They often take prey much larger than themselves including large spiders, beetles, and even wasps. In House Pest ControlĬellar spiders are fearsome hunters and will catch and eat other invertebrates lurking in your house. So for us humans, they are not to be feared, in fact, they can be very beneficial. In reality, their venom is no stronger than that of most other UK spiders and their jaws are too small and weak to break human skin. The cellar spider’s long legs can make them appear large and there are tales of them being highly venomous, but these tales are not true. This long-bodied cellar spider is hanging upside down in a garage looking ominous. Their untidy webs can cause annoyance, but don’t write them off just yet, they are definitely worth the extra dusting. Call us and request an inspection by a highly trained Orkin Pest Specialist who will assess the extent of the problem and develop a customized solution to fit your needs.The cellar spider, AKA the daddy longlegs spider, is a common but not always welcome sight in our homes. The best way to resolve this issue is to remove that food source and any other conditions that are conducive to the spiders.
The issue is, why are they there? They are predators, so an abundant food source must be available, like insects. Nobody wants to see spiders around their homes. If you are able to, take the spider with you to the doctor's office or clinic. Not all bites result in necrotic lesions, but some may, so it is best to seek medical attention for any suspected bite. This spider is not aggressive, and often bites result from external pressure on the spider by a body pressing the spider against a rigid surface. Their legs are not banded and not especially ''hairy.'' The violin shape on the head region is distinct, but many other spiders also have this mark it is not actually unique to the brown recluse.īites from this spider are not common, and often skin lesions such as MERSA, staph, fungal issues, etc. Brown recluse spiders spend most of the time hiding in dark, secluded places, hence the name "recluse."īrown recluse spiders are nearly uniformly pale brown to light brown. When full grown, and with legs extended, it is about the size of a quarter (coin).
The brown recluse spider ( Loxosceles reclusa), also known as a fiddleback spider, violin spider or brown fiddler, is a venomous arachnid of medical importance. The venom, however, is not a problem for humans. The cellar spider uses its venom to kill prey. The male of the species, another bit of trivia, will also vibrate when it is ready to mate, signaling his intentions to the female. The cellar spider exhibits (a bit of trivia here) an unusual behavior in that it vibrates in a circular fashion when the web is disturbed. Some people call this spider a "daddy long-legs." This name is also used for another long-legged arthropod, the harvestman, which has no venom or silk glands, so it does not build a web. They like to make their webs in corners of cellars, basements and garages. Question: What's the difference between a cellar spider and a brown recluse spider?Īnswer: The typical cellar spider ( Pholcus phalangioides) has very long legs, a long slender abdomen, and usually hangs in disorganized webs.