Pest profile

Barn Funnel Weaver

Tegenaria domestica · Araneae: Agelenidae[3]

The barn funnel weaver is a fast, shy funnel-web spider of sheds, barns and door crevices, found in buildings at any time of year.[1]

Barn funnel weaver, a brownish spider with banded legs and a mottled abdomen, on a pale surface
Barn funnel weaver, a brownish spider with banded legs and a mottled abdomen, on a pale surface. (c) Sebastian Serna Muñoz, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • Females are 7.5 to 11.5 mm long and males 6 to 9 mm.[1]
  • The front body section is red-brown with pale yellow hairs and two pale gray stripes; the abdomen is pinkish to pale with gray to black patches.[1]
  • The legs are spiny, with very pale gray rings at the ends of the femurs.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Grass spidersTheir sheet webs are larger, with the retreat off to one side; the barn funnel weaver's retreat sits within the web sheet.[1]

Where it lives

It's found throughout most of the United States, though it isn't commonly seen in some areas.[1]

US map: public records from 43 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

It lives in sheds and barns, in and around door crevices, in cracks of rock faces and under rocks and boards.[1]

Barn funnel weavers have been reported to live as long as seven years and to make upward of nine egg sacs, often hung on silk above the web.[1]

Males share webs with females during the May to July mating season.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Penn State Extension mentions no damage; it's most often seen in sheds and barns and around doors.[1]

Health risk

No bites are documented; Penn State expects any bite would be no worse than a grass spider's, with pain, swelling, redness and itching.[1]

Control

Keep them out

Seal cracks and gaps around doors and windows, and keep screens tight.[2]

Sanitation

Clean up clutter in garages, sheds, basements and storage areas, wearing gloves to avoid accidental bites.[2]

Traps and physical control

Vacuum spiders and webs from corners and seldom-used areas, and sweep or hose webs off buildings.[2]

Pesticides

UC IPM says insecticide sprays give only temporary control unless paired with housekeeping, and crushing or vacuuming a spider is just as easy.[2]

Common questions

What spider builds a small sheet web with a funnel in my shed?
It may be a barn funnel weaver; its retreat sits within the web sheet.[1]
How long do barn funnel weavers live?
They have been reported to live as long as seven years.[1]

Sources

  1. Penn State Extension, “Barn Funnel Weaver Spider.” extension.psu.edu/barn-funnel-weaver-spider (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Spiders (Pest Notes, Home and Landscape).” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/spiders/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. iNaturalist, “Tegenaria domestica taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/153507 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.