A type of arachnid related to spiders known as an Opilione or sometimes as a harvestman. A species of spider called Pholcus phalangioides which is found in cellars, basements and dark corners of houses. It's also called the Daddy Long Legs spider or Cellar spider.
Though many people believe a daddy longlegs to be a type of spider — likely due to their eight legs — they actually lack two crucial features of the arachnid family: the ability to produce silk and venom. They are actually members of the crane fly family, of which there are 94 species in the UK.
They are also called “harvestmen” because some species undergo a seasonal population explosion each autumn around the farm harvest. Their repugnatorial glands produce acrid secretions to repel predators. The 6400 species are more closely related to mites than true spiders.
Harvestmen are most commonly found throughout the damper regions of Australia although some species have adapted to life in the more arid regions of the country. Most live in moist leaf litter but can also be found living under rocks and logs or under the bark of trees.
Unlike spiders, the head, thorax and abdomen of a harvestman are a compact oval body and appear fused. Spiders also have venomous fangs, while harvestmen do not have venom glands or silk glands. Harvestmen pose no danger to humans.
You could even say that daddy longlegs are one of the most benign insects around. They don't bite or poison anyone, and they are not garden or farm pests. They are just gentle, gawky bugs that like nothing better than meeting up together and having a communal gathering.
They're the Good Guys
Daddy long legs eat spiders, earthworms, and other insects. They'll also scavenge for dead insects, decaying plant material and insect eggs if live prey isn't available.
Daddy longlegs are beneficial to the environment. They prey and scavenge on other pests. daddy longlegs cause no harm to structures or to the people inhabiting them.
Letting daddy long legs stick around in your home may benefit you in the long run. Not only do they act as vacuums for other insects like spiders and ladybugs, but they are also great for clearing up fungus and other nasty particles in your home. These wall-jumping insects are ideal for ridding your home of: Spider.
The average life span of an adult daddy long legs can vary from 223-774 days and in that time the female may produce from two to eight egg sacs containing a mix of fertilised and unfertilised eggs.
Peppermint spray works wonders for keeping the corners of your home clear from daddy long legs. While it shouldn't be used to kill them, it is the perfect preventative treatment which happens to smell rather nice.
According to this myth, each daddy longlegs possessed a scythe they would use to help local farmers harvest crops. Killing a “harvestman” was thus bad luck. According to an old French peasant legend, seeing a daddy longlegs in the evening is a good thing, foretelling good fortune, happiness, and hope.
Dead insects, rotting fruit, mushrooms, and animal drop- pings—these are just a few of the things that most daddy longlegs eat. Some catch small insects and other prey. Get a leg up on this amazing creature.
Scientists believe that daddy longlegs feels no pain with a detached leg due to the automatic nature of this defense mechanism. It's an autotomy process, the voluntary release of a body part. And in case you were wondering, no new legs grow in to replace the detached ones.
The Daddy-long-legs Spider feeds on insects and other spiders.
Like most spiders, the daddy long legs spider is not known to pose any threat to humans, whether in terms of spider bites or venom. On the other hand, the harvestmen are poisonous, but they too do not pose any threat to humans.
Tip for preventing daddy long legs: Pour 1 cup white vinegar and 1/3 cup vanilla extract into a spray bottle and shake. Spray areas where the daddy long legs have been spotted indoors and out. The smell will repel the insects.
If you look closely, the male has a square-ended body, but the female has a long, sharp-ended body - this stinger-like 'tail' is her ovipositor, which she uses to lay her eggs in the ground.
Granddaddy long legs are actually quite beneficial in your home and garden. They are omnivores with a wide, varied diet. They eat everything from spiders, insects, worms, and snails to bird droppings, and fungus. Think of them as permanent pest control for your yard and garden.
Daddy long legs spider - Pholcus phalangioides
If disturbed they vibrate in their webs, which is probably a way to frighten predators. They feed on any insects found in homes and will also take other spiders, including surprisingly large house spiders (Tegenaria species).
Daddy longlegs can secrete a glue-like substance they use to trap prey, similar to how a spider spins a web to catch unsuspecting critters. They are most dormant during the day but will come out at night to hunt small bugs and arthropods such as ants, aphids, worms, and beetles.
In the wilderness, Daddy-Long-Legs spiders like to build their homes in dark, damp areas – for instance, under rocks, in caves, and in abandoned burrows. In urban areas, Daddy-Long-Legs spiders live alongside humans in quiet, undisturbed areas of the home – for instance, in corners, attics, and cellars.
They are often very shy and mimic their surroundings as they patiently sit and wait for prey. This may also enable them to evade predators such as birds. Legs are the daddy longlegs' most important body part.
If you sprinkle boric acid in places where daddy longlegs enter your home you should be able to repel or kill them.