So you've spotted those gangly-legged creatures in your basement or garden and wondered - do daddy long legs make webs? Honestly, I used to confuse them all the time until I spent a whole afternoon trapped in my grandma's shed during a rainstorm, watching them crawl around. Let me tell you, that experience changed everything.
The Great Daddy Long Legs Identity Crisis
First things first: when people say "daddy long legs," they could be talking about two completely different creatures. This is where the confusion starts. In my experience, most folks don't realize there are multiple bugs wearing the same nickname.
See, here's the problem - that skinny-legged insect near your window might not even be related to the one in your flowerbed. I learned this the hard way when I tried explaining "daddy long legs" to my nephew last summer and completely botched it.
Meet the Real Contenders
When we're asking "do daddy long legs make webs," we need to separate two main players:
| Common Name | Real Identity | Web Status | Where You'll Find Them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvestman | Opiliones (arachnid but not spider) | NO webs | Gardens, forests, under rocks |
| Cellar Spider | Pholcidae (true spider) | YES, makes messy webs | Basements, corners, damp indoor areas |
I've got both types around my property here in Oregon. The harvestmen hang out in the compost pile while the cellar spiders colonize my tool shed. Their behaviors are night and day different once you know what to look for.
Harvestmen: The Web-Free Wanderers
These are the guys you'll find crawling across your patio. Harvestmen have that signature tiny body with absurdly long legs. But here's what settles the "do daddy long legs make webs" question for them:
- Zero web production: Biologically incapable of making silk
- No venom glands (despite that urban myth)
- Single body segment - looks like a peanut on stilts
- Prefer to hunt small insects or scavenge rather than trap
Last fall, I watched one capture an aphid on my rose bush. It just ambushed it directly - no web required. Honestly, they're more like eight-legged janitors cleaning up smaller pests.
Why Harvestmen Don't Need Webs
Their survival strategy is completely different from web-building spiders:
| Feature | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Omnivorous diet | Eats plants, small insects, dead stuff - no need for traps |
| Wandering hunters | Patrol territory instead of waiting in webs |
| Defensive chemicals | Uses foul smells to repel predators (works great on my dog!) |
You'll never find harvestmen making webs because they simply don't have the equipment or the lifestyle for it. Case closed for this type of daddy long legs.
Cellar Spiders: The Tangled Web Weavers
Now these are the guys causing the confusion. True spiders from the Pholcidae family, they're often called "daddy long legs spiders" in many regions. And yes - they absolutely make webs. Big, messy ones.
My basement window has hosted the same colony for two years. Their webs look like chaotic cotton candy and catch everything from fruit flies to mosquitoes. Honestly, I leave them be because they're better pest control than any store-bought trap.
Spotting a Cellar Spider's Handiwork
Their webs have distinct features I've observed over time:
- Irregular patterns - no neat spirals here
- Extremely thin, almost invisible silk strands
- Three-dimensional "tangle webs" in corners
- Often have multiple generations in same web
What's fascinating is their vibration technique. When threatened, they'll violently shake the web (at about 4Hz if you're curious) to become a blur. Scared the life out of me first time I saw it!
| Web Characteristic | Purpose | My Observation |
|---|---|---|
| Non-sticky silk | Prey gets tangled in multiple strands | I've seen flies escape sticky webs but never these |
| Expansion over time | Colony growth | My shed web grew from postcard to pizza-box size in 3 months |
Why Can't We Agree on Daddy Long Legs?
The naming chaos drives me nuts. Depending on your location, "daddy long legs" means different things:
- Northeast US: Usually cellar spiders
- UK/Australia: Mostly harvestmen
- Southern US: Sometimes even crane flies get the name!
A Canadian friend argued with me for an hour last year because where she's from, harvestmen are called "granddaddy long legs." No wonder people get confused about whether daddy long legs make webs!
Pro tip: If it's making webs, it's definitely a cellar spider. No harvestmen will ever produce silk. Ever. I've spent enough rainy days watching them to confirm this.
