Spider ID help needed - Ask Extension
We've had this big beautiful spider on our front door all day. (A great addition for Halloween!) It hasn't moved all day, and is still there tonight. ...
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Spider ID help needed #815659
Asked November 01, 2022, 4:00 AM EDT
We've had this big beautiful spider on our front door all day. (A great addition for Halloween!) It hasn't moved all day, and is still there tonight. We haven't disturbed it at all. I'm not sure if it's a grass/funnel weaver or a wolf spider. I have included a photo with my hand for size comparison. Please advise. Thank you!
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
It looks like a grass spider - one of the species in the genus Agelenopsis, not a wolf spider.
It's curious that it stayed out in the open on your door. They will roam around at times but generally hang out in more sheltered areas. Perhaps it was cold or just wanted to impress your trick or treaters
One feature of the grass and funnel weaver spiders are the prominent spinnerets on the rear end of the body. Other spiders don't have as prominent spinnerets.
Another helpful character are their eye arrangements. Wolf spiders have a pair of very large "middle" eyes and a pair of top eyes that seem to be looking backwards. The grass and funnel weavers have more uniform sized eyes and lack the "backwards" pair of wolf spiders.
https://bugguide.net/node/view/84423#:~:text=Overall%2C%2099%25%20of%20all%20spiders,six%20eyes%2C%20and%20two%20eyes.
It's curious that it stayed out in the open on your door. They will roam around at times but generally hang out in more sheltered areas. Perhaps it was cold or just wanted to impress your trick or treaters
One feature of the grass and funnel weaver spiders are the prominent spinnerets on the rear end of the body. Other spiders don't have as prominent spinnerets.
Another helpful character are their eye arrangements. Wolf spiders have a pair of very large "middle" eyes and a pair of top eyes that seem to be looking backwards. The grass and funnel weavers have more uniform sized eyes and lack the "backwards" pair of wolf spiders.
https://bugguide.net/node/view/84423#:~:text=Overall%2C%2099%25%20of%20all%20spiders,six%20eyes%2C%20and%20two%20eyes.
