Bug Identifier
Harvestman (also known as Daddy Longlegs)
Community identification

Harvestman (also known as Daddy Longlegs)

Opiliones (Order)

Order & Family
Order Opiliones, Family Phalangiidae (common identification)
Size
Body length is typically 2–10 mm (0.08–0.4 in), with legs extending significantly further.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found in a variety of environments including forests, gardens, caves, and human dwellings; they prefer moist, dark areas under leaves or logs.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous scavengers; they eat small insects, spiders, aphids, dead animal matter, decaying plant material, and fungi.

Behavior Patterns

They are nocturnal and non-web-spinning arachnids. They use their second pair of legs as sensory organs (feelers). When threatened, they may shed a leg (autotomy) or release a foul-smelling chemical.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits: They are beneficial to gardens and ecosystems as they act as natural pest controllers by eating aphids and small insects. Risks: They are harmless to humans; they lack venom glands and silk glands, so they cannot bite or spin webs.