The term “daddy longlegs” often brings to mind a popular urban legend. The myth claims these creatures have powerful venom. However, the story says their fangs are too small to pierce human skin. This widely circulated assertion, often perpetuated since childhood, has been a subject of considerable scientific clarification. This article will dissect this enduring myth. We will identify the different creatures called “daddy longlegs.” We will also provide insights into their biology. This article explores their interactions with humans and their ecological role.
Identifying the Three “Daddy Longlegs”
The main source of confusion is the name itself. The common name “daddy longlegs” refers to at least three different arthropods:
Cellar Spiders (Pholcidae): The True Spiders
- Cellar spiders, belonging to the family Pholcidae, are bona fide spiders.
- They have a typical spider body with two segments. These are the cephalothorax and the abdomen. A narrow “waist” connects them.
- These spiders usually have eight eyes. They are often in two groups of three. An extra pair of small eyes sits in between. However, some types may only have six eyes.
- Cellar spiders build skillful webs. They create loose, messy, and irregular webs. You can find these webs in damp, undisturbed places. Look in basements, crawl spaces, and garage corners.
- When disturbed, they have a unique defense. They vibrate or “whirl” rapidly in their webs.
Harvestmen (Opiliones): Arachnids, but Not Spiders
Harvestmen, classified under the order Opiliones, are arachnids but not true spiders. They are more closely related to mites or scorpions. A key feature is their body structure. It appears as one solid, fused oval shape and lacks the distinct waist found in spiders. Harvestmen also have only two eyes, typically on a raised structure called an ocularium. This provides rudimentary light and movement detection.
Crucially, harvestmen do not build webs as they lack silk glands. They are generalist scavengers. Their diet includes rotting vegetation, dead insects, fungi, and even bird droppings. They may also act as opportunistic predators.
When threatened, some species can emit a foul-smelling chemical mixture as a defense. This is toxic to small insects but harmless to humans. This ancient group of animals dates back at least 410 million years. People most commonly observe them during late summer and fall, lending them the name “harvestmen.”
Crane Flies (Tipulidae): The Harmless Insects
Crane flies, belonging to the family Tipulidae, are insects, not arachnids. Their long bodies and wings give them the appearance of oversized mosquitoes. However, many adult crane fly species lack functional mouthparts and therefore cannot bite humans. People often misidentify them as “skeeter eaters” or “mosquito hawks,” but they do not consume mosquitoes. Adult crane flies exist primarily for mating and egg-laying, with all feeding occurring during their larval stage.
Debunking the Myth: Venom, Fangs, and Human Safety
The central tenet of the “daddy longlegs” myth revolves around their purported deadly venom and inability to bite. Scientific evidence unequivocally refutes this.
Cellar Spiders: Capable of Biting, Yet Harmless to Humans
Cellar spiders do possess venom glands and fangs, and they are capable of biting humans. However, their venom is remarkably mild and inconsequential to humans, causing only trivial, short-lived effects. Some say the bite feels like a mild irritation. It is less powerful than a bee sting or similar to a mosquito bite. The idea that their fangs are too short to pierce human skin is also false. While their fangs are short, at a maximum of 0.5 mm, they can still pierce skin that isn’t calloused.
The TV show “Mythbusters” famously tested this in 2004. They proved a cellar spider’s bite can break human skin. The bite caused only a mild, short-lived burning sensation. This myth likely persists for one reason. Cellar spiders are effective hunters of other spiders. They even prey on dangerous species like black widows and brown recluses. This led to a wrong assumption. People thought if they could kill dangerous spiders, their venom must be more powerful to humans.
Harvestmen: Lacking Venom and Fangs
Harvestmen are completely devoid of venom glands and fangs. They are unable to inject any toxins. While some species might be capable of a very tiny pinch, it is insufficient to break human skin. Their defense mechanism involves secreting a foul-smelling chemical, which is a contact poison to small insects, but poses no threat to humans.
Crane Flies: No Biting Capability
As insects, adult crane flies generally do not possess mouthparts capable of biting humans.
Practical Considerations: Coexisting with “Daddy Longlegs”
Understanding these creatures is key to informed management and dispelling unnecessary fear.
Responding to a Suspected Bite
If one believes they have been bitten by a cellar spider (as harvestmen cannot bite), there is generally no cause for serious concern. Recommended first aid includes cleaning the affected area with mild soap and water to prevent infection and applying a cold compress to reduce any mild swelling or discomfort. Over-the-counter pain relievers can be considered for discomfort, and scratching should be avoided to prevent secondary infection. Medical attention is rarely necessary, but should be sought if symptoms worsen significantly or if a bite from a truly medically significant spider (e.g., black widow, brown recluse) is suspected.
Managing Populations in Your Home
Both cellar spiders and harvestmen are ecologically beneficial and natural pest controllers.
• Cellar spiders actively prey on various insects and other spiders, including black widows and brown recluses, effectively reducing nuisance populations. It is often advised to “cherish them” for these benefits.
• Harvestmen contribute to the ecosystem by decomposing organic matter and consuming pest insect eggs, such as those of the brown marmorated stink bug.
For cellar spiders, if their presence is undesirable, regular web removal and moisture control (fixing leaks, ensuring proper ventilation) can help deter them. Sealing cracks and gaps in foundations, windows, and utility entry points can also limit their access indoors. Harvestmen, being temporary seasonal visitors that do not establish permanent indoor populations, typically require minimal intervention beyond routine yard cleanup to reduce their hiding spots. Professional pest control services can provide accurate identification and targeted, environmentally conscious management plans if needed.
Beyond the Basics: Fascinating Facts and Insights
The common name “daddy longlegs” for crane flies dates back to 15th-century Europe, where they were known as “Father Long Legs”. Research into cellar spider venom, while harmless to humans, has revealed a complex composition including proteins like neprilysins and astacin metalloproteinases. These components are potent against insects, causing effects like flaccid paralysis, and represent a promising area for discovering new molecular activities and biotechnological applications.
Cellar spiders are not particular about their diet and will consume other spiders, including their own kind. They are known to invade other spiders’ webs, eating the host, its prey, or eggs. They can navigate sticky webs by tiptoeing with their long legs or by laying down their own non-sticky silk pathways. Male cellar spiders may carry egg sacs in their chelicerae and continue to feed as adults, sometimes presenting captured prey to females.
The persistence of the “daddy longlegs” myth is attributed to its repeated telling without sufficient scientific refutation, and a general human fascination with “scary stories”. Another common myth, that people swallow spiders in their sleep, is also baseless; spiders have no reason to enter a human’s mouth, perceiving humans as large, threatening objects.
Conclusion: Embracing Our Long-Legged Allies
In conclusion, the various creatures known as “daddy longlegs”—cellar spiders, harvestmen, and crane flies—are overwhelmingly harmless to humans. Far from being dangerous, many of them play beneficial roles in controlling pest populations within our homes and gardens. By dispelling these persistent myths and understanding their true nature, we can shift our perception from unwarranted fear to an appreciation of these fascinating and valuable components of our shared ecosystem.
