Feb 16, 2024 | Georgia Blogs, Pest Control
By Anna V., Editorial Lead — Pest Education · Last updated: May 2026
Few household pests collect as many bad facts as the daddy long legs spider. The “world’s most venomous spider but can’t bite you” story has been around forever. The “it’s actually a fly, not a spider” theory has its own corner of the internet. At Northwest, we field these questions every spring from Georgia and Alabama homeowners spotting long-legged spiders in basements, garages, and ceiling corners. The truth is much less dramatic and much more useful: the daddy long legs spider is a real spider (eight legs, two body parts, makes silk), it’s almost entirely harmless to humans and pets, and it actually helps keep other household pests in check.
Here’s what a daddy long legs spider actually is, how to tell it apart from the bug it gets confused with most often (the crane fly), and what to do when you find one in the house.
The daddy long legs you see indoors is almost always a Pholcidae spider, not a fly.
What Is a Daddy Long Legs Spider?
The term “daddy long legs” gets applied to three different creatures depending on where in the country you grew up. In the Southeast, when someone says they have a daddy long legs in the house, they almost always mean a cellar spider (family Pholcidae). These are real spiders: eight legs, two clear body segments (cephalothorax and abdomen), silk-producing spinnerets, the works.
The other two creatures sometimes called “daddy long legs” are:
- Harvestmen (order Opiliones) — arachnids, but not actually spiders. One fused body segment, no silk, no venom. Typically outdoors.
- Crane flies (order Diptera) — actual insects with six legs and wings. They look like enormous mosquitoes and show up around porch lights. They don’t bite. They don’t sting. They aren’t spiders at all.
For homeowners spotting one indoors, the answer is almost always option one: a Pholcidae spider. If you want the full myth-busting overview of all three creatures and why the name gets so confused, see our guide to granddaddy long legs myths vs facts.
Daddy Long Legs Spider vs Crane Fly & Other Lookalikes
The single most common identification mistake we see homeowners make is calling a crane fly a spider. They have very different bodies once you know what to look for.
Eight legs and two body parts mean spider. Six legs and wings mean crane fly.
Spider vs Insect Anatomy
The fastest way to tell them apart is to count legs and body segments:
- Spiders have 8 legs, 2 body parts, no antennae, and produce silk.
- Insects (including crane flies) have 6 legs, 3 body parts, antennae, and do not produce silk.
If you can see a small tangled web nearby, you’re looking at a spider. If the creature has wings, you’re looking at an insect.
Visual Cues at a Glance
Daddy long legs spiders hang upside down in messy, irregular webs strung across ceiling corners and the angles where walls meet shelving units. They move with a distinctive “bouncing” motion when their web is disturbed (it’s a defense behavior). Crane flies, by contrast, are usually seen flying clumsily around porch lights, resting on exterior walls, or sometimes blundering into the kitchen through an open door. They don’t sit in webs because they don’t make them.
Are Daddy Long Legs Spiders Dangerous?
This is the question we get most often. The short answer: no.
The “world’s most venomous spider but their fangs can’t pierce human skin” story is almost completely false. Two pieces of it are true: Pholcidae spiders do produce a small amount of venom (they use it to subdue prey), and their chelicerae (mouthparts) are indeed quite small. But the venom itself is not exceptionally potent, especially not to humans. The few documented Pholcidae bites on humans show only minor, brief irritation — less than a mosquito bite, in most cases. There is no medical record of a serious human reaction.
Three plain facts about daddy long legs spider safety:
- They almost never bite humans. Bites only occur if the spider is physically pressed against skin (caught under clothing, trapped against a hand).
- Their venom is not dangerous. The “world’s most venomous” claim is internet folklore with no scientific basis.
- They actively help with other pests. Pholcidae spiders eat mosquitoes, gnats, flies, moths, and even other spiders. A small population in a garage or basement is essentially free natural pest control.
The University of Georgia Extension’s guide to common household spiders confirms the same: Pholcidae are among the most harmless spiders you’ll encounter indoors in the Southeast.
Daddy Long Legs Spider Behavior & Habitat
Where you find a daddy long legs spider in your Georgia or Alabama home tells you a lot about how it got there and how to handle it.
