2006-09-20 01:11:47 · 30 answers · asked by browntbath 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
I think its important to realise there are two kinds of daddylonglegs. The one's we Brits call daddylonglegs are actually crane flies and are completely harmless. They live up to two days, long enough to mate and for the females to lay eggs. They do not feed at all.
In Australia the daddylonglegs is a spider which is indeed the most venomous spider on earth. However, its jaw is neither big enough or strong enough to break through human skin and it is therefore also harmless to humans.
Hope this helps!!!
2006-09-20 01:31:01 · answer #1 · answered by scully_2_uk 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
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 and crane fly, also 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. [3] 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. [4]
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Not Spiders?
Another misconception is that the Daddy long-legs spider is not a true spider. This misconception arises from the multiple uses of the name Daddy long-legs. It is the Harvestman (which is also called Daddy long-legs) which is an arachnid but not a true spider. The Daddy long-legs spider is a true spider
2006-09-20 01:23:59 · answer #2 · answered by whaaatthe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have noticed from Yahoo answers that the name "Daddy long legs" is associated with 2 different species! Some people call the crane fly (which is a fly and NOT a spider) a daddy long legs, and some people call a type of long legged spider (which is a spider and NOT a fly) a daddy long legs. So the answer to your question depends on which species you are talking about.
http://spiders.zacharoo.com/spidey9.html
http://www.forestry.ubc.ca/fetch21/FRST308/lab3/tipula_paludosa/leather.html
2006-09-20 01:33:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm so glad you asked this question because in Ricky Gervais' stand up routine he talks about this and I always meant to look it up. It turns out that there are two different insects in two different orders that get confused - the Daddy Long-legs and the Daddy Long-legs spider. It's the spider version that isn't very common around humans that is venonous. But they have no fangs to inject the poison so you'd have to milk them (can you imagine???).
Thanks for asking the question. I learned something new!
2006-09-20 01:23:35 · answer #4 · answered by Iknowsomestuff 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They live for a short time - about 48 hrs max. They do have a strong venom yes, but they have no fangs with which to bite and even if they did they could't inject the venom into you as it's contained in the abdomen and not the head of the creature.
2006-09-20 01:23:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
True daddy-long-legs live between 12-20 hours or more.
No they R not venomous.
Completely harmless.
I know they're completely harmless, when my teenage brother annoyed me, I put several in his sandwiches every day 4 a week & he's still here, 20 years later.
A daddy-long-legs does not have 2 power 2 deliver any venom 2 a human, our skin is 2 thick 2 penetrate.
2006-09-20 01:18:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
No and no. Daddy Longleg spiders live for about a year, and their venom (which is delivered in extremely tiny doses) is only strong enough to paralyse & help digest tiny prey such as fruit flies, mosquitos, gnats, etc.
2006-09-20 01:14:58 · answer #7 · answered by My Evil Twin 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
yeah ive heard they do carry a venimous poison but the dont have teeth, this is mother natures way of laughing at the runts of the world
2006-09-20 01:13:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm from the North of England.
Does anyone else call them Ginnie -long-legs???!!!!
And another point is wow,they grow fast, but i sopose they'll have to if they only have a life span of 12 hours!!!
2006-09-20 08:40:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, they live for more than 12 hours (life cycle is 6 weeks) and don't have teeth, so I guess they can't have a venemous bite!
2006-09-20 01:45:23 · answer #10 · answered by specialagenttodd 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