Grass Spider?

[johnbkworm]

it was approximately February or March at around 2-3AM in my basement bedroom... Toronto ON. the eye pattern may indicate it is a grass spider? but I'm not sure.... glad to have taken a picture of it though although over exposed.

[Eric]

John:

I think that is a very nice image! Yes, it is indeed a member of the Agelenidae family, probably Agelenopsis, though I can't be positive. Mandy knows the grass spiders better than I do.

Eric

[Mandy]

I agree that it's most likely an Agelenopsis ("grass spider"). There are at least 4 different species there in Ontario, but they all look nearly identical to the naked eye and can only be told apart by using a microscope.

She must have spent the winter in your house in order to still be alive and of that size in February or March. The adults typically die with the first frost and the new babies emerge from their egg sacs in the spring.

Really great image!