Pest Library

Characteristics

Grass spiders or funnel weavers are common throughout North America. These spiders create a cave like webs or a small funnel- like webs that are not sticky. Although these spiders create a non- sticky web, they are known to be very quick that can dash from one part of the web to the other end at lightning speed, which allows them to catch their prey very easily. Grass spiders rarely leave their webs so it is also rare to find them in homes.

The female spiders are mostly larger than the male and they have their own unique habits and appearance. Males are thinner and likes to explore their surroundings while the female grass spider is bigger and just stays on her web.

Habitat

The grass spider’s web can be found in many different places such as on grass, weeds, and ground covers like periwinkle, ivy, pachysandra. They can also be found in exterior places, such as bushes, brush piles, fencerows, and so on. Homes that are located near rivers, lakes or fields are more likely to find grass spiders and can populate in areas where a large supply of insects are common.

Behavior

Grass spiders belong to a family of funnel web weavers. They are known to create cave-like webs, and hide in the back of them. Their large, elongated spinnerets are responsible in creating webs that look like non-sticky black holes. These spiders are fast and can drag their prey back into the funnel.

Food

Grass spiders feed on insects. They catch their food using the web that they created.

Life Cycle

The female spider can be found laying egg sacs over winter and will hatch their spiderlings during spring. The egg sac can be found at the edge of a web, or beside the dead mother. Once these spiderlings hatch, they will scurry about and will create their individual nests, away from each other.

Other Information and Tips

Photo: By D. Gordon E. Robertson (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons