Grey house spider

Fact Box Species: Parasteatoda tepidariorum (World Spider Catalog) Previous species name: Achaearanea tepidariorum (JS) Family: Theridiidae Body length: female: 7 mm male: 3 mm Habitat: This species builds a thin, tangled web like that of a redback spider Toxicity: Uncertain: see note below

The female Male and female The web Spiderlings

While this species may establish in garden shrubs, it has a fondness for the undersides of outdoor furniture and other open containers. Its general shape resembles that of a redback spider but its colour scheme is very different.

Note that Isbister and Gray (Journal of toxicology; Clinical toxicology, 2003, Vol. 41, pages 809-819) have recorded that bites by Achaeaeanea (or equivalent) species in Australia can cause moderate to severe local pain though probably no systemic effects.

Known range: Found mainly in darker spaces within houses in South-east Queensland down to Adelaide and Tasmania and also around Perth. It is likely to be in other parts of Australia as well.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: Cryptachaea veruculata.