Where They Live Indoors
Daddy long legs spiders are drawn to undisturbed corners and dim, slightly humid spaces. The most common indoor locations:
- Ceiling corners of basements, garages, and crawl spaces
- Under stairs, in laundry rooms, and around hot water heaters
- Inside sheds, detached garages, and outbuildings
- Behind rarely-moved furniture and stored boxes
What They Eat
Pholcidae spiders are predators. Their diet inside a house includes:
- Mosquitoes, gnats, fungus gnats
- House flies and fruit flies
- Moths and small beetles
- Other spiders, including larger species like wolf spiders (they’re surprisingly aggressive predators of bigger spiders)
This last point is worth pausing on. A daddy long legs spider in your garage is actively reducing the population of more concerning spiders nearby. We’ve seen homes with persistent wolf spider sightings clear up after homeowners stopped knocking down Pholcidae webs.
Daddy Long Legs Spider in Your Home: When You See Them and Why
Indoor daddy long legs sightings spike at two predictable times of year in the Southeast:
- Early fall (September through November), when outdoor temperatures drop and the insects spiders feed on start moving indoors looking for shelter. The spiders follow.
- Late summer (July through August), when peak indoor insect populations attract more spiders into rooms with the worst pest pressure (kitchens with fruit flies, bathrooms with drain flies, basements with fungus gnats).
If you’re suddenly seeing more daddy long legs than usual, the message is almost always: there’s another pest issue inside that’s drawing them. Address the small flies, mosquitoes, or fungus gnats and the spider numbers drop on their own.
A cup and piece of cardboard handles most indoor sightings without anyone getting hurt.
How to Manage or Remove Daddy Long Legs Spiders
Most homeowners want a daddy long legs spider gone for one of two reasons: the webs look bad, or there are a lot of them in one room. Neither is dangerous, but both are addressable.
Prevention
- Seal entry points. Cracks around windows, gaps in foundation, openings around utility lines, torn weatherstripping. Spiders walk in through the same gaps as ants and roaches.
- Cut indoor insect populations. Drain flies, fruit flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and moths are the food source. Less food, fewer spiders.
- Reduce clutter in basements, garages, and storage areas. Spiders need stable, undisturbed surfaces to build webs.
- Manage humidity. Pholcidae prefer slightly damp environments. A dehumidifier in a wet basement reduces their preferred conditions.
- Move outdoor lights away from entry doors. Porch lights pull insects toward the house. Insects pull spiders.
Humane Removal
For one or two spiders, the simplest method is the cup-and-cardboard relocation. Slide a glass cup over the spider, slide cardboard underneath, carry it outside, release. Vacuum cleaner attachments work too if you’d rather not handle the spider directly. For visible webs, a long-handled duster or vacuum hose attachment clears them in seconds without harming the surrounding paint.
When Professional Help Makes Sense
Call for professional pest control if:
- You’re seeing more than 10 to 15 daddy long legs spiders in a single room consistently.
- Webs reappear within 24 to 48 hours of being cleared.
- You’re also seeing other pests (small flies, moths, mosquitoes) indoors, which means the underlying food source needs treatment.
- You want a clean exclusion plan that addresses entry points along with current activity.
(Spiders keep coming back faster than you can clear them? Request a free Northwest inspection and we’ll find the actual source.)
Daddy Long Legs Spiders vs Other Common Household Spiders
If you’re trying to figure out exactly which spider you’ve got, the most important distinction is between daddy long legs spiders (harmless, helpful) and the few spider species that actually warrant concern in the Southeast.
- Daddy long legs spider (Pholcidae) — small body, very long thin legs, tangled corner webs. Harmless.
- Cellar spider — technically the same as a daddy long legs spider in most cases. See our detailed cellar spider vs daddy long legs comparison.
- Wolf spider — large, hairy body, ground-dwelling, doesn’t make webs. Not dangerous but startling.
- Orb weaver — large symmetrical webs (the classic Halloween web shape). Outdoor species, mostly harmless.
- Brown recluse — uncommon but present in parts of the Southeast. Small brown body with a violin-shaped marking on the back. Bite is medically significant. If you’re not sure, call us.
- Black widow — jet-black body, red hourglass on the underside. Bite is medically significant. Less common indoors than outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions About Daddy Long Legs Spiders
Do daddy long legs spiders spin webs?
Yes. Pholcidae spiders produce loose, irregular, tangled webs in ceiling corners, the angles between walls and floors, and the upper corners of basements and garages. The web is the easiest way to confirm you’re looking at a spider and not a crane fly (which has no web).
What do daddy long legs spiders eat?
They eat small flying insects (mosquitoes, fruit flies, gnats, moths) and surprisingly often, other spiders. A small population in a garage or basement is effectively free pest control for the kinds of bugs you don’t want.
Can daddy long legs spiders bite humans?
