Cellar Spider, Daddy Long-Legs Spider
Pholcus phalangioides
Family Pholcidae (Cellar Spiders), Order Araneae. Key family characteristics include extremely long, delicate legs and an oval or elongated abdomen.
Physical Description
The spider has a small, pale, pear-shaped or oval abdomen and a compact cephalothorax. Its legs are disproportionately long and extremely thin, giving it a delicate, skeletal appearance.
Size Estimate
Body length is typically around 7-10 mm, with a leg span reaching up to 5-7 cm. This specimen appears to be an adult.
Coloration & Markings
Pale gray, tan, or light yellowish-brown with translucent qualities. The cephalothorax often features a darker, faint greyish marking or pattern, while the abdomen may show subtle darker spots.
Web Type
Irregular, loose 3D tangle webs built in corners, basements, and dark crevices. These webs lack sticky silk and rely on a messy network of threads to trap prey.
Eye Arrangement
Six eyes arranged in two triads (groups of three) on elevated mounds on the cephalothorax, typical of the Pholcidae family, plus a tiny pair of median eyes in some species.
Leg Characteristics
Extremely long, thread-like, and delicate legs with subtle dark banding. They lack heavy spination and are capable of rapid autotomy (shedding legs) if grabbed by predators.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Contains mild neurotoxic venom tailored for small arthropods. It poses no threat to humans and they lack the fangs or inclination to pierce human skin.
Medical Significance
Not medically significant. Completely harmless to humans, despite urban legends claiming they are deadly.
Safety Recommendations
No safety measures needed as they are completely harmless. If relocation is desired, gently cup them under a glass and slide a piece of paper underneath.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Cosmopolitan distribution worldwide, heavily associated with human dwellings, particularly damp areas like cellars, basements, crawlspaces, and dark corners of rooms.
Behavior & Temperament
Docile and completely harmless to humans. When disturbed, they perform a rapid 'shaking' or 'vibrating' defense maneuver in their web to blur their image and confuse predators.
Diet & Prey
Generalist predators feeding on small insects, other spiders (including venomous species like widow spiders), and woodlice. They wrap prey rapidly using sticky silk thrown from their hind legs.
Seasonal Activity
Active year-round indoors where temperatures remain stable, though mating and increased movement often peak during the warmer months.
Description
The cellar spider is a familiar and harmless household companion. With its ultra-thin legs and small body, it is a master of shadowy corners, quietly managing household insect populations.
Key Features
Extremely long, fragile legs, pale translucent coloration, habit of vibrating rapidly when disturbed, and preference for messy corner webs in dark indoor spaces.
Similar Species
Harvestmen (Order Opiliones, also called daddy long-legs, which are not true spiders) and crane flies. Harvestmen have a single fused body segment and no silk glands.
Life Cycle
Females produce a loose silk-bound sac containing dozens of eggs, which they carry in their jaws until hatching. Spiderlings go through multiple molts and can live for several years.
Ecological Importance
Acts as an effective natural pest controller in homes and buildings, helping reduce populations of mosquitoes, flies, and other unwanted insects.
Conservation Status
Not evaluated by the IUCN, but highly abundant and secure globally due to its strong association with human habitation.
Interesting Facts
Cellar spiders are known for hunting and defeating larger, venomous spiders like redbacks and black widows by using their long reach and wrapping them securely before biting.
Photography Tips
Use macro lenses with soft, diffused lighting to capture the delicate leg structure and translucent body details against a neutral background.
Identified: 2026-09-15T20:32:52.547018