# 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.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![Cellar Spider](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426094/objects/5982.jpg)

## 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.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Arachnida
- **Order:** Araneae
- **Family:** Pholcidae

## 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

- **Vibration Vision:** Cellar Spider can rapidly vibrate its web because it helps them trick predators and confuse prey, making them harder to catch.
- **Silk Slinger:** Cellar Spider can quickly wrap prey in silk because it helps them immobilize victims, preparing them for a meal or storage.
- **Spider Hunter:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus undulatus*) — Lizards may prey on them if accessible.

## Traits

- [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
- [Web Builder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/web-builder): This trait characterizes organisms that construct elaborate silken webs for catching prey, shelter, or reproduction.
- [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Cellar spiders are harmless to humans and help keep homes bug-free. Avoid touching them to keep them safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Cellar Spider?

Compare body proportions, leg shape, abdomen markings and the web, if there is one. Eye arrangement can be decisive but rarely shows up in a casual phone photo. A web is a supporting clue, not proof of who built it. Spider Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is Cellar Spider?

2-10 mm

### How long does Cellar Spider live?

180-1095 days

### What does Cellar Spider eat?

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

### Where is Cellar Spider usually found?

Urban areas

### How does Cellar Spider hunt?

Ambush

### How many legs does Cellar Spider have?

8

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Cellar Spider: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cellar-spider)