Bites are extraordinarily rare and typically only occur if the spider is trapped against skin. Symptoms are mild — usually less than a mosquito bite — and the persistent rumor that their venom is “the most dangerous in the world” is not supported by any scientific evidence.
Are daddy long legs spiders helpful?
Yes. They actively reduce other indoor pest populations, including more concerning spider species like wolf spiders. Most pest professionals (including ours) tell homeowners to leave one or two alone in the garage or basement as a form of natural pest control.
How do I get rid of daddy long legs spiders if I want them gone?
Seal entry points around windows and foundation, address the indoor insect populations they feed on, cut clutter in storage areas, and relocate visible spiders with a cup-and-cardboard method. If they keep returning quickly, there’s usually a moisture or food-source issue worth a professional inspection.
When spiders keep returning, the issue is usually whatever they’re eating.
Stop Worrying About Daddy Long Legs Spiders
If you’re seeing daddy long legs spiders and you’d rather not, the good news is they’re one of the easiest spider issues to solve. They’re harmless, they respond to environmental changes, and they’re often a signal that another (more fixable) pest issue is going on indoors. Northwest’s team has been clearing spider problems out of Georgia and Alabama homes for decades, and most of what we do for spider calls is actually addressing the food source they’re feeding on.
About the Author
Anna Vaccaro, Editorial Lead — Pest Education leads pest education content for Northwest Exterminating, working with senior technicians and service center managers across our Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina service areas to translate field expertise into homeowner-friendly guides. The focus: accurate, regionally-specific answers to the pest questions Southeast homeowners are actually searching for.
Jan 5, 2024 | Pest Control
Georgia is no stranger to household pests. One common visitor that many Georgians encounter is the daddy long legs, a unique arachnid that often finds its way into homes. In this blog post, we’ll explore what attracts daddy long legs, how to identify them, reasons for a daddy long legs infestation, whether they pose a threat to humans, and effective ways to prevent and eliminate them. If you’re dealing with a daddy long legs infestation, read on for valuable insights and practical solutions.
Identifying Daddy Long Legs
Daddy long legs, scientifically known as Opiliones, are not true spiders but belong to the arachnid family. They are characterized by their long, thin legs and small, oval-shaped bodies. Unlike spiders, daddy long legs have a fused body structure and lack venom glands. Their appearance can sometimes be confused with cellar spiders, but the absence of a segmented body distinguishes them.
Why Daddy Long Legs Invade Homes
Understanding the reasons behind daddy long legs entering homes is crucial for effective control. These arachnids are attracted to damp and dark environments, making basements, crawl spaces, and garages ideal habitats. Additionally, they are opportunistic feeders, preying on small insects and other arthropods found in and around homes. The presence of abundant prey can draw daddy long legs indoors.
Are Daddy Long Legs Dangerous to Humans?
The good news is that daddy long legs are not harmful to humans. Contrary to popular myths, they do not possess venomous fangs and are not capable of biting. In fact, these arachnids play a beneficial role by feeding on other pests, helping to control insect populations around your home. While their presence may be unsettling to some, daddy long legs pose no direct threat to your health.
Preventing and Eliminating Daddy Long Legs
To keep daddy long legs at bay, consider implementing the following preventive measures:
- Seal Entry Points: Conduct a thorough inspection of your home and seal any cracks or gaps in doors, windows, and foundations.
- Reduce Moisture: Daddy long legs thrive in damp environments, so address any water leaks or humidity issues in basements and crawl spaces.
- Declutter: Keep your living spaces clutter-free to minimize hiding spots for these arachnids.
- Outdoor Maintenance: Trim vegetation around your home, keeping it away from the exterior walls to reduce the likelihood of daddy long legs entering.
- Professional Pest Control: Enlist the services of a reputable pest control company to conduct regular inspections and treatments, ensuring effective daddy long legs and spider control.
If you’re dealing with a daddy long legs invasion or any other pest issues in Georgia, don’t hesitate to reach out to our expert team. Request a free pest control quote today and let us help you create a pest-free environment in your home. Protect your family and property with our reliable pest control services.
Remember, a proactive approach to pest control is key to maintaining a comfortable and pest-free living space. Contact us now and take the first step toward a pest-free home!
Oct 16, 2023 | Georgia Blogs, Pest Control
By Anna V., Editorial Lead — Pest Education · Last updated: May 2026
“Is that a cellar spider or a daddy long legs?” is one of the most common questions we get on Northwest spider inspections, and the honest answer is: it’s almost always both at the same time. The term “daddy long legs” is a regional nickname that gets applied to three different creatures depending on where you grew up. The cellar spider (family Pholcidae) is the one most Georgia and Alabama homeowners actually see indoors, and in the Southeast, “cellar spider” and “daddy long legs” usually refer to the exact same spider.
