Long-bodied Cellar Spider, Daddy Long-legs Spider, vibrating spider, skull spider
Pholcus phalangioides
Pholcidae (Cellar Spiders), Order Araneae. Characterized by extremely long, thin legs and small, delicate bodies.
Physical Description
The body consists of two small segments; a roundish cephalothorax and an elongated, cylindrical abdomen. The texture is smooth and slightly translucent with a pale appearance.
Size Estimate
Typical body length is 7-9 mm (adult female), with a leg span frequently exceeding 5 or 6 cm. This appears to be a mature specimen.
Coloration & Markings
Pale tan, grey, or cream-colored body. The cephalothorax often features a dark, blurry mark resembling a skull, and the legs have darker joints or bands.
Web Type
Messy, tangled, non-sticky 'cobwebs' usually built in corners of ceilings, basements, or garages. They do not recycle their silk, leading to large accumulations of dust-filled webs.
Eye Arrangement
Usually eight eyes: two small ones in the center and two triads of larger eyes on the sides. Sometimes referred to as having a 'skull-like' face due to the eye clusters.
Leg Characteristics
Extremely long, spindly, and fragile-looking legs. The legs are flexible and lack heavy spines; they are often held in an arched position around the body.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Neurotoxic venom, but extremely weak. It is highly effective against small insects but has no clinically significant effect on humans.
Medical Significance
Harmless to humans. Their fangs are very small and rarely capable of penetrating human skin; bites result in at most a mild, short-lived stinging sensation.
Safety Recommendations
No action is required as they are beneficial. If desired, they can be easily relocated using a cup and a piece of paper. Avoid using pesticides on them.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Cosmopolitan distribution worldwide. Primarily found indoors in dark, quiet areas like cellars, closets, and eaves where humidity is stable.
Behavior & Temperament
Sedentary and non-aggressive. When threatened, they exhibit a 'whirling' behavior, vibrating rapidly in their web to become a blur to predators.
Diet & Prey
Generalist predators eating insects and other spiders. They are famous for raiding other spiders' webs to eat the inhabitants, including much larger species like Redbacks.
Seasonal Activity
Active year-round in temperature-controlled indoor environments, though population peaks may be noticed in late summer and autumn.
Description
A ubiquitous household resident, the Long-bodied Cellar Spider is a delicate-looking arachnid that plays a vital role in domestic pest control. Despite its fragile frame, it is a formidable hunter of other spiders.
Key Features
Extremely long thin legs, cylindrical abdomen, vibrating defense behavior, and tendency to hang upside down in messy corner webs.
Similar Species
Physocyclus globosus (Short-bodied cellar spider) and Harvestmen (Opiliones), though Harvestmen have a single fused body segment and no silk.
Life Cycle
Females carry their egg sacs (containing 20-30 eggs) in their chelicerae (mouthparts) for protection until the spiderlings hatch. They can live up to 3 years.
Ecological Importance
Excellent natural pest control. They actively hunt and kill mosquitoes, flies, moths, and even venomous spiders like Black Widows that enter their territory.
Conservation Status
Not evaluated; extremely common and widespread with no known threats to their global population.
Interesting Facts
There is an urban legend that they are the most poisonous spiders but their fangs are too short; this is a myth. Their venom is actually quite weak compared to true medically significant spiders.
Photography Tips
Focus on the 'skull' marking on the cephalothorax. Since they are often against white walls, underexpose slightly to capture the detail of the translucent legs.
Identified: 2026-07-05T03:30:44.662266