Visual Identification Cheat Sheet
From my own bug-watching journal:
| Feature | Cellar Spider (makes webs) | Harvestman (no webs) |
|---|---|---|
| Body segments | Two clear parts (head/abdomen) | Single oval body |
| Movement | Hangs in web, jerky walk | Smooth stroll across surfaces |
| Leg length | About 5-6x body length | Can be 20x body length (crazy!) |
| Favorite hangout | Damp indoor corners | Under garden pots or logs |
Myth-Busting: Venom and Danger
Let's squash that viral myth right now. You've probably heard: "Daddy long legs are the most venomous spiders but their fangs can't pierce skin." Total nonsense. Here's the reality based on university research I've reviewed:
- Harvestmen: No venom glands at all. They're harmless beyond their creepy appearance.
- Cellar spiders: Have venom (like all spiders) but it's weak. Equivalent to a mild bee sting at worst.
After that shed incident I mentioned? I deliberately let one crawl on my hand. Felt like walking toothpicks. No bite attempt even when I gently pressed it. Still wouldn't recommend trying though.
Actual Risks in Your Home
What you should worry about:
| Issue | Reality Check | My Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Web messiness | Cellar spiders create dust-catching webs | My allergy-prone spouse hates cleaning them |
| Prey attraction | Webs mean other insects are present | Found fewer cellar spiders after sealing cracks |
| Accidental invaders | Harvestmen sometimes wander inside | Usually dehydrated - give them a damp paper towel |
Practical Solutions for Homeowners
Based on my trial-and-error over five years in a spider-friendly cottage:
When You Want Them Gone
- For cellar spiders: Use a vacuum with crevice tool on webs and egg sacs. Essential oils (peppermint/citrus) deter them temporarily.
- For harvestmen: Simply relocate them outdoors. They die quickly indoors anyway.
Honestly? I only remove webs in visible areas now. The ones behind furniture stay as free pest control.
Prevention Tactics That Actually Work
| Method | Effectiveness | Cost | My Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dehumidifier in basements | High (they hate dry air) | $$ | ★★★★☆ |
| Sealing foundation cracks | Medium-long term | $ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Yellow bug lights outdoors | Low for spiders, reduces prey | $$ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Diatomaceous earth barriers | Medium (dries them out) | $ | ★★★★☆ |
That last one? Sprinkled food-grade DE along my basement baseboards last spring. Saw a 60% reduction in cellar spiders. Just wear a mask when applying - that powder gets everywhere.
Your Top Daddy Long Legs Questions Answered
Do daddy long legs spiders make webs year-round?
In my observations, cellar spiders build continuously but slow down in winter. Their webs can last months if undisturbed. Found one in my cabin attic that clearly survived two winters intact.
Why do I see webs but no spiders?
Cellar spiders hide in crevices near their webs during daytime. Check after dark with a flashlight - you'll spot them lurking at the web edges. Creepy but cool.
Can harvestmen survive without legs?
Weirdly yes! I've seen one crawling with only four legs. They sacrifice legs to escape predators. Doesn't affect their ability to not make webs though - that's permanent.
Are the webs dangerous to pets?
Not toxic, but the strands can irritate eyes. My terrier once ran through a cellar spider web and rubbed his face for hours. Now we keep webs above tail height.
How many insects do they actually catch?
Documented one cellar spider web in my garage for a week: caught 11 fruit flies, 2 moths, and unfortunately one beneficial lacewing. Effective but indiscriminate.
Ecological Importance: Why They Matter
After years of observing them, I've gained respect for both types:
- Cellar spiders: Nature's free pest control service. A single web can catch hundreds of mosquitoes per season.
- Harvestmen: Decomposer crew that cleans up plant debris and dead insects.
That said, I still don't want them near my toothbrush. Balance is key.
Creating Wildlife-Friendly Zones
Designate areas where you don't disturb them:
| Location | Recommended Approach | My Results |
|---|---|---|
| Garden shed | Leave webs in rear corners | 90% less mosquitoes during gardening |
| Basement storage | Allow harvestmen near foundation | Reduced silverfish population |
| Garage ceiling | Tolerate high webs | Fewer moths eating stored fabrics |
My compromise? Cellar spiders get the northwest corner of the basement. Anywhere else gets vacuumed. They seem to respect the arrangement.
So do daddy long legs make webs? Only the spider variety does - cellar spiders to be precise. The harvestmen type just wanders around being weird and leggy. Understanding the difference changes how you see these common critters. Next time you spot one, check if it's near a web - that's your instant identification clue. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a particularly ambitious cellar spider in my boiler room that needs naming...
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