Our Wild Neighbors
American grass spiders
Agelenopsis sp.
Everywhere around our homes!
© Musée de la nature et des sciences de Sherbrooke
Description of the animal
- Small spider that ranges in color from brown to yellowish with longitudinal stripes on its body and indistinct bands on its legs.
- Approximately 12 species in Canada. The longest species can be up to 19 mm in length. Females are always longer than males.
- Eight eyes divided among three rows: two in the top row, four in the middle, and two in the bottom.
- Two front and two back spinnerets are visible. Spinnerets are small organs used to produce silk.
Habitat and needs
- Lives in tall grasses, bushes, and on house foundations.
- Eats insects.
- Spins non-sticky, tablecloth-shaped webs, with a funnel in the centre.
- Spends a great deal of time hidden in ambush in its web’s funnel where it conceals its prey to prevent other insects from foreseeing danger.
- Very quick and fearful, it avoids being seen by others.
- Males generally die a short time after mating while females die shortly after laying their eggs.
Relationship
- The Agelenopsis often spins its web near houses, on small bushes, in flowerbeds, around basement windows, or between foundations and tall grasses.
- Its webs are especially visible on autumn mornings, when they are covered with dew.
- This spider helps reduce the harmful insect population.
Living with them
- Humans must avoid disturbing or holding a spider in their hands since it can bite. However, its bite isn’t dangerous.
- Some people choose to control the Agelenopsis population, even though this spider is quite useful. To control spiders:
- Cut back shrubs and other plants that are in direct contact with the house.
- Destroy webs using a broom.
- Caulk or seal obvious crevasses or spaces around the foundation, doors, and windows located at ground level.
- Completely eliminate or move piles of wooden debris or bricks away from the house since they attract insects.
- Replace clear light bulbs with yellow ones.
Participating cities where this animal has been seen
- Sherbrooke, Québec
- Regina, Saskatchewan
- Vernon, British Columbia
- Moncton, New Brunswick