Bug Identifier
Cellar Spider
Community identification

Cellar Spider

Pholcus phalangioides

Order & Family
Order: Araneae; Family: Pholcidae
Size
Body length is typically 6–9 mm; legs can reach up to 50 mm in length.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Typically found in dark, damp, or undisturbed areas such as cellars, basements, caves, and corners of walls or ceilings inside homes.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivorous; feeds primarily on small insects and other spiders. They use their long legs to wrap prey in silk from a distance.

Behavior Patterns

Known for 'shaking' or vibrating rapidly in their web when disturbed to confuse predators. They create messy, irregular webs and are sedentary, often hanging upside-down.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits the ecosystem by controlling indoor pests like flies and mosquitoes. They are generally harmless to humans, as their venom is not medically significant and their fangs rarely penetrate human skin.