Both “Daddy Longlegs” are not known to bite. They are non-poisonous and are considered to be beneficial in a garden, ridding it of insects, slugs, and mites. Cellar spiders are classified as short-bodied or long-bodied. When they are not living in the home, garage, or shed, Cellar spiders are found in naturally protected areas like rock piles and caves.ĭespite the urban legend that states, “ Daddy Longlegs are the most poisonous spider but their fangs are too short to bite humans……? Daddy Longlegs do not possess poison glands. Cellar spiders belong to the family Pholcidae about 20 species of cellar spiders live in the U.S. They shake their web violently to ward of predators and use it to catch and eat other spiders, moths, gnats, flies, mosquitoes, and other creatures common indoors. These spiders will eat other spiders, even black widows.Ĭellar Daddy Longlegs do build webs and hang out in ceiling corners. They were always called by the common name of “Daddy Longlegs? by the general public, so because of the confusion, Arachnologists have gone ahead and given Cellar spiders the nickname of “Daddy Longlegs.? Unlike true Daddy Longlegs, Cellar spiders have 2 basic body parts, 8 legs, and 8 eyes (all clumped together). Daddy Longlegs) are in the family Pholcidae. As they grow their bodies develop a pale brown colour.Close-up of Cellar Spider ( Pholcus phalangioides) Cellar spiders: (A.K.A. If you have a good hand lens you can see their internal organs working. The spiderlings are difficult to see without a magnifier, especially as their bodies are transparent. She keeps watch over the healthy young for about another week. The daddy longlegs have a small, oval-shaped, tan, or grey body, surrounded by four pairs of legs that span up to 6 inches. The mother will eat any which hatch unsuccessfully. Long-bodied cellar spiders are most famous for two things: their freakishly long and thin legs and their hilarious alternative moniker daddy longlegs. In comparison, the short-bodied cellar spider has a 1/16 inch long body with legs extending about 5/16 inch 1. The eggs hatch after about four weeks (depending on conditions). The long-bodied cellar spider, for instance, is about 1/4-5/16 inch long with legs extending another 2 inches. The females carry their eggs in a loose bundle. The web itself looks a bit useless, but it can trap flying insects, and the spiders rush up to their victims to snare them further by throwing more silk around them. This has given rise to another common name for them - 'Vibrating Spiders'. If you gently prod one with a finger it will shake and gyrate its body so quickly that it becomes a blur. Special features: Daddy long-legs spiders are frequently found hanging upside-down in a flimsy web of criss-cross threads in the corner of a ceiling. A translucent line marks the dorsal vessel. The head is a darker color around the eyes. These spiders are covered with fine gray hairs. The body and legs are almost translucent. Also found in cellars (sometimes called 'Cellar Spiders') and caves Pholcus phalangioides is pale yellow-brown except for a large gray patch in the center of the cephalothorax. They are active year-round, found in the corners of homes, sides of houses, garages, basements, under stones, caves, and other similar places. Habitat: Found in houses - usually at ceiling height (sometimes called 'Architrave Spiders'). The long-bodied cellar spider is one of the most common spiders in the United States. Life span: The male spiders live for around 2 years, while the female spiders live for up to 3 years
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