2006-07-23 06:52:34 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Most people don't realise that you don't have to leave the house to witness wildlife in action. Most toilets and cellars of our homes are inhabited by one of the most elusive hunters in the animal kingdom. It is the 'daddy-long-legs spider', Pholcus phalangioides.
The name 'daddy-long-legs spider' is a bit confusing. These spiders look a bit like daddy-long-legs, i.e. the Crane-flyTipula, but these have wings. They also resemble the long-legged harvestmen of the family Phalangiidae(!) (also often called daddy-long-legs) but if you watch these closely you can see that the head, thorax and abdomen is fused. In spiders there is a clear distinction between the head/thorax region and the abdomen. Perhaps a better name that is been used is 'long-legged cellar spider'.
The family of the Pholcidae normally inhabits warmer regions but Pholcus phalangioides is cosmopolitan finding shelter in the warmth of our houses. Most of the time Pholcus can be found hanging upside down in a loose web in the corner of the ceiling. Its strategy is to remain motionless until a prey passes. And its prey is not what you would expect. It eats mostly other spiders. One of the spiders it eats is the much larger house-spider of the genus Tegenaria , the large hairy funnel-web spider that is one of the main causes of 'arachnophobia', the fear of spiders.
So if you hate spiders, take a daddy-long-legs spider as a pet!
So Pholcus is a formidable hunter. It has only small chelicera ('jaws') but with a very potent poison. After a quick bite it wraps its prey in silk. Its long legs are very manoeuvrable which is not only of use in killing but also in defence.
Using their legs daddy-long-legs spiders can make themselves almost invisible. By rapidly shaking when hanging in their web they create a motion-blur and because of their long thin legs the image of the spider vanishes almost completely. A very effective technique to outwit predators.
Like all spiders Pholcus is a very interesting subject for microscopic study. The image shows a male. The pedipalps (the appendages on the front end) are much enlarged in male spiders. They are the secondary reproductive organs.
They are VERY toxic. more toxic than a black widow. But, they are harmless to humans because there fangs are sooo small. It is good to have because they eat the bugs and stuff at your house. I dont let them live im my house, but i do have one in my back yard next to my swimming pool. Hope this helps.
2006-07-23 07:07:18 · answer #1 · answered by SCSA 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
A daddy long legs is a spider, yes it is toxic but because it's mouth is so small it can't bite humans, as for is it bad to have that depends if you like spiders or not. However it eats bugs so I would guess that it would be ok to leave them outside.
2006-07-23 13:58:50 · answer #2 · answered by scarecrw_19512001 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shortest best answer daddy long legs is a spider which is toxic to insects only. Great to have around outside. You can even pick them up. I'm a bug collector.
2006-07-23 14:08:30 · answer #3 · answered by kriend 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Long leg, is a spider that has'long' legs, I am sure if you walk around your place you will find one for sure. As every spider there is they are venomous, but they are not of any danger to humans, as their fangs are so small that they cannot even bite through human skin, so no worries. And regarding if they are good or bad to have: in some countries people think that if you have spiders living in your appartment it means that you are about to get rich, but still I think that it is not a pleasant view to have spider-webs hanging everywhere.
2006-07-23 13:58:20 · answer #4 · answered by Meaty 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi,
Previous answerer's are wrong, a daddy long-legs (Tipula sp) or crane fly as it is sometimes called is not a spider but a fly. Examination of one will reveal a body segmented into three parts as all insects do instead of the two natural to spiders. It will also reveal a vestigial secondary pair of wings reduced to small stick like protuberances ending in a nodule these act as counter balances to the wings.They don't eat mosquitoes but feed decaying plants, dead leaves, fungi, or roots of plants. Their larva are called 'leather jackets' and are a garden pest because of the damage they do to plant roots.
2006-07-23 13:57:46 · answer #5 · answered by phoneypersona 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The daddy long leg is a harmless spider, it is not bad to have it eats mosquitos and roaches, its venom isnt toxic to humans unless your a mosquito or cockaroach
2006-07-23 13:59:55 · answer #6 · answered by fatwhale90 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a daddy long leg is a spider it was believed to be the most poisonous spider but it couldn't bite but myth busters proved both of those wrong oh well tah
2006-07-23 13:57:01 · answer #7 · answered by Me 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a spider.
No, it's not bad to have.
Yes, it is toxic..it has the most toxic venom among spiders, but they can't bite into human skin!! So they're harmless to us.
They usually eat mosquitos...so leave them be.
2006-07-23 13:56:50 · answer #8 · answered by DEATH 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a daddy long leg is a spider and yes, it's venom is toxic, but it can't kill a human. only other insects that it kills for food.
2006-07-23 13:59:31 · answer #9 · answered by CeadMileFailte 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a spider with very long legs. I don't think it's probably BAD to have one, although i don't think they would make great pets (it won't live very long if you have it in a jar)... and actually, they are very poisonous, but their fangs can't break our skin (they are too short and weak) so they are harmless to humans (but deadly to the little tiny bugs it eats)...
2006-07-23 14:02:50 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