Desert Grass Spider 2
Also known as the western funnelweb spider or funnel weaver, the desert grass spider is a large highly territorial member of the Agelenidae family of spiders that can be found in the arid Southeastern United States and Northern Mexico. Although it is called a grass spider, it is most often found in prairies, rock piles and in thorny brush in its very characteristic and large non-sticky funnel web with a tubular "hole" where it waits for prey. This large female was found in a mesquite thicket just south of Mission, Texas using a Christmas cholla cactus to support its web. If you look closely, you can see she's lost a foreleg and pedipalp some time ago, and now they are growing back. Both will get closer to full-length each time she molts.
- Copyright
- Rich Leighton
- Image Size
- 5054x3373 / 16.5MB
- Keywords
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Agelenidae, Agelenopsis, Agelenopsis aperta, animal, Animalia, arachnid, Arachnida, arachnophobia, Araneae, Araneomorphae, arthropod, Arthropoda, autumn, bug, Chelicerata, desert grass spider, fall, funnel weaver, funnel-web spider, grass spider, Hidalgo County, hunter, invertebrate, Mission, Mission Hike and Bike Trail, nature, predator, spider, Texas, venomous, Western funnelweb spider, wildlife
- Contained in galleries
- Spiders