Bug FAQMadagascar Hermit Spider
Nephilingis livida · Order: Araneae · Family: Araneidae
Females are 15 to 24 mm long, while males are only 3 to 5 mm. They are common inside homes in Madagascar and also occur on nearby islands such as the Comoros and Seychelles.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Females show a creamy to brown, blue or purple abdomen with a dark brown underside.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Female spiders reach 15 to 24 mm in length. Males are much smaller, only 3 to 5 mm long.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
They are common in homes in Madagascar.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are frequently found inside human dwellings in Madagascar.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
Where are Madagascar hermit spiders found?
They live in Madagascar and nearby islands like the Comoros and Seychelles.
Source: Wikipedia
Do they live inside houses?
Yes, they are common inside human dwellings in Madagascar.
Source: Wikipedia
What other spider looks similar?
It was once confused with Nephilingis borbonica but was recognized as a separate species in 2011.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Araneidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephilingis_livida
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.