The American grass spider, as they are commonly called, is a genus of spiders belonging to the funnel weaver family, mostly indigenous to different parts of the United States.
| Agelenopsis actuosa | Agelenopsis aleenae | Agelenopsis aperta |
| Agelenopsis emertoni | Agelenopsis kastoni | Agelenopsis longistyla |
| Agelenopsis naevia | Agelenopsis oklahoma | Agelenopsis oregonensis |
| Agelenopsis pennsylvanica | Agelenopsis potteri | Agelenopsis riechertae |
| Agelenopsis spatula | Agelenopsis utahana |
Size: They are moderately big in size, having a body length of about 0.74 inches (19 mm), with the males being smaller in size than the females.
Color: They are mostly brown in color while some species may also be seen in shades of gray, ivory, beige, black or a blend of various shades.
Other characteristics: They have eight eyes arranged in rows of three, two on top, four in the middle and two at the bottom. These species have two prominent spinnerets at the back, indistinct bands on the legs as well as two dark bands on each side of its cephalothorax.
The eggs are big and round, lying within a disc-shaped sac.
The spiderlings of this species go through a lot of molts after emerging from the egg sac until it reaches adulthood.
The funnel spider spin sheet webs having a funnel shelter on one of the edges. Their webs are non-sticky, lacking the adhesive capacity, however, the grass spiders make up for this flaw by running fast while getting after their prey.
The funnel web grass spiders are not harmful and rarely bite unless provoked or agitated. Moreover, their bite does not cause harm to mankind apart from the basic symptoms of swelling and redness. A species of this genus, the desert grass spider (Agelenopsis aperta) is said to produce agatoxins and their bite could be threatening for insects, though in mankind they are not of much medical significance.
| Lifespan | 1-2 years |
| Distribution | Parts of the United States and Canada |
| Habitat | Mostly outdoors amidst tall grasses, and the shrubby areas |
| Common Predators | Lizards, chameleons, and geckos |
| Diet | Small insects and other spiders |
Image Credits: Nature.mdc.mo.gov, I.pinimg.com, Upload.wikimedia.org, Extension.usu.edu, Objects.liquidweb.services, Suttonmass.org
The American grass spider, as they are commonly called, is a genus of spiders belonging to the funnel weaver family, mostly indigenous to different parts of the United States.
| Agelenopsis actuosa | Agelenopsis aleenae | Agelenopsis aperta |
| Agelenopsis emertoni | Agelenopsis kastoni | Agelenopsis longistyla |
| Agelenopsis naevia | Agelenopsis oklahoma | Agelenopsis oregonensis |
| Agelenopsis pennsylvanica | Agelenopsis potteri | Agelenopsis riechertae |
| Agelenopsis spatula | Agelenopsis utahana |
Size: They are moderately big in size, having a body length of about 0.74 inches (19 mm), with the males being smaller in size than the females.
Color: They are mostly brown in color while some species may also be seen in shades of gray, ivory, beige, black or a blend of various shades.
Other characteristics: They have eight eyes arranged in rows of three, two on top, four in the middle and two at the bottom. These species have two prominent spinnerets at the back, indistinct bands on the legs as well as two dark bands on each side of its cephalothorax.
The eggs are big and round, lying within a disc-shaped sac.
The spiderlings of this species go through a lot of molts after emerging from the egg sac until it reaches adulthood.
The funnel spider spin sheet webs having a funnel shelter on one of the edges. Their webs are non-sticky, lacking the adhesive capacity, however, the grass spiders make up for this flaw by running fast while getting after their prey.
The funnel web grass spiders are not harmful and rarely bite unless provoked or agitated. Moreover, their bite does not cause harm to mankind apart from the basic symptoms of swelling and redness. A species of this genus, the desert grass spider (Agelenopsis aperta) is said to produce agatoxins and their bite could be threatening for insects, though in mankind they are not of much medical significance.
| Lifespan | 1-2 years |
| Distribution | Parts of the United States and Canada |
| Habitat | Mostly outdoors amidst tall grasses, and the shrubby areas |
| Common Predators | Lizards, chameleons, and geckos |
| Diet | Small insects and other spiders |
Image Credits: Nature.mdc.mo.gov, I.pinimg.com, Upload.wikimedia.org, Extension.usu.edu, Objects.liquidweb.services, Suttonmass.org
