grass spiders

Agelenopsis is a genus of funnel weaver spiiders. They are called grass spiders because their conspicuous webs are often seen in grass. There are fourteen currrently recognized species of grass spiders. All occur in North America north of Mexico. At least three species occur in Minnesota.

Grass spiders are found in woodlands and grassy areas, low in bushes, in stone piles and gardens, and in corners of buildings, both outdoors and indoors.

Like all spiders, grass spiders are venomous, but they are not poisonous to humans. They will not bite unless handled.

Females are ⅜″ to ⅝″ (10 to 17 mm) in length not including the legs. Males are just a little smaller, ⅜″ to ⅝″ (9 to 15 mm) long.

The top of the front segment (carapace) has 3 pale and 2 dark horizontal stripes. Like other funnel-web spiders, the spinnerets extend well beyond the end of the rear segment (abdomen), and are visible from above.

The web is a horizontal, non-sticky sheet with a funnel near one edge or in the middle.

Sources

7, 24, 29, 30, 82.

Grass Spider

It is about 3/4” body with the main part that has two black parts with a white stripe down the middle, the abdomen is dark grayish. Has very long legs, two antennas next to the weird eyes. The legs look translucent except it has dark markings on the legs also. I sent three pictures to this email address also today.

Please I would appreciate if this is not a grass spider to let me know asap, as I have to take out my AC units and have the window edges taped up heavily because I don’t want that coming into my house!! I am deathly afraid of spiders and may have to move if that comes in until it is found!!

At first I thought this was a brown recluse because I could not see close enough if that was a violin on its main part. But today I was finally able to shoot a picture and zoom in enough to see it did not appear to be a violin and was thankful that it was not a brown recluse...from my uneducated guess.

Any suggestions how to get him out as it will probably run right into the seam where the window and window frame meet.

His fangs are about 1/8th “ as I was able to get a good picture of those last night.

Spider

Web

Funnel

Location: Lindstrom, MN, Chisago County

Any suggestions how to get him out as it will probably run right into the seam where the window and window frame meet. His fangs are about 1/8th “ as I was able to get a good picture of those last night.

Location: Inbetween my windows, Lindstrom, MN/Chisago County. My AC unit

It is about 3/4” body with the main part that has two black parts with a white stripe down the middle, the abdomen is dark grayish. Has very long legs, two antennas next to the weird eyes. The legs look translucent except it has dark markings on the legs also. I sent three pictures to this email address also today.

Please I would appreciate if this is not a grass spider to let me know asap, as I have to take out my AC units and have the window edges taped up heavily because I don’t want that coming into my house!! I am deathly afraid of spiders and may have to move if that comes in until it is found!!

At first I thought this was a brown recluse because I could not see close enough if that was a violin on its main part. But today I was finally able to shoot a picture and zoom in enough to see it did not appear to be a violin and was thankful that it was not a brown recluse...from my uneducated guess.

It is not a brown recluse, as you noted.

Wolf spiders and grass spiders looks similar, but wolf spiders don't make webs. This is a grass spider. Here is information from Smith's Pest Management:

While grass spiders are not poisonous, they (like all spiders) are venomous. In most cases, their venom is not a risk of people. Instead of biting unsuspecting gardeners, grass spiders use their venom to subdue prey. Grass spiders have very small fangs that cannot generally puncture human skin. Aug 27, 2021