All about Daddy Longlegs

Chances are you’ve probably seen a daddy longlegs before. You see one out of the corner of your eye and assume it is just a giant long-legged spider. But there is more to this creature than meets the eye. 

They do share some similarities with the spider family, but there are some serious questions many people want to know about these somewhat mysterious creatures. Like, what do daddy longlegs eat, can they bite me, and the all-important important, are they poisonous? 

Well, we are here to give all that great info and more. Let’s get into what makes these leggy creatures so unique.  

What are Daddy Longlegs? 

When you see daddy longlegs you may automatically think that they are spiders. However, this is FALSE. They are not actually part of the spider family. They are actually Opilionids arachnids, which are also called harvestmen, and more closely related to scorpions than spiders. 

They are very distinguishable apart from other creatures due to their 8 very long, thin legs. These legs bring them very high up off the ground. Sometimes, their legs can be 30 times as long as their bodies!  If you’ve seen one of these before, you will definitely know it. 

Also, unlike most spiders, they don’t produce silk to make a web. They also only have one set of eyes as opposed to spiders having two sets. And they have a fused body, where spiders have a segmented body that looks somewhat like a waist between the front and rear. 

Are They Dangerous?

One of the biggest myths out there about daddy longlegs is that they are the most venomous spiders in the world but their mouths are too small to bite a human. There are several very wrong aspects of this myth that we need to address. 

First of all, daddy longlegs aren’t spiders, we have already addressed that. But, if you want to get past semantics and just get to the venomous part, then NO, they are not venomous. They do not have venomous glands. 

The second part is that their mouths are too small to bite a human. This part is actually correct. They have very small chelicerae (chee-lis-a-ray), which are a type of claw that they use for holding and grasping food. This claw is not strong enough to break human skin. 

They are actually very scared of humans. They are more likely to curl up and play dead when you come near than to try anything crazy. So, they aren’t a pest you need to worry about harming you. 

What Do Daddy Longlegs Eat? 

So, if they aren’t trying to take a bite out of you, what do daddy longlegs eat?  Their eating habits are another way in which they differ from the spider. Because they don’t spin webs and catch or hunt their prey, they are scavengers. 

They basically stumble upon their food throughout the day on the ground. Spiders are only able to have a diet of liquids however, with the use of their claws, daddy longlegs can eat smaller pieces of hard substances. 

This allows them to eat a wide range of things like other smaller insects, plant matter, fungus, and all sorts of things that might find throughout their day. You may also think about them being a bit of a help outdoors eating some of those not-so-great pests you might not want around your home. 

Call us for Help

Even though daddy longlegs aren’t harmful to you, they can be a nuisance if they make their way into your home. If you can’t stand the idea of finding these leggy creatures around your house, give us a call and we can help. 

And if you find yourself with their look-a-likes, the spider, we can help you rid your home of those too. We are here to help you no matter what type of pest you find yourself with.

We always offer free phone consultations no matter what type of pest control problem you find yourself with. Give us a call today with any questions.