Grass Spiders – Funnel Weavers

There are about 300 different species of Grass spiders in North America. During spring and summer, Grass spiders are common around the home and in the landscape. Grass spiders are harmless to humans because their chelicerae (mouth parts) are too small to penetrate human skin. Grass spiders are also known as “Funnel-weavers” due to the type of web they weave for catching prey. Funnel-weaver spiders belong to the family Agelenidae. These spiders may not hurt humans but they sure do create a lot of webs in the grass and on shrubs.
Grass spider are funnel weavers

Grass spider (Agelenopsis aperta) “Funnel-weaver”

Grass Spider Habits and Habitat

The Grass spider is a “sit-and-wait” type predator. It makes funnel webs in grassy areas, in low plants, shrubs and on top of hedges. Grass spider webs are easily observed in the spring and summer, especially after an early morning dew. The Grass spider waits patiently within the funnel portion of its web until an insect gets tangled in the upper, sheet-like area, then the spider scurries out to bite and paralyze its victim. Once the insect is immobilized, the Grass spider pulls its prey down into the funnel where she can feed at leisure – It’s the female Grass spider that makes funnel webs.
Grass Spiders Blend in the Grass

Grass spiders may blend well with grass but their
webs are easy to see.

Mating and Reproduction

Male Grass spiders wander in search of females; they mate, and then die shortly thereafter. The female creates and stays in the web catching prey and building up her strength to mate and lay her eggs. In the fall, female Funnel-weavers deposit their egg sacs in narrow areas like under the bark of a tree or between rocks. They soon die, sometimes, still clinging to their eggs.
Grass Spider inside Funnel-web

A Grass spider coming out of its Funnel web in search of prey.

Grass spider eggs hatch during the spring and become adults by mid-summer. You can tell how old a spider is by the size of its web; older spiders have layers and layers of flat web spread out like a sheet, up to 12 inches wide, with the funnel to one side of the web.
Close-up of a Grass Spider

Grass spiders have eight eyes, two on the top row,
four in the middle, and two on the bottom row.

Pest Control for Grass Spiders

Grass spiders are not harmful to humans but sometimes they may find their way indoors, usually in search of food. Female Grass spiders, however, build and spend their days within the funnel portion of their web. Most people consider their multiple webs an eyesore, but again, they are not harmful and they are beneficial in that they do eat insects. The best way to control Grass spiders is to destroy their webs and treat for insects – their food source.  Hearts Pest Management will treat for both spiders and insects. Call today at 1-800-986-1006 for help with a spider infestation. You’re also welcome to complete the form below and a caring Hearts Pest Management representative will contact you shortly.
Call Now 1-800-986-1006 or complete the form below

*
Where Captcha Goes if Used code in footer
Locations
City Services for Pest Control in Los Angeles
Agoura Hills Northridge
Alhambra Pacific Palisades
Arcadia Palos Verdes Estates
Beverly Hills Pasadena
Burbank Pomona
Calabasas Rancho Palos Verdes
Cerritos Redondo Beach
City of Industry Reseda
City of Los Angeles Rolling Hills Estates
Claremont San Marino
Culver City Santa Fe Springs
Cypress Santa Monica
Diamond Bar Sherman Oaks
El Monte Sylmar
El Segundo Tarzana
Encino Temple City
Glendale Toluca Lake
Granada Hills Torrance
Hacienda Heights Venice
Hidden Hills Walnut
Hollywood West Covina
La Verne West Hollywood
Long Beach West Los Angeles
Malibu Westlake Village
Manhattan Beach Whittier
Marina Del Rey Woodland Hills
North Hollywood
City Services for Pest Control in Orange County
Aliso Viejo Laguna Hills
Anaheim Laguna Niguel
Brea Lake Forest
Buena Park Los Alamitos
Capistrano Beach Mission Viejo
City of Orange Newport Beach
Corona Del Mar Orange
Costa Mesa Rancho Santa Margarita
Dana Point Rossmoor
Fountain Valley San Clemente
Fullerton San Juan Capistrano
Garden Grove Santa Ana
Huntington Beach Tustin
Irvine Villa Park
La Habra Westminster
Laguna Beach Yorba Linda
City Services for Pest Control in San Diego
4S Ranch Rancho Penasquitos
Poway Scripps Ranch
Rancho Bernardo
Descanso Ramona
Julian Santa Ysabel
Pine Valley
Bonsall Hidden Meadows
Escondido Pauma Valley
Fallbrook Valley Center
Carlsbad Pacific Beach
Coronado Point Loma
La Costa San Ysidro
Mira Mesa The City of San Diego
Otay Mesa
Cardiff by the Sea Oceanside
Carmel Valley Rancho Santa Fe
Del Mar San Marcos
Encinitas Solana Beach
La Jolla Vista
Alpine Imperial Beach
Bonita Jamul
Chula Vista La Mesa
East Lake Chula Vista Lakeside
El Cajon Santee
References University of California Agriculture and Research Department Cranshaw, Whitney, Garden Insects of North America, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 2004.

HP Banner

Awards

Review

Review our amazing pest
service options

You can add other problem pests to your “general pest
control” service.

Why Choose Hearts Pest Management:
Health Conscious First do no harm! Custom Built Plans Flexible Scheduling Technicians Communicative & Trustworthy Budget Sensitivity
We customize the service to your needs & pest situation.

Testimonials

What Our Customers Say
“Able, honest and extremely knowledgeable and polite. They come bi-monthly and use an organic solution to spray outside. It’s a pleasure and relief to do business with them.”
~ Carri B.
View more
“The technician Austin was on time. Very personable and explained products in detail and is very knowledgeable. Very thorough and the organic and eco friendly products were our first choice. We signed for the every other month especially for spiders and ants.”
~ Mark
View more

Pest Behavior & Solutions

Pest Behavior & Solutions

We Know About Pests, You Can Too. Visit our Pest Library for information
on the habits and habitats of some of the most common pests.

See Full List of Pest
  • General pest control and certified green pest control options:

Carpenters ants, bedbugs - separate esimate

Choose the service schedule you need:

Weekly, Monthly, Bi-Monthly, Quarterly, Reduced winter service.

See More General Pest Services

Free Inspections

Free Inspections
for Prevention & Extermination

We provide free inspections for
various complex pest control
situations. Our pest control services
are tailored to each community and
their unique micro-climates that
impact your pest control plan.

We are the first pest control company in Southern California to achieve the California EPA Integrated Pest Management Award.

  • In-door trapping
  • Out-door baiting or trapping
  • Full exclusion to keep them out!
  • Decontamination (see mites and parasites)
  • Clean-up
  • Maintenance monthly
View Our Plan for Rats and Mice
  • Indoor / outdoor eradication
  • Bee removal – hive and honeycomb
View Our Plan for Bees and Wasps
  • Monitoring
  • Commercial reporting
  • Clean-outs and maintenance
View Our Plan for Roaches
  • Comprehensive inspection
  • Written bedbug plan for owner – pest company
View Our Plan for Bed Bugs
  • Remediation / maintenance
  • Ground fumigation
  • Baiting
View Our Plan for Gophers and Squirrels
  • Single story eaves only (we do not service roofs or second story homes).
  • Full exclusion for nesting and perching
  • Decontamination (see mites and parasites)
  • Bird birth control
  • Pigeons
  • Starlings
  • Sparrows
  • Swallows
View Our Plan for Birds
  • Attic vacuuming
  • Power washing
  • Insulation removal – replacement
  • Full space area chemical fogging
  • Off-site disposal
View Our Plan for Mites and Parasites
Pest Control Product Labels & MSDS We welcome you to view pest control labels and MSDS information.