Daddy Long-Legs Spider, Cellar Spider

Natural Habitat

Commonly found in dark, damp environments such as cellars, basements, undisturbed corners of rooms, caves, and under rocks or logs. They build loose, irregular webs.

Diet & Feeding

Mainly other insects and spiders. They are opportunistic predators and will consume prey caught in their own webs or invade the webs of other spiders.

Behavior Patterns

Daddy long-legs spiders are known for their rapid, erratic movements when disturbed, often vibrating their webs to appear blurry to predators. They are also known for killing and eating other spiders, including those larger than themselves. Females carry their eggs in their chelicerae until they hatch. They are generally solitary.

Risks & Benefits

Generally considered harmless to humans. Their fangs are too small to penetrate human skin, and their venom (though often subject to urban myths claiming it's highly toxic) is not potent enough to cause significant harm. They can be beneficial in homes by preying on other pest insects and spiders.

Identified on: 8/27/2025