Big Brown Grass Spiders

Spiders are beneficial in controlling insect population.

A big, brown grass spider, commonly known as the grass spider, is a member of the genus Agelenopsis. The genus name Agelena comes from the Greek word "to look like."

Identification

Grass spiders may grow up to 19 mm long. They have eight eyes in three rows. The top row has two eyes, the middle four and the bottom two. Mainly brown and tan in color, grass spiders have brown banding around the legs and down the back.

Hunting

The grass spider's web is not sticky, therefore the grass spider can run very quickly to hunt down its prey. The grass spider is not poisonous to humans but its bite will cause paralysis in insects.

Location

Grass spiders are very common in North America and Canada. They mostly live outdoors in the grass as their name suggests. They can be found indoors as well, more commonly during the warmer months.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension: Common Spiders In and Around Homes

Resources

• Stretcher.com: Natural Spider Control