2006-07-30 22:33:35 · 13 answers · asked by Greg B 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
There is an urban legend stating that Daddy long-legs spiders have the most potent venom of any spider, but that their chelicera (fangs) are either too small or too weak to puncture human skin; the same legend is also repeated of the harvestman, called "Daddy Longlegs" in some locales. Indeed, pholcid spiders do have a short fang structure (called uncate). However, brown recluse spiders also have uncate fang structure, but are able to deliver potentially fatal bites. Either pholcid venom is not toxic to humans or there is a musculature difference between the two arachnids, with recluses, being hunting spiders, possessing stronger muscles for fang penetration.
Pholcid venom has never been scientifically tested on mammals. This would normally require milking the spiders and injecting the venom into humans or mice. In any case, there are no known cases of a pholcid spider ever biting a human and causing any serious effects.
In 2004 the Discovery Channel show MythBusters set out to test the daddy long-legs myth (season 1, episode 13 "Buried in Concrete"). After measuring the spider's fangs at approximately 0.25 mm (average human skin thickness is about 0.10 mm) the show's host was apparently bitten, although the bite produced little more than a mild short-lived burning sensation. This appears to confirm the suspicion that pholcids can penetrate human skin, but that their venom is practically harmless to humans. Additionally, recent research has shown that pholcid venom is actually relatively weak in its effects on insects as well.
2006-07-30 22:39:39 · answer #1 · answered by Dominic T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Daddy Long Leg spider is the most common spider around. They are the ones who eat the most insects, they eat cockroaches, so they are good to have around. There is a myth that the Daddy Long Leg is the most vemonous spider, which is not true. Here is where people get the idea, one spider in africa, I believe it is called the yellow hawk spider, they are the most poisonous spider in the world. Daddy Long Legs get into fights with this spider and ussually wins the fight. So people believe that the spider must be poisonous inoder to win against a poisonous spider, which is rarely ever the case. Daddy Long Legs also kill black widow spiders as well. So the vemon of a daddy long leg is not at all poisonous.
2006-07-31 05:39:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
GREG..in my lab i am growing and developing a strain of spider for crowd control.....they can be airdropped on rioting crowds and subdue and maim thousands of rioters. The venom dissipates in 3-4 hours and the rioters can walk away ...of course this is after the police have stripped them of all valuables...the only problem is the spider only live 20 seconds after biting people...and i am having problems breeding sufficient numbers to sell in mass quantity. My only client now is a DISCO in aruba..the one where it holds like 1,000 sweaty tourists writhing away on ectasy. I will not give up the development ..if you want a free sample i can send you a few spiders...just be careful who you use them on....aaarrrrghhhh....aaaaarrghhghgh...
2006-07-31 05:46:56 · answer #3 · answered by max 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no that myth is not true the venom of the daddy long leg spider is relatively weak
2006-07-31 05:38:49 · answer #4 · answered by jay_086 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes I heard this myth, they are technically the most poisonous spider but their fangs break when trying to bit someone. They tested this myth on mythbuster (Discovery Channel) & they busted it because no one died!!!!
2006-07-31 05:37:18 · answer #5 · answered by Dannie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So I have heard. Do a search on spiders and find out. They are the only spider that doesn't bother me when I see it.
2006-07-31 05:37:48 · answer #6 · answered by Amy >'.'< 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I watched a program about them on the discovery channel stating they are very poisonous but they have very short fangs that are to short to penetrate the human skin. but if they could it could kill a human.
2006-07-31 06:37:22 · answer #7 · answered by ronald r 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah as long as mummy short broom is powerful enough.
2006-07-31 05:38:37 · answer #8 · answered by Junk Head 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes according to me they are poisounous and also hey do bite
but iam not shure of it
but youpla check it answers.com
2006-07-31 05:44:08 · answer #9 · answered by surya t 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think i may have heard it on Animal Planet. I know I heard that recently.
2006-07-31 07:22:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