Funnel Weaver Spider

Funnel weaver spider in its web.

Funnel weaver spider in its web.

Funnel weaver spiders (Agelenidae), also known as grass spiders, are a fairly common group of spiders in Maryland.

Their body markings can be very similar to that of a wolf spider, but because wolf spiders don’t spin webs, it’s usually easy to tell which species you are dealing with.

Funnel weavers can have fairly large webs, with one side usually wrapping into the shape of a cone or funnel. Funnel weavers or grass spiders are not aggressive by nature and it’s doubtful one will bite, but they are pretty quick and will take off across their web fast when disturbed.

They are typically not very large spiders. The photo above was taken at Idylwild WMA with a macro lens.

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Comments

Funnel Weaver Spider — 7 Comments

  1. We have a beautiful funnel weaver who weaves her web at the corner of our front door under the porch, next to the doorbell. It freaks out some people, but we name her every year and try to protect her as much as possible. She, or her descendants, come back every spring. Do they die when weather gets cold, or hibernate? Haven’t seen her fo a week now, and she stops maintaining the web.

  2. I have one of these taking up tenancy in my kitchen window! Which is NOWHERE near the ground it grass! In fact it’s rather high up. Is that common or might it be a different type of spider? It looks as though it has a “stinger” on it’s end, although it may be an elongated spindler? I’m not sure. TIA for any info.

  3. I live on a third floor apartment and there is a funnel weaver spider in the bottom of our bedroom window sill. It’s been there a few weeks now, undisturbed. It’s shed it’s exoskeleton twice, added layers to the web periodically, and although I haven’t seen anything land in the web for it to eat, there are little black specks all over the web, which look like droppings, maybe. I told my husband to let it be but he is concerned about there being more spiders if this one reproduces. Is that probable to happen in the window?

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