Tegenaria ferruginea

About

Charcoal Spider with nice red color

The Charcoal Spider (German: Rostrote Winkelspinne - Rust-red corner spider) is one of the largest species of house spiders in Europe. Female spiders can be up to the size of your palm with their body length reaching 14mm but seeming bigger due to texture and hair. While originally living in caves and near boulders in the forest, they have moved into and near human buildings ages ago. While slightly less common than Tegenaria atrica, they can be seen in apartments and houses all across most European countries. They are harmless and very good at catching insects and other spiders.

Sam says

I was really not okay with a huge female Charcoal Spider living in my garden hut when I took over the garden. But leaving her alone and removing old dirty nets proved very useful in the long run. She caught everything from moths to bees. Whatever insect got trapped inside the hut would end up in either her net or in those of Pholcus phalangioides. I've read about them being able to live for a few years and I truly believe that the one female I met when taking over lived for at four more years until I found her dead on the floor one day during wintertime.

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Observations

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Mixed Observations

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