Here’s what a cellar spider actually is, how to tell it apart from the other two creatures sometimes called “daddy long legs,” whether you need to worry about them, and what to do when they keep showing up in your basement, garage, or ceiling corners.
The cellar spider is what most Southeast homeowners actually mean when they say “daddy long legs.”
What Is a Cellar Spider?
Cellar spiders belong to the family Pholcidae. They have small, cylindrical bodies (typically under half an inch long), but their legs are remarkably long, sometimes spanning two to three inches when fully extended. They’re light tan to gray in color, mostly translucent in some areas, and they hang upside down in loose, tangled webs that look more like a tangle of fishing line than a typical spider web.
Despite their slightly creepy appearance, cellar spiders are skilled predators that help control other household pests. They feed on mosquitoes, fruit flies, gnats, moths, and even other spiders, including larger species like wolf spiders. In a Georgia or Alabama home, a small population in the basement or garage often does more good than harm.
Cellar Spider Identification
Three features make cellar spiders easy to identify once you know what to look for.
Appearance
Small, cylindrical body (about a quarter to half an inch long) with eight extremely long, thin legs. Body color ranges from pale tan to light gray. Adult females are usually slightly larger than males. Both sexes have a distinctive habit of vibrating their entire body in a fast circular motion when their web is disturbed — a defense behavior that makes them harder for predators to grab.
Webs
Cellar spider webs are unmistakable once you’ve seen one. They’re loose, tangled, and irregular — not the neat geometric shapes orb weavers create. Webs are almost always strung across ceiling corners, the angles between walls and shelves, or in undisturbed spots behind furniture and stored boxes. The webs aren’t sticky in the traditional sense, but the tangled structure traps prey by entanglement.
Size
Body length: about 5 to 13 millimeters (under half an inch). Leg span: typically 2 to 3 inches when the spider is fully extended. The dramatic difference between tiny body and very long legs is the visual feature most homeowners remember.
Cellar Spider vs Daddy Long Legs: The Differences That Actually Matter
“Daddy long legs” gets applied to three different creatures. Only one is a cellar spider. Here’s the comparison.
Three different creatures, one nickname. Only one is a true cellar spider.
| Feature |
Cellar Spider |
Harvestman |
Crane Fly |
| Classification |
True spider (Pholcidae) |
Arachnid, not a spider (Opiliones) |
Insect (Diptera) |
| Body shape |
Small, slender, two body segments |
Single fused body segment |
Elongated insect body with wings |
| Legs |
8, very long and thin |
8, long |
6, fragile |
| Web? |
Yes, tangled corner webs |
No, no silk |
No, no silk |
| Venom |
Mild, harmless to humans |
None |
None |
| Where you find it |
Indoor corners, basements, garages |
Outdoor leaf litter, stone walls |
Around porch lights at night |
For the full myth-busting overview of how the name “daddy long legs” got attached to three different creatures, see our granddaddy long legs guide. For more on the daddy long legs spider specifically and why it’s so often confused with a crane fly, see our daddy long legs spider guide.
Are Cellar Spiders Dangerous?
The short answer: no. The longer answer addresses the persistent internet rumor that cellar spiders are the world’s most venomous spider but physically can’t bite humans.
That story is almost entirely false. Cellar spiders do produce a small amount of venom to subdue prey, but the venom is not particularly potent, especially not to humans. The few documented Pholcidae bites on humans show only mild, brief irritation — less than a typical mosquito bite. There is no medical record of a serious human reaction. The University of Georgia Extension’s guide to common household spiders classifies Pholcidae as harmless.
For families in Atlanta, Athens, Savannah, Macon, or any of our other Georgia service areas: cellar spiders are a nuisance at worst. The webs look bad, and a heavy population suggests there’s another pest issue indoors, but the spiders themselves are not a threat to people or pets.
Why Cellar Spiders Appear in Homes
If you’re suddenly seeing more cellar spiders in your basement, garage, or ceiling corners, three things tend to be happening:
- Indoor insect populations have grown. Cellar spiders follow their food. Fruit flies in the kitchen, fungus gnats around houseplants, drain flies in bathrooms, mosquitoes inside through open doors — any of these attract Pholcidae.
