Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides. Anti-predator defenses of Pholcus phalangioides (Araneae, Pholcidae), a web-building and web-invading spider. The biology of Pholcus phalangioides (Araneae, Pholcidae) predatory versatility, araneophagy and aggressive mimicry. Predator-prey interactions between jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae) and Pholcus phalangioides (Araneae, Pholcidae). Platycryptus undatus (tan jumping spider) They range in size from 1/4 to 3/8 of an. Herpyllus ecclesiasticus (Eastern parson spider) Commonly referred to as daddy long legs, cellar spiders have distinctive long, skinny legs and a very small body. Steatoda triangulosa (triangulate cobweb spider) Pholcus phalangioides (long-bodied cellar spider)

This globally-distributed urbanite could easily be the second most common household spider in the Eastern United States.Ĭellar spiders are careful parents and guard their eggs and young.Ĭheck out the rest of the spiders that made the countdown: These spiders are harmless, provide parental care, and help control household invertebrates of all kinds. Like many other spiders, the females carefully guard eggs and young ( 2). You may even get to see a female tending to her eggs or young. So the next time you see wispy cobwebs in your basement, take a closer look for one of these long-legged spiders. Long-bodied cellar spiders have a fine-tuned sense of touch, but have very poor eyesight. Though this sometimes works, the jumpers are often able to invade the cellar spider’s web unnoticed. But the cellar spiders have one last trick up their sleeves: when they feel the vibrations of an approaching predator, they begin to rapidly bounce and whirl around in their web to confuse and deter the approaching predator ( 5). Jumping spiders in the genus Portia are able to mimic the cellar spider’s movements in order to lure them in and give them a taste of their own medicine ( 3). Sometimes, the cellar spider even sets up shop in the newly vacant web and captures ensnared insects ( 2). Long-bodied cellar spiders commonly invade the webs of other spiders, mimic prey vibrations, and eat the spider when it comes near ( 4).

Other spiders, however, do have reason to fear this long-legged species. Despite their incredible abundance, these spiders apparently do not bite people and are likely harmless to humans (though still venomous) ( 6). So do we have anything to fear from the omnipresent cellar spider? Well, not as far as anyone knows. Cellar spiders hang upside down in their webs.

Long bodied cellar spiders