Funnel shaped spider webs are all over my garden!

Categories: Disease and Insects

Does this look familiar?

Grass spider aka “Funnel spider”

Given the shape of the web, funnel spider seems like a perfect descriptor for this common landscape spider.  While that does usually identify it in our part of the world, grass spider (Agelenidae family) actually the most widely accepted common name.  Using the term “funnel” can also lead to unnecessary worry for fear that the spider is a member of an entirely different species of spider, the Sydney funnel spider (Hexathelidae family), found in Australia.   They are NOT closely related and we DO NOT have the Sydney funnel spider in this part of the world.

The grass spider is not a threat to humans.  Were it to bite you, it would hurt for a while, but that’s about it.  It’s also incredibly rare for a human to be bitten by this spider because they are very timid and will go to great measures to avoid contact with humans.  The biggest problem associated with these spiders is that they move very quickly and can frighten the unsuspecting when they come out of their web to investigate.

These spiders, like most others, are considered beneficial insects in the garden as they prey on many other insects that can actually cause landscape damage.

Enjoy the interest and diversity they bring to your garden and let them be.