- Moisture or humidity has increased. Cellar spiders prefer slightly damp environments. Basements after heavy rain, crawl spaces with ventilation issues, and bathrooms with poor airflow are common hotspots.
- Seasonal shift indoors. Late summer through early fall in Georgia and Alabama drives both insects and spiders into homes looking for stable shelter. Activity peaks in September and October.
Cellar Spider Webs: What They Look Like
Cellar spider webs are the easiest way to confirm a sighting. Unlike orb weavers (which build the classic symmetrical “spider web” most people picture), cellar spiders create messy, irregular tangles of silk strung loosely across corners.
Characteristics of cellar spider webs:
- Tangled and irregular, not geometric
- Located in ceiling corners, the angles between walls and shelves, and upper corners of garages and basements
- Often coated in dust over time, making them appear gray or fuzzy
- Can accumulate small dead insects (the spider’s prey) entangled within
- Reappear within 24 to 48 hours of being removed if the spider population is still active
How to Prevent & Control Cellar Spiders
Cellar spiders respond well to environmental changes. Most homeowner control efforts work, given a little patience.
DIY Prevention
- Reduce humidity in basements and crawl spaces. Run a dehumidifier. Fix any plumbing leaks. Address ventilation issues. Drier spaces are less attractive to cellar spiders.
- Seal cracks and entry points. Caulk around windows, foundation cracks, gaps in trim, openings around utility lines. Cellar spiders walk in through the same gaps as other small pests.
- Cut indoor insect populations. Address fruit flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and drain flies. Less food means fewer spiders.
- Reduce clutter. Stable, undisturbed surfaces let spiders build webs unimpeded. Cardboard storage in basements is especially attractive. Plastic bins are less so.
- Clear visible webs regularly. A vacuum hose attachment or long-handled duster handles webs in seconds. Persistent web removal often discourages spiders from rebuilding in the same spots.
When to Call a Professional
For most Georgia and Alabama homeowners, a few cellar spiders in the basement don’t warrant a service call. Consider professional pest control if:
- You’re seeing more than 10 to 15 cellar spiders in a single area consistently.
- Webs reappear faster than you can clear them.
- You’re also noticing other indoor pest activity (small flies, mosquitoes, gnats, moths) — addressing those usually solves the spider issue too.
- You want a full exclusion plan that prevents return activity.
Cellar spiders prefer slightly damp, undisturbed corners, common in older Southeast basements and crawl spaces.
Cellar Spiders in Georgia and the Southeast
Cellar spider activity in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina follows a predictable seasonal pattern. Activity is highest in late summer and early fall (August through October), when indoor insect populations peak and outdoor temperatures push pests indoors.
Regional factors that increase cellar spider sightings in Southeast homes:
- Humid summers. Cellar spiders favor slightly damp environments, and Southeast humidity creates ideal conditions in basements and crawl spaces.
- Older home construction. Atlanta, Athens, Savannah, and Birmingham all have significant inventories of older homes with foundation cracks, unfinished basements, and crawl spaces that provide easy entry and ideal shelter.
- Heavy spring and summer rain. Flooded outdoor harborages push both spiders and the insects they feed on indoors.
- Year-round insect activity. Mild Southeast winters mean indoor insect populations don’t fully die back in cold months the way they do further north. Spiders that follow them stay active too.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cellar Spiders
Do cellar spiders bite humans?
Bites are extremely rare and typically only happen if the spider is physically trapped against skin. Symptoms, when they occur, are mild — usually less than a mosquito bite. There is no medical record of a serious human reaction to a cellar spider bite.
Are cellar spiders venomous?
They produce a small amount of venom to subdue prey, but the venom is not dangerous to humans. The persistent rumor that cellar spiders are the most venomous spider in the world is internet folklore with no scientific basis.
How do I know if I have a cellar spider infestation?
Look for tangled, irregular webs in ceiling corners, basements, garages, and around stored items. Regular sightings of small, long-legged spiders hanging upside down in webs are a clear indicator. Webs that reappear within a day or two of being cleared suggest an active population worth addressing.
Do cellar spiders eat other pests?
Yes. Cellar spiders feed on mosquitoes, fruit flies, fungus gnats, moths, and other spiders, including larger species. A small population in a garage or basement is effectively free natural pest control for the insects you don’t want.
How do I get rid of cellar spiders for good?
Reduce indoor humidity, seal entry points around windows and foundation, address the indoor insect populations they feed on, cut clutter in storage areas, and clear visible webs regularly. If they keep returning quickly, there’s almost always an underlying moisture or food-source issue worth a professional inspection.
