Home / Cellar Spiders / Long Bodied Cellar (Pholcus phalangioides)

Long Bodied Cellar (Pholcus phalangioides)

The long-bodied cellar spiders are quite interesting! Often seen in America’s dark and damp spots, they have really long legs. This is why some folks call them daddy-long-legs. But guess what? Other cellar spiders share this nickname too.

Scientific Classification

Long Bodied Cellar

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

  • 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.
Long Bodied Cellar Spider Size

Eggs

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.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Egg

Spiderlings

Spiderlings have transparent bodies and short legs. As they grow, their skin changes 4-5 times.

Long Bodied Cellar Spiderling

The Web

Long-bodied cellars create loose webs, arranged horizontally in an irregular manner. They don’t eat or ruin their webs but rather keep on adding new layers to the previous ones.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Web

Are Long Bodied Cellar Spiders Venomous?

Yes, Long Bodied Cellar spiders have venom. However, it’s weak and not harmful to humans. They use it mainly to catch tiny bugs for food.

Can Long Bodied Cellar Spiders Bite?

They can bite, but it’s rare. If they do, it might feel a tiny pinch, but it’s not something that causes big problems.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider

Quick Facts

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
Long Bodied Cellar Spider Picture

Did You Know

  • The species is described in 1775 by Johann Kaspar Füssli, the famous Swiss entomologist.
  • Since their cephalothorax resembles a human skull, they are alternately known as the skull spider.

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 cellar spiders are quite interesting! Often seen in America’s dark and damp spots, they have really long legs. This is why some folks call them daddy-long-legs. But guess what? Other cellar spiders share this nickname too.

Long Bodied Cellar

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

  • 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.
Long Bodied Cellar Spider Size

Eggs

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.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Egg

Spiderlings

Spiderlings have transparent bodies and short legs. As they grow, their skin changes 4-5 times.

Long Bodied Cellar Spiderling

The Web

Long-bodied cellars create loose webs, arranged horizontally in an irregular manner. They don’t eat or ruin their webs but rather keep on adding new layers to the previous ones.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider Web

Are Long Bodied Cellar Spiders Venomous?

Yes, Long Bodied Cellar spiders have venom. However, it’s weak and not harmful to humans. They use it mainly to catch tiny bugs for food.

Can Long Bodied Cellar Spiders Bite?

They can bite, but it’s rare. If they do, it might feel a tiny pinch, but it’s not something that causes big problems.

Long Bodied Cellar Spider

Quick Facts

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
Long Bodied Cellar Spider Picture

Did You Know

  • The species is described in 1775 by Johann Kaspar Füssli, the famous Swiss entomologist.
  • Since their cephalothorax resembles a human skull, they are alternately known as the skull spider.

Image Credits: 2.bp.blogspot.com, 4.bp.blogspot.com, C1.staticflickr.com, Spiderid.com, M.espacepourlavie.ca, Kysitesforsale.info, Animalsofupstateny.weebly.com