The long-bodied (alternatively written long bodies) cellar spiders are a common American species, found in dark and damp places most of the time. Due to its long legs, it is known as daddy-long-legs, but that is not exclusive to this species, as other cellar spiders are also known by the same name colloquially.
Size: Females are approximately 0.35 inches (9 mm) with 2.7 inches (7cm) leg span, while males are comparatively smaller, around 0.23 inches (6 mm).
Color: They have a yellowish-brown body with a big, gray patch at the middle of their cephalothorax. Their body and legs are translucent with grey hairs all over.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a cylindrical abdomen, and a round, peanut-shaped cephalothorax.
Females produce three egg sacs in their lifetime with each containing 13-60 eggs. They carry the sacs in their pedipalps located at the front, near the mouth.
Spiderlings have transparent bodies and short legs. As they grow, their skin changes 4-5 times.
Long bodied cellars create loose webs, arranged horizontally in an irregular manner. They don’t eat or ruin their webs, rather keep on adding new layers of it to the previous ones.
There is a myth of these spiders being venomous, though the fact remains unproven. Rather, they are said to be harmless to humans, and also beneficial since their webs have medicinal uses.
| Other Names | Daddy long-legs spider, Skull spider |
| Distribution | Asia, Europe, Africa, South America |
| Habitat | Caves, cellars, garages, and warehouses, and basements |
| Web Type | Large, irregular |
| Diet | Woodlice, mosquitoes, and other spiders like the redback |
| Lifespan | Around 2 years |
| Predators | Other bigger spiders |
| IUCN Conservation Status | Not listed |
Image Credits: 2.bp.blogspot.com, 4.bp.blogspot.com, C1.staticflickr.com, Spiderid.com, M.espacepourlavie.ca, Kysitesforsale.info, Animalsofupstateny.weebly.com
The long-bodied (alternatively written long bodies) cellar spiders are a common American species, found in dark and damp places most of the time. Due to its long legs, it is known as daddy-long-legs, but that is not exclusive to this species, as other cellar spiders are also known by the same name colloquially.
Size: Females are approximately 0.35 inches (9 mm) with 2.7 inches (7cm) leg span, while males are comparatively smaller, around 0.23 inches (6 mm).
Color: They have a yellowish-brown body with a big, gray patch at the middle of their cephalothorax. Their body and legs are translucent with grey hairs all over.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a cylindrical abdomen, and a round, peanut-shaped cephalothorax.
Females produce three egg sacs in their lifetime with each containing 13-60 eggs. They carry the sacs in their pedipalps located at the front, near the mouth.
Spiderlings have transparent bodies and short legs. As they grow, their skin changes 4-5 times.
Long bodied cellars create loose webs, arranged horizontally in an irregular manner. They don’t eat or ruin their webs, rather keep on adding new layers of it to the previous ones.
There is a myth of these spiders being venomous, though the fact remains unproven. Rather, they are said to be harmless to humans, and also beneficial since their webs have medicinal uses.
| Other Names | Daddy long-legs spider, Skull spider |
| Distribution | Asia, Europe, Africa, South America |
| Habitat | Caves, cellars, garages, and warehouses, and basements |
| Web Type | Large, irregular |
| Diet | Woodlice, mosquitoes, and other spiders like the redback |
| Lifespan | Around 2 years |
| Predators | Other bigger spiders |
| IUCN Conservation Status | Not listed |
Image Credits: 2.bp.blogspot.com, 4.bp.blogspot.com, C1.staticflickr.com, Spiderid.com, M.espacepourlavie.ca, Kysitesforsale.info, Animalsofupstateny.weebly.com
