs in sheds, garages and quiet corners and preys on flies and other invertebrates. It is common and of Least Concern.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Appearance and size

The giant house spider is a large, brown, long-legged spider with a leg span that can reach around 12 cm, making it one of the biggest spiders regularly encountered in Britain and northern Europe. Its body is mottled brown with darker markings, and the legs are covered in fine hairs. Females are bulkier than males, with body lengths of up to about 7.5 cm across the legs, while males have longer, spindlier legs relative to their bodies. Their size and speed make them look alarming, but the impression is misleading.

## Help protect the Giant House Spider

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giant-house-spider/what-do-giant-house-spider-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.