Cellar Spider

Pholcidae

Cellar spiders, also known as daddy long-legs, are delicate spiders with long, thin legs. They are helpful because they catch and eat other insects in homes.

Habitat: Urban areas

Appearance

The Cellar Spider has a small, delicate body, typically pale grey, yellow, or brown, with extremely long, thin, and fragile-looking legs. Its disproportionately long legs make it visually distinct and give it a gangly appearance compared to other common household spiders.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassArachnidaOrderAraneaeFamilyPholcidae

Cellar Spider

Interesting facts

Female cellar spiders carry their eggs in their jaws until they hatch!

Their venom is not dangerous to humans, despite urban myths!

These clever spiders can share webs with others without fighting!

They are often called 'daddy long-legs', but they are not harvestmen!

Special abilities

Cellar Spider can rapidly vibrate its web because it helps them trick predators and confuse prey, making them harder to catch.

Cellar Spider can quickly wrap prey in silk because it helps them immobilize victims, preparing them for a meal or storage.

Cellar Spider can hunt other spiders, even larger ones, because they are expert ambush predators that use their long legs to their advantage.

Measurements & details

Size: 2-10 mm
Lifespan: 180-1095 days
Leg Count: 8

Diet & Feeding

These tiny hunters eat insects and other spiders by wrapping them tightly in silk!

Primary Foods

Flies
Mosquitoes
Ants
Other spiders
Small insects

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

hunts

Common House Spider

Parasteatoda tepidariorum

Preys on them in shared indoor spaces.

eats

House Fly

Musca domestica

Traps and consumes these flying insects.

eaten by

Eastern Fence Lizard

Sceloporus undulatus

Lizards may prey on them if accessible.

Traits

Wildlife

Step into the incredible world of wild animals and plants living freely in nature. From tiny insects to towering trees, it's all part of the wild wonders around us!

Web Builder

Witness the incredible artistry of creatures that weave intricate, silken structures right before your eyes. They create amazing traps and homes using their own unique silk.

Insectivorous

Discover clever creatures that specialize in munching on insects, playing a super important role in keeping bug populations in check. They are nature's tiny bug vacuums!