Fauna
Arachnid

Utah Funnelweb Spider

Agelenopsis utahana

Also known as Utah Grass Spider

Utah funnelweb spiders spin non-sticky horizontal sheet webs topped with a dense tangle of barrier threads that knock flying or jumping insects onto the surface. Resting out of sight inside a silken funnel tube, the spider detects vibrations instantly and sprints across the sheet at remarkable speed to deliver a subduing bite. Mature individuals appear primarily in late summer and autumn, when males leave their webs to wander in search of receptive females before the first hard frost.

Web BuilderFast RunnerAmbush Predator
Utah Funnelweb Spider reference1 / 2
(c) Gergin Blagoev, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyGrasshoppers, Flies, Moths
Predators
  • Birds
  • Spider wasps
  • Small mammals
ThreatsPesticide applications, lawn mowing, and agricultural intensification
HabitatsGrasslands, forest edges, rocky hillsides, meadows, and suburban gardens
Life span1 year
Classification
  1. FamilyAgelenidae
  2. SpeciesAgelenopsis utahana
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Harmless to people: venom is not medically significant and the spider flees down its funnel when disturbed.
Responsible observation
  • Web Spotting: Look for dew-covered sheet webs across low grass and shrubs early on cool mornings.
  • Gentle Observation: Lightly touching a single grass blade to the sheet edge can draw the spider to its entrance.
  • Gentle Relocation: If one enters a home, guide it into a cup with a sheet of paper to move it outside.
Related species
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