Head to head
Giant House Spider vs Brown Recluse Spider
Giant House Spider
VS Brown Recluse Spider
The giant house spider of Europe and the brown recluse of the United States are two brown spiders that live in and around buildings, with very different sizes and reputations.
| Giant House Spider | Brown Recluse Spider | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Eratigena atrica | Loxosceles reclusa |
| Size and appearance | A large, hairy brown spider with long legs, among the biggest found in houses in northern Europe | A body of 6 to 12 mm and a leg span up to about 2.5 to 3 cm, uniformly brown with a darker violin-shaped mark |
| Hunting | Weaves a flat sheet of silk with a funnel-shaped retreat at one side, where it waits for prey to cross | Hunts at night by roaming, with a retreat of loose, non-sticky silk rather than a snare web |
| Indoor habits | Males wander into houses in autumn looking for females and often end up in baths and sinks | Shelters in cardboard boxes, stored clothing, shoes, woodpiles, and undisturbed corners of garages and sheds |
| Danger to people | Not dangerous, and a bite is very unlikely, though it may bite if trapped or handled roughly | Its venom can, in a minority of bites, destroy tissue and cause a slow-healing ulcer, though most bites cause only mild symptoms |
| Reputation | One of the most familiar and most exaggerated spiders of European homes | Many skin infections and other conditions outside its actual range are wrongly blamed on it |
| Range | Sheds, outbuildings, walls, and hedges across Europe | The south-central and southern United States, from Nebraska and Ohio south to Texas and Georgia |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated globally, though widespread and common | Not Evaluated |
Giant House Spider vs Brown Recluse Spider: common questions
Why do giant house spiders end up in baths?
In autumn, the males wander in search of females and sometimes fall into baths and sinks, from which the smooth sides prevent escape.
How can you recognise a brown recluse?
By its uniform brown colour, the darker violin-shaped mark on its front body segment, and its six eyes arranged in three pairs.
Which one is dangerous?
The brown recluse can cause tissue damage in a minority of bites, while the giant house spider is not dangerous to people.