Tegenaria agrestis - Eratigena agrestis

Alternative names
Hobo Spider
Description

They usually have a brown cephalothorax with diffuse, indistinct darker brown markings on the legs and abdomen. The underside of the abdomen has a characteristic yellow marking with no spots. The genus Tegenaria has recently been split: Tegenaria spp. have banded legs, Eratigena spp. have plain legs. Beyond this distinction, species can only be identified by examination of the genitals of mature specimens. 

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

This species can only be confirmed by examination of the genitals of mature specimens. 

Habitat

Tegenaria agrestis in Britain is usually found among sparse grassy vegetation and under stones, particularly on waste ground (e.g. in the centre of cities) and alongside railway tracks.

When to see it

Adults of both sexes are found mainly in late summer and autumn.

Life History

The sheet web extends from the retreat and is supported by vegetation. The egg-sac is a multi-layered structure, one layer of which is often composed of mud and other debris.

UK Status

First recorded in Britain from Wilverley Plain, Hampshire in 1949, this species has colonised northwards over the last half century (Merrett 1979). It now has a wide but patchy Distribution: through much of England and Wales, and is colonising Scotland (e.g. Stewart 1987).

VC55 Status

There were 10 known sites for this species as of 1996.

Further Information

1052 British records for this species to 2018

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Hobo Spider
Species group:
Spiders
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Araneae
Family:
Agelenidae
Records on NatureSpot:
3
First record:
23/08/2018 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
19/06/2022 (Pugh, Dylan)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records