{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "giant-house-spider",
  "name": "Giant House Spider",
  "scientificName": "Eratigena atrica",
  "category": "Invertebrate",
  "summary": "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.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Arthropoda",
    "class": "Arachnida",
    "order": "Araneae",
    "family": "Agelenidae",
    "genus": "Eratigena"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.001,
    "lengthM": 0.09,
    "topSpeedKmh": 1.9,
    "lifespanYears": 3
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Eratigena atrica (and closely related species)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (flies, moths, and other invertebrates)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Houses, sheds, garages, log piles, gardens"
    },
    {
      "label": "Leg span",
      "value": "Up to about 12 cm (females up to 7.5 cm body length)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Active season",
      "value": "Adults wander indoors mainly September–October"
    },
    {
      "label": "Venom",
      "value": "Harmless to humans"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Throughout Europe, closely associated with human buildings; common in the UK where it is one of the largest house spiders.",
    "continents": [
      "Europe"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Eratigena atrica.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Eratigena%20atrica&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Eratigena atrica. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Eratigena_atrica/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Giant House Spider.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_house_spider"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giant-house-spider/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/giant-house-spider/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}