Pholcus genus of the Pholcidae family has 321 spiders in all as recorded by the World Spider Catalog in May 2016.
Size: They measure 0.23 – 0.39 inches (0.58 – 0.99 cm) on average, with males being smaller.
Color: Most of them have a brown or tan body with the color varying from one species to another. One of the significant species of this genus, the long-bodied cellar spider have a yellowish-brown with a gray patch on its cephalothorax.
Other Characteristic Features: Most species, particularly the long-bodied cellar spider has thin, long legs that have earned them the alternate name daddy-long-legs.
Female spiders make silken sacs containing about 30 eggs, which hatch in four weeks. The number depends on the species of spiders as some spiders can make up to 3 pouches in their lifetime.
After hatching, the spiderlings stay with their mother during the first week and then drift apart gradually. They go through about 5 or 6 molts and then mature into adults. Sibling cannibalism is common in them.
Their webs are generally loosely spun and flat, while some make irregularly-shaped ones.
Contrary to what people believe, the spiders are not detrimental to people. They don’t have strong jaws to bite and harm humans.
| Distribution | China, Taiwan, Laos, Philippines, Ethiopia, Canary Islands, Vietnam, Korea, Sumatra, Thailand, Japan, USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Congo, Tanzania, and Iran |
| Habitat | Damp places, garages, basements, barns, and sheds |
| Diet | Insects and other spiders like house spiders, redback and huntsman spiders |
| Web Type | Non-sticky webs |
| Lifespan | Around 3 years |
Image Credits: abugblog.blogspot.com
Pholcus genus of the Pholcidae family has 321 spiders in all as recorded by the World Spider Catalog in May 2016.
Size: They measure 0.23 – 0.39 inches (0.58 – 0.99 cm) on average, with males being smaller.
Color: Most of them have a brown or tan body with the color varying from one species to another. One of the significant species of this genus, the long-bodied cellar spider have a yellowish-brown with a gray patch on its cephalothorax.
Other Characteristic Features: Most species, particularly the long-bodied cellar spider has thin, long legs that have earned them the alternate name daddy-long-legs.
Female spiders make silken sacs containing about 30 eggs, which hatch in four weeks. The number depends on the species of spiders as some spiders can make up to 3 pouches in their lifetime.
After hatching, the spiderlings stay with their mother during the first week and then drift apart gradually. They go through about 5 or 6 molts and then mature into adults. Sibling cannibalism is common in them.
Their webs are generally loosely spun and flat, while some make irregularly-shaped ones.
Contrary to what people believe, the spiders are not detrimental to people. They don’t have strong jaws to bite and harm humans.
| Distribution | China, Taiwan, Laos, Philippines, Ethiopia, Canary Islands, Vietnam, Korea, Sumatra, Thailand, Japan, USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Congo, Tanzania, and Iran |
| Habitat | Damp places, garages, basements, barns, and sheds |
| Diet | Insects and other spiders like house spiders, redback and huntsman spiders |
| Web Type | Non-sticky webs |
| Lifespan | Around 3 years |
Image Credits: abugblog.blogspot.com
