Pholcus phalangioides (Longbodied Cellar Spider)

Summary

The "Longbodied Cellar Spider," Pholcus phalangioides, is often confused with “daddy long-legs,” arachnids properly known as “harvestmen” in the order Opiliones. Harvestmen are not spiders, having only one body segment in contrast to a spider’s two. The Longbodied Cellar Spider is found globally, having traveled nearly everywhere as a stowaway in commerce. It may be native to Europe. As the name suggests, it is fond of basements, storage sheds, old wells, caves, and other dry locations with low light. There are usually many individuals in a given location, and their irregular webs may merge seamlessly, taking the form of a loose sheet in some cases. When disturbed, they shake violently in place, thus startling a potential predator. Almost any insect, and even other spiders, may fall prey to cellar spiders. They are also known to wander into neighboring webs to eat the owners. Females hold their spherical bundle of eggs in their jaws. They are relatively long-lived, taking a year to mature and surviving another 2-3 years.