Funnel Weavers
Agelenidae
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Chelicerata
- Class: Arachnida
- Order: Araneae
- Infraorder: Araneomorphae
- Family: Agelenidae
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Agelenidae: /ˌædʒəˈlɛnɪˌdiː/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Images
Summary
Agelenidae, known as funnel weavers, are a large family of spiders characterized by their funnel-shaped webs. They are commonly found in North America and are mostly harmless to humans, with a few exceptions.
Physical Characteristics
Body length: 4-20 mm; eyes in two horizontal rows of four; cephalothorax narrows towards the front; abdomen oval, patterned with lines and spots; some species have longitudinal lines on the dorsal surface of the cephalothorax.
Identification Tips
Identification of Tegenaria and Eratigena spiders can be problematic and often requires microscopic inspection of the genitalia.
Habitat
Commonly found in scrubland, grass, or near structures where they construct funnel-shaped webs.
Distribution
Prolific throughout the continental United States, Canada, Alaska, and Hawaii; ~114 species and 5 subspecies in North America north of Mexico.
Diet
Primarily insects, opportunistic hunters that may also consume other funnel weavers.
Life Cycle
Most funnel weavers only live for a year or two; males wander in search of mates, while females remain in webs for most of their lives and lay eggs in fall or as conditions permit.
Reproduction
Males wander to find females, while females often do not move from their webs; some species deposit an egg sac in a crevice after mating and then die.
Predators
Other spiders, birds, and small mammals may prey on funnel weavers.
Ecosystem Role
Important predators of insects in their habitats, helping to maintain ecological balance.
Cultural Significance
The family is well-known due to prominent members like the 'grass spider' and is often featured in popular culture, discussing spiders.
Health Concerns
Most species are harmless, but the bite of Eratigena agrestis (Hobo Spider) is debated to cause necrotic lesions.
Collecting Methods
- Hand collection under cover at night
- Using pooters or aspirators to collect individuals from webs
- Using a sweep net in suitable habitats
Preservation Methods
- Ethanol fixation
- Freezing for morphological studies
Misconceptions
The term 'funnel-web spiders' often confuses Agelenidae with the Hexathelidae family, which contains venomous species like the Australian funnel-web spiders that are harmful to humans.
Tags
- spiders
- Agelenidae
- funnel weavers
- arachnology
- entomology