Daddy Longlegs / Harvestman
Scientific Name: Varies widely within the Order Opiliones (e.g., Phalangium opilio is a common European species, but many others exist globally).
Order & Family: Order: Opiliones (not true spiders, which belong to the Order Araneae). There are several families within Opiliones, with the most common being Phalangioidea.
Size: Body length typically ranges from 1 to 15 mm, but leg span can be significantly larger, often up to 50 mm, and in some tropical species, even over 100 mm.
Natural Habitat
Harvestmen are found in a wide variety of habitats globally, preferring cool, damp, and sheltered environments. This includes forests, meadows, caves, under rocks and logs, leaf litter, and in and around human dwellings like basements, sheds, and porches.
Diet & Feeding
Harvestmen are omnivores and opportunistic feeders. Their diet includes small insects (like aphids, mites, and small caterpillars), fungi, decaying plant and animal matter, and sometimes even bird droppings or dead insects. They are beneficial in gardens as they consume pests.
Behavior Patterns
Harvestmen are primarily nocturnal but can be active during the day. Unlike spiders, they do not spin webs for catching prey, but rather actively hunt or scavenge. They can autotomize (shed) a leg when threatened, which continues to twitch to distract predators while the harvestman escapes. They often aggregate in large groups in sheltered areas, particularly during adverse weather conditions or for molting.
Risks & Benefits
Harvestmen are harmless to humans. They do not possess venom glands (unlike spiders) and cannot bite or sting. A common myth suggests they are venomous but their fangs are too small to penetrate human skin – this is false, as they don't have fangs or venom. Their primary benefit is as a natural pest control agent, feeding on small insects and decaying matter, contributing to ecosystem health. They pose no risks to humans or property.
Identified on: 9/3/2025