What the Dickens is going on with all the Daddy Long Legs around at the moment?

Question

Also, what is the point of these riddiculous creatures?

I've heard the myth that they have the most poisonous venom in the world, but have no means of administering it. Apparently, this is not true.

Answer 1

There seems to be a confusion about just what a daddy long legs is. To some (Brits, I think) it is a flying creature with long legs, like some kind of gad-fly. To me (born in the USA) it is a spider which usually hangs upside down from the roof but doesn't make a web. This type reportedly has a very potent venom but cannot administer it to humans because it's mouth is too small so the fangs can't penetrate the skin.

Answer 2

The recent rains that we've had after a hot summer have softened the ground sufficiently for them to emerge. They spend 10 months of their life-cycle as larva (leatherjackets) eating grass roots, a month or so as a cocoon and then they emerge as adults around mid-September. The adult crane fly only lives for 24 hours but it's sufficient time for them to mate and the female to bury her eggs in the ground where they hatch after 4-5 days and the whole process starts again.
Without the rain to soften the ground less flies would have been able to emerge.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Apparently (according to the Times 18th Sep) there are more around this year than other years. Something to do with a lengthy and wet summer, compared to other years.

Have to admit I skipped reading that article whilst I was having my breakfast yesterday because daddy long legs give me the major heebie-jeebies!!

Answer 4

They hatch in autumn... Probably a good thing for all the other hungry critters out there that eat 'em!

And I used to think that the venom thing was true, I think it may actually refer to the rather sweet and dippy daddy-long-legs SPIDER.

I think they just go to prove that the Creator has a sense of humour...
;)

If you want to catch them to put them out the window harmlessly, never grab their legs, wait until they've settled and delicately pinch a wing - they can drop legs like confetti (as small boys at school often demonstrate - grrr...) but they can't drop their wings, so they get out unharmed.

:)

Answer 5

Ive been releasing them round the country to bring a little joy into everyones life, we breed them on a special farm in Norfolk, and then every year we get paper boys round the country to ram a handfull of the little buggers through everyones letterbox.

PS to deter people pulling the legs off, we have made one in every hundred venomous

Answer 6

yep there are hundreds more this year as was predicted just as there are far more predatory beasties like spiders to keep control. Webs everywhere are full of daddylongleg carcasses! That's why the spiders are so fat this year. Yes I wish I knew too whether daddy long legs are poisonous or not!

Answer 7

Todays Daily Mail gives the answer to this. Evidently the rains came at the correct time for them by softening the earth so that they could work free from the underground burrows

Answer 8

A multitude of these "ridiculous" creatures appeared after the deluge of last week so can only assume it is something to do with that. No doubt I will be corrected.
The point of these disgusting creatures is to cause me lack of sleep after spotting one in the bedroom!!

Answer 9

It's that time of year, that's all. We live backing on to some woodland and we're inundated with them - I enourage my cat to eat them - very effective pest control. And yes, they are the most pointless and stupid creature on the face of the earth, also the most annoying.

And see the answers to a previous question about their venom.

Answer 10

No the myth is not true or it wouldn't be a myth would it.

At a guess this is the time of year that they fly around a make out. It's the same every year.