August Agelenopsis
9 August 2021
Tis the season for Agelenopsis, the grass spiders. As their name implies, they are often found in grassy habitats where they make a sheet-like web with a funnel-like retreat in which the spider hides. The web itself is not sticky like it is in orbweavers. The spider waits in its retreat for a prey item to land on the sheet. The slightest vibration of the sheet acts like a starting gun at a track meet and the spider rushes out to try and grab the prey. You can see this behavior by taking a grass blade and just lightly touch the web of one of these spiders.
Grass spiders may just as well be named the gutter spiders or the siding spiders. I often find their webs behind the downspout on the corner of my house or extending outward from a 90-degree corner, their retreat tucked back into the edge of the siding. My front porch has several Agelenopsis webs because the spiders are taking advantage of the abundant insect prey that are attracted to the porch light.
Minnesota has records of seven species of grass spiders and they all look very much alike. The most common species (from my experience) is Agelenopsis potteri or Potter's Grass Spider. Distinguishing between the different species is very difficult (particularly in the females) and dissection of the genitalia is often required (and even then it can be tricky). Most my IDs are left at genus.
More information on this genus can be found on BugGuide here: https://bugguide.net/node/view/2001.
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I've got quite a few webs like this in my swath of Lily of the Valley plants. I've tried tickling the web but I haven't gotten anything to come out. Are these likely to be Agelenopsis or are there other types of spiders they might be?
It's always so interesting the read your seasonal posts! Thank you for using your knowlwdge and experience to inspire us to see more than just a spider or web!
There are other members of Agelenidae that make funnel-like retreats and sheet webs. In Minnesota, Tegenaria domestica is typically found in and around homes and the members of the genus Coras (from my experience) are often in woodlands with webs coming out from under fallen logs (Agelenopsis will do this too). As far as the tickling of the web goes...they are surprisingly discerning. I would suggest that you just need to practice being more like an insect; keep in mind that insects are not very heavy and their motion is typically not a steady tapping. Good luck!
Thanks for the info. I've realized that learning about the different types of webs can be just as interesting as the spiders that make them.
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