Pseudoscorpion
Scientific Name: Chelifer cancroides (common house species)
Order & Family: Order Pseudoscorpiones; various families (e.g., Cheliferidae)
Size: 2 to 8 millimeters (0.08 to 0.31 inches)
Natural Habitat
Damp environments, leaf litter, under tree bark, and occasionally indoors in bathrooms or bookshelves.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous; they prey on small arthropods such as mite, booklice, springtails, and larvae.
Behavior Patterns
They are known for 'phoresy,' Hitching rides on larger flying insects to move to new locations. They hunt using pincers that contain venom glands and spin silk from glands in their jaws for nests.
Risks & Benefits
Completely harmless to humans and pets as they lack a stinger and cannot pierce human skin. They are highly beneficial to ecosystems and homes by controlling pest populations like clothes moth larvae and carpet beetles.
Identified on: 6/14/2026