The hobo spider is a member of the family of spiders known colloquially as funnel web spiders, but not to be confused with the Australian funnel-web spider. Individuals construct a funnel-shaped structure of silk sheeting and lie in wait at the small end of the funnel for prey insects to blunder onto their webs. Hobo spiders sometimes build their webs in or around human habitations. The hobo spider lays its eggs in September and they hatch during late spring. After the male hobo spider mates it dies.
The Agelenidae are a large family of spiders in the suborder Araneomorphae. Well-known examples include the common "grass spiders" of the genus Agelenopsis. Nearly all Agelenidae are harmless to humans, but the bite of the hobo spider may be medically significant, and some evidence suggests it might cause necrotic lesions, but the matter remains subject to debate. The most widely accepted common name for members of the family is funnel weaver.
Tegenaria is a genus of fast-running funnel weavers that occupy much of the Northern Hemisphere except for Japan and Indonesia. It was first described by Pierre André Latreille in 1804, though many of its species have been moved elsewhere. The majority of these were moved to Eratigena, including the giant house spider and the hobo spider.
The spider species Tegenaria domestica, commonly known as the barn funnel weaver in North America and the domestic house spider in Europe, is a member of the funnel-web family Agelenidae.
The giant house spider has been treated as either one species, under the name Eratigena atrica, or as three species, E. atrica, E. duellica and E. saeva. As of April 2020, the three species view was accepted by the World Spider Catalog. They are among the largest spiders of Central and Northern Europe. They were previously placed in the genus Tegenaria. In 2013, they were moved to the new genus Eratigena as the single species Eratigena atrica. In 2018, the three separate species were restored. The bite of these species does not pose a threat to humans or pets, and they are generally reluctant to bite, preferring instead to hide or escape.
The rare spider species Tegenaria silvestris is mostly found in caves, or on dumps; sometimes it occurs on forest edges, or in dry forests. It constructs its web under tree trunks and dead wood, and in tree caves.
Tegenaria ferruginea or charcoal spider is a European reddish, rather common spider with rusty markings on its back. The body looks rather similar to T. parietina, however the legs are much shorter and the funnel web built lacks backdoor exit. It was transferred to Malthonica in 2005, but back to Tegenaria in 2013.
Tegenaria parietina is a rather rare spider in Europe, with a distribution also including Northern Africa to Central Asia and Sri Lanka, and from the West Indies to Uruguay and Argentina, where it may have been introduced. In the UK it is sometimes known as the cardinal spider because of the legend that Cardinal Wolsey was terrified by this species at Hampton Court, or, conversely, because he regarded them as lucky and forbade anyone to harm them. In 2013, Tegenaria taprobanica was included in this species.
Malthonica is a genus of funnel weavers first described by Eugène Simon in 1898. Many of its species were transferred to Aterigena and Tegenaria in 2010.
Agelena labyrinthica is a species of spider in the family Agelenidae. It is a widespread species in Europe and its range extends to Central and East Asia.
Histopona is a genus of funnel weavers first described as a sub-genus of Hadites by Tamerlan Thorell in 1870. It was elevated to genus by Brignoli in 1972.
Eratigena is a genus of spider in the family Agelenidae. Most of its species were moved from the genus Tegenaria in 2013. Which is what this genus is named after, being an anagram of Tegenaria. Two species that frequently build webs in and around human dwellings are now placed in this genus. Eratigena agrestis is the hobo spider, native to Europe and Central Asia, introduced to North America. Eratigena atrica is the giant house spider, native to Europe and also introduced into North America.
Aterigena is a genus of funnel weavers first described by A. Bolzern, A. Hänggi & D. Burckhardt in 2010. The name is an anagram of Tegenaria. It was created in 2010 for a group of Tegenaria and Malthonica species that formed a clade in a phylogenetic analysis. The genus was later found to be monophyletic, further separating Eratigena from Tegenaria and Malthonica.
Agelenopsis emertoni is a species of funnel weaver in the family of spiders known as Agelenidae. It is found in the United States. The spider was named to honour arachnologist James H. Emerton. A. emertoni is distinguished from other Agelenopsis species in the genus by the male's loosely coiling embolus making more than one full circle, and a claw-like conductor tip. These features are sclerites of the male sex organ which is used to inseminate the female. The female has a distinctive conducting tube in her genitalia. The male can be between 6 and 13mm. Distribution is in the following states of the USA: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.
Agelenopsis pennsylvanica, commonly known as the Pennsylvania funnel-web spider or the Pennsylvania grass spider, is a species of spider in the family Agelenidae. The common name comes from the place that it was described, Pennsylvania, and the funnel shape of its web. Its closest relative is Agelenopsis potteri.
Tegenaria comstocki is a species of funnel weaver in the family Agelenidae. It is first published in " (2004). Spiders of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Rec. zool. Surv. India, Occas. Pap. "
Griseidraconarius is a genus of east Asian funnel weavers. It was first described by K. Okumura in 2020, and it has only been found in Japan. As of November 2021 it contains only three species: G. akakinaensis, G. decolor, and G. iriei.
Persiscape is a genus of funnel weavers first described by Alireza Zamani and Yuri M. Marusik in 2020.
