Working in Eugene last week came across a house infested (I found at least 10 full size adults and many more juveniles) with this spider – Tegenaria Gigantea . This spider is very common in the Pacific Northwest with their main populations located in BC, OR, & WA. When found around human structures, it is often located in darker areas, such as flower beds, wood piles, under the bottom edge of siding and areas where it can weave a funnel-web. When it is found in homes, it often is found in the darker areas of the crawl space or basement, such as corners.
The male is most often seen indoors during the late summer and fall when he is roaming to find a female. It is a nocturnal spider, so generally it is discovered when the lights are turned on and the spider darts for cover. Since it is a cousin to the Hobo Spider (E. agrestis), it is often confused with this spider.
If you are unsure of the exact species, just be mindful of this confusion, and use caution when dealing with the spider. The bite of this spider does not pose a threat to humans or pets (not so with the hobo spider), and is generally reluctant to bite, preferring to escape.