When cellar spiders keep returning, the underlying issue is usually moisture or another pest they’re feeding on.
Stop Worrying About Cellar Spiders
If you’re seeing cellar spiders in your basement, garage, or ceiling corners and you’d rather not, the good news is they respond well to environmental changes. They’re harmless, they signal another (more fixable) pest or moisture issue 90% of the time, and most cellar spider problems clear up when the underlying conditions change. Northwest’s team has been clearing spider problems out of Georgia and Alabama homes for decades, and the most effective fix is usually addressing whatever the spiders are eating.
About the Author
Anna Vaccaro, Editorial Lead — Pest Education leads pest education content for Northwest Exterminating, working with senior technicians and service center managers across our Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina service areas to translate field expertise into homeowner-friendly guides. The focus: accurate, regionally-specific answers to the pest questions Southeast homeowners are actually searching for.
Oct 13, 2022 | Pest Control
When you hear the word arachnid the first thing that usually comes to mind is spiders. While spiders do make up a large portion of arachnids, they aren’t the only members. Ticks, mites, scorpions, and harvestmen (also known as grandaddy long legs or daddy long legs) are also members of the arachnid family. Arachnids are defined as animals with 4 pairs of legs, chelicerae (which are fang-like mouthparts), and pedipalps (appendages also found near the mouth). So while they are all members of the same family, granddaddy long legs are not, in fact, spiders.
There are several key differences between granddaddy long legs and spiders. Spiders have 2 body segments (a cephalothorax and abdomen) differentiated by a narrow “waist.” Granddaddy long legs have an oval shaped body with no separation. Spiders typically have 8 eyes while granddaddy long legs have 2. Spiders produce silk and spin webs; granddaddy long legs aren’t capable of this. Spiders are also predators, using their venom to disable their prey. Granddaddy long legs are scavengers and don’t need venom to neutralize food sources.
Although they can be a little creepy looking, these pests are quite beneficial to have around. Because of their varied diet which consists of small insects, worms, snails, droppings, and fungi, granddaddy long legs help keep other pest populations under control. They are harmless to humans.
If you have a problem with granddaddy long legs or other pests, contact your local pest control company for a free evaluation.
You May Also Be Interested In:
Types of Rodents Found in the South
4 Ways To Keep The Lovebugs Away
4 Fall Pest Proofing Tips
How to Save Money on Your Energy Bills
Preparing for Fall Wildlife
Jul 9, 2021 | Pest Control
Daddy long legs, also known as harvestmen, belong to the arachnid family but they aren’t, in fact, spiders. They are cousins of spiders, mites, and scorpions. There are several differences between harvestmen and spiders. One of the most prominent is that harvestmen have one pair of eyes while spiders have 8 pairs of eyes. Harvestmen also cannot spin silk to make webs, so they can’t capture their food like spiders do. They have to ambush their prey instead.
Daddy long legs are omnivores and mostly eat spiders, earthworms, and other insects. When their food supply is limited, however, they will scavenge for whatever they can find like dead insects, insect eggs, and even decaying plants. In fact, these creatures are considered beneficial to have around your house and garden because they eat both garden and household pests.
Harvestmen prefer dark, moist environments so they are most often found in basements, crawlspaces, and garages. They have a unique ability to escape their predators by two different means: they can detach their legs (which will continue to twitch for up to an hour after they fall off) to trick their predators and escape; and they can also secrete a foul-smelling, bad-tasting chemical to deter their attackers.
Now you’ve found a daddy long legs inside your house. Should you be worried? Are these pests poisonous? It is important to distinguish the difference between poisonous and venomous. Poisonous pests cause harm when they are touched or ingested. Venomous pests cause harm by injecting venom through a bite. Although harvestmen do have fangs (also called chelicerae), they are primarily used to grasp and chew food. These arachnids are not known to bite humans and are not considered dangerous to either the health or structure of your home.
Because harvestmen are considered beneficial pests, it’s ok to leave them be if you find them lurking around your house. If you just can’t stomach the thought of sharing your personal space with them, the best way to get rid of them is to sweep or vacuum them up. If you have a problem with any other pests, contact a professional pest control company for a thorough evaluation and pest control plan.
You May Also Be Interested In:
Preventing the Top Three Summer Pests
How to Easily Deter Snakes Away from Your Property
Millipede vs Centipede – Which Is More Dangerous?
Orb Weaver Spiders: Dangerous or Not?
Green Mosquito Control: An Eco-Friendly Alternative
