Creepy creepy crawlies come into the house
This native spider can bite
Updated 11/24/2025 – 16:57Reading time: 3 minutes
Even though they are useful, spiders make many people feel disgusted, especially if they are fat and hairy. Eight-legged friends are not very welcome in the home, but their entry cannot be prevented. What’s the best way to get rid of it?
About 1,000 species of spiders live in Germany. One third of them live at home. Initially they lived in stone walls, under tree roots or in mines. They gradually adapted to human habitats. Other species migrate from the Mediterranean region. It cannot survive in outdoor climatic conditions. Therefore they are only found in homes.
Often people don’t even notice their furry roommates. Spiders like to hide in dark corners and are mostly nocturnal. Almost all native species are completely harmless, including the dark, thick, hairy large angular spider. Some specimens have bodies measuring 16 millimeters, which is the equivalent of a one-cent coin. Its legs also have a span of up to ten centimeters. Like its slightly smaller relative, the house spider, this large eight-legged creature feels comfortable in damp apartments, warehouses and basements. They have adapted to their home habitat, explains the German Animal Welfare Association.
No one needs to be afraid of them: Although the big-angle spider can bite, its mouthparts cannot penetrate human skin. Usually it does not bite people but eats mosquitoes, small flies or woodlice – and is therefore even useful.
If you are not afraid of spiders, you can safely leave the animal where it is. If they are a nuisance, it is better to put them outside rather than kill them, says the German Animal Welfare Association. This works best with the tried and tested cup method: you place the glass over the spider, push a piece of cardboard under the edge of the glass, and take the animal out. For those who don’t want to get too close to spiders, there are things called spider catchers. This is a fishing rod with a long handle that can be used to maintain distance. On the other hand, a vacuum cleaner is not a good idea: vacuuming is very painful for animals. Read here what happens if you suck in a spider.
If you want to make sure your expelled roommate doesn’t come back, you should put him somewhere far away, like in a wood pile. But the distance should be at least 60 to 70 meters, because if they feel comfortable in one place, they will usually return quickly, according to the German Nature Conservation Association (Nabu).
