
Community identification
Cellar spider (daddy longlegs spider)
Pholcus phalangioides
- Order & Family
- Araneae, Pholcidae
- Size
- Adult body length is about 6–9 mm, with a leg span commonly reaching 4–6 cm.
Natural Habitat
Common indoors in dark, undisturbed areas such as basements, garages, closets, and ceiling corners; also found in sheltered outdoor structures.
Diet & Feeding
Predatory, feeding on flies, mosquitoes, moths, mites, and other spiders caught in its irregular web.
Behavior Patterns
Builds loose, tangled webs and often vibrates rapidly when disturbed, becoming difficult to see. Females carry an egg bundle in their jaws; young disperse after hatching.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to people and not considered medically significant. It benefits households by consuming nuisance insects and occasionally other spiders.