Meet the marbled cellar spider! Many call it the “daddy-long-legs” because of its long, thin legs. These cellar spiders love to hang out in homes, especially in attics and basements, making silky webs. Discover fascinating facts about them as you read on!
Female spiders lay approximately 200 eggs in a sac, taking about three weeks before hatching.
After hatching, the female leaves the spiderlings, who construct their own sheet web to capture prey or join an existing one.
These spiders have a unique webbing behavior. Some weave solitary webs, while the majority of the marbled cellar spider species join the existing webs made by other spiders of their clan. Most of them shift to new webs several times in their lifetime.
They build two types of webs – curved prey-capture sheets and dome-shaped webs. The latter is used by females carrying eggs to give birth safely.
Yes, Marbled Cellar spiders do have venom. But it’s mainly for catching the small bugs they like to eat. It’s not something people usually need to worry about.
Technically, they can. But these spiders are super peaceful. They might bite if they feel trapped, but they’d rather stay away and mind their own business.
Marbled cellar spiders play a significant role in controlling pest populations, feeding on common household insects. Their tendency to occupy human dwellings turns them into inadvertent allies in pest management.
Natural Predator: Jumping spiders are known predators of the marbled cellar spider, capable of navigating the complex webs to hunt them down.
Prey-Predator Dynamics: The diet of marbled cellar spiders mainly consists of flying insects, which they capture in their webs. This interaction between predator and prey helps to control the population of pests within their ecosystem.
Relationship with Humans: Generally, marbled cellar spiders are seen favorably by humans due to their pest control contributions. They are non-aggressive, rarely bite, and their venom is not a concern for human health.
| Lifespan | 1-3 years |
| Distribution | Native: Mediterranean area of Europe and Northern Africa Invasive: North Pacific region of the United States |
| Habitat | Basement areas, caves, rocky crevices, and warm terrains |
| Common Predators | Jumping spiders |
| Diet | Damselflies, fruit flies, and houseflies |
In summary, the marbled cellar spider is a fascinating and beneficial arachnid, whose habits and behaviors contribute positively to their ecosystem, and consequently, to human environments.
Meet the marbled cellar spider! Many call it the “daddy-long-legs” because of its long, thin legs. These cellar spiders love to hang out in homes, especially in attics and basements, making silky webs. Discover fascinating facts about them as you read on!
Female spiders lay approximately 200 eggs in a sac, taking about three weeks before hatching.
After hatching, the female leaves the spiderlings, who construct their own sheet web to capture prey or join an existing one.
These spiders have a unique webbing behavior. Some weave solitary webs, while the majority of the marbled cellar spider species join the existing webs made by other spiders of their clan. Most of them shift to new webs several times in their lifetime.
They build two types of webs – curved prey-capture sheets and dome-shaped webs. The latter is used by females carrying eggs to give birth safely.
Yes, Marbled Cellar spiders do have venom. But it’s mainly for catching the small bugs they like to eat. It’s not something people usually need to worry about.
Technically, they can. But these spiders are super peaceful. They might bite if they feel trapped, but they’d rather stay away and mind their own business.
Marbled cellar spiders play a significant role in controlling pest populations, feeding on common household insects. Their tendency to occupy human dwellings turns them into inadvertent allies in pest management.
Natural Predator: Jumping spiders are known predators of the marbled cellar spider, capable of navigating the complex webs to hunt them down.
Prey-Predator Dynamics: The diet of marbled cellar spiders mainly consists of flying insects, which they capture in their webs. This interaction between predator and prey helps to control the population of pests within their ecosystem.
Relationship with Humans: Generally, marbled cellar spiders are seen favorably by humans due to their pest control contributions. They are non-aggressive, rarely bite, and their venom is not a concern for human health.
| Lifespan | 1-3 years |
| Distribution | Native: Mediterranean area of Europe and Northern Africa Invasive: North Pacific region of the United States |
| Habitat | Basement areas, caves, rocky crevices, and warm terrains |
| Common Predators | Jumping spiders |
| Diet | Damselflies, fruit flies, and houseflies |
In summary, the marbled cellar spider is a fascinating and beneficial arachnid, whose habits and behaviors contribute positively to their ecosystem, and consequently, to human environments.
Roy Williams on May 13, 2022.
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