Arachnid · GBIF taxon 2139661
Utah Funnelweb Spider
Agelenopsis utahanaAlso 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
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Grasshoppers
- 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
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAgelenidae
- SpeciesAgelenopsis utahana
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- 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.
Predator (c) dhasdf, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative WanderingMogwai / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Arsen Vorobei, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Same Family (c) Tone Killick, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Tone Killick · cc-by
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