Shower buddy
On the bright side, there are no spiders anywhere else in the house.
GimletBlog HQ is extremely interested in learning more about our new friend. Armchair domestic naturalists (and who isn’t, when you find a spider in your tub?), feel free to try your hand at identifying this splendid specimen, and leave your guess in the Comments. Click on the image to view a close-up.
June 10th, 2006 17:33
Looks like it might be a Tegenaria saeva (European house spider).
June 10th, 2006 18:04
A medium-sized Tegenaria. A big one won’t stay in your bathtub.
June 10th, 2006 21:57
Uncle B thinks it’s a hobo spider, which happens to be a Tegenaria, too. I found an NPS guide to Hobo Spiders which has some pictures and mentions that another name for the Hobo Spider is the “Aggressive House Spider”. No kidding! However, one of the Hobo Spider sites in the links disapproves of this pejorative and unscientific moniker. Maybe “The Peaceful Farmer Spider” or “Spider with Good Self-Esteem” might be more positive alternatives?
Judging from their pictures, it looks like GimletBlog HQ is home to a female Tegenaria hobo spider. Everybody was right! Your prize will arrive in a little box with tiny holes in it. Better put it in the basement; I understand that’s where they like to live.