Daddy long legs

If you have seen spiders with very long legs around your property, you have probably come across one of the most common spiders found in buildings in North America - the daddy long legs. There are a lot of rumors and myths about daddy long legs and just how much of a concern they should be, and the spider experts at Rentokil are here to give you the facts.

There are actually two types of species of arachnids that have been labeled with the moniker of daddy long legs. One of them is an actual spider, while the other isn't.

What are daddy long legs?

Are daddy long legs poisonous?

When it comes to determining if daddy long legs are poisonous, you must first properly identify the arachnid. An urban legend has sprouted up for both Harvestmen and Cellar Spiders that they are actually the most poisonous spiders in the world, but their fangs are too small to pierce the skin of a human. This is not true.

Harvestmen may get very large if you consider the size of their legs, but they do not have fangs or poison glands. Instead, they have small structures near their mouths known as chelicerae, resembling tiny claws. They use these to grasp, hold and chew up their prey. Even if they wanted to envenomate something, they couldn’t.

Cellar spiders, on the other hand, do have small fangs and carry venom. It has also been proven that their fangs are large enough to bite humans. However, the venom is very weak, often not even fatal to other insects. Cellar spiders would much rather run away than bite a human. They may bite if cornered and bothered, which will, at most, only cause a mild burning at the site of the bite.

Rentokil spider control solutions

Even though daddy long legs present no severe threat, cellar spiders and harvestmen can be disturbing to those who find many of them in their business. Cellar spiders also create webs which can collect dirt and debris, making a business look unkempt.

If you have a spider infestation on your property, then call on the experts at Rentokil. Use our online form or call us at 1-855-633-6260 to discuss spider control solutions.