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If you’ve ever spotted a long-legged, web-spinning creature in your basement or garage, you might have called it a “daddy long legs.” But here’s where things get confusing – that name actually refers to two completely different creatures. As a registered technician who’s worked with spider issues across northern Virginia for years, I’ve noticed this confusion comes up constantly when homeowners call about thin, messy webs in corners or long-legged arachnids crawling around without webs.
The truth is, cellar spider vs daddy long legs isn’t really a comparison between two different species. Cellar spiders are true spiders that often get called “daddy long legs,” while actual daddy long legs (harvestmen) are arachnids but not spiders at all. Understanding these differences helps you identify what you’re dealing with in your home.
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The common name “daddy long legs” creates endless confusion because it’s used for three different creatures. In our DMV area, homeowners typically use this name for both cellar spiders and harvestmen. Additionally, some people call crane flies by this name too.
Cellar spiders belong to the family Pholcidae and are true spiders in the order Araneae. Harvestmen, on the other hand, belong to the order Opiliones. While both are arachnids, only cellar spiders are actual spiders. This distinction matters because their behavior, habitat preferences, and control methods differ significantly.
Over my four years in the pest control industry, I’ve seen this confusion lead to misidentification countless times. Homeowners will report “daddy long legs” problems, but the solution depends entirely on which creature we’re actually dealing with. That’s why proper identification is the first step in any effective treatment plan.
The easiest way to tell cellar spiders from harvestmen is by looking at their body structure. This difference is so clear that you can spot it from several feet away once you know what to look for.
Cellar spiders have the classic spider body plan with two distinct sections connected by a narrow “waist.” The front section (cephalothorax) contains the eyes, fangs, and leg attachments. The rear section (abdomen) appears separate and rounded. According to research on cellar spider anatomy, this two-part structure is a defining characteristic of all true spiders.
Harvestmen look completely different. Their body appears as one solid oval shape because their two body regions are broadly fused together. There’s no narrow waist or clear separation between body parts. This creates what looks like a single, compact body with extremely long legs attached.
When I’m helping customers identify which creature they have, I always start with this body check. It’s the quickest way to determine whether we’re dealing with a web-building cellar spider or a ground-walking harvestman.
🕷️ Quick ID Tip: Look at the body structure first! If you see a clear “waist” separating two body parts, it’s a cellar spider. If the body looks like one solid oval, it’s a harvestman (daddy long legs).
The presence or absence of webs gives you an immediate answer to the cellar spider vs daddy long legs question. This behavioral difference is one of the most reliable identification methods homeowners can use.
Cellar spiders are active web builders that create loose, three-dimensional cobwebs. These webs look messy and irregular compared to the neat orb webs you might see outdoors. In wooded areas like Mt. Vernon, where moisture and tree cover create ideal conditions, I regularly find these webs in basement corners, garage spaces, and crawl areas.
The spiders hang upside-down in their webs and have an interesting defense behavior. When disturbed, they’ll vibrate or “whirl” their entire web rapidly, making themselves harder to see. This web-shaking behavior is unique to cellar spiders and helps distinguish them from other web-building spiders.
Harvestmen don’t build webs because they lack silk glands entirely. Instead, they hunt and scavenge on foot. You’ll see them walking around on their long legs, often in gardens, under decks, or on exterior walls. They’re particularly visible during late summer and fall, which is how they got the name “harvestmen.”
These creatures are omnivores that eat small insects, carrion, fungi, and even bird droppings. Their second pair of legs acts like antennae, helping them probe their environment as they search for food.
Looking at eye arrangements requires getting close, but it provides definitive identification for the cellar spider vs daddy long legs debate. The differences are dramatic once you know what to look for.
Penn State Extension research shows that cellar spiders typically have eight eyes arranged in two groups of three, plus two median eyes. The exact arrangement can vary by species, but you’ll always see multiple eyes when you look closely.
Harvestmen have just one pair of eyes set on a small raised structure called an ocularium. These eyes look like tiny turrets on top of their body. This single eye pair is a defining characteristic of all harvestmen and makes identification straightforward once you spot it.
One of the most persistent myths about both creatures involves the claim that they’re “the most venomous spiders in the world but can’t bite humans.” This urban legend has caused unnecessary fear for decades, but the reality is much simpler.
Cellar spiders do have venom glands and functional fangs. However, their venom is extremely mild and poses no medical threat to humans. Scientific testing has shown that cellar spider bites cause only trivial, short-lived effects – far weaker than even a bee sting.
The myth likely persists because cellar spiders can kill other spiders, including black widows. This doesn’t mean their venom is stronger; it just means they’re effective predators within their size class.
According to scientific testing, cellar spider venom produces only trivial, short-lived effects when tested on laboratory mice. The venom is significantly weaker than that of a bee sting, debunking the persistent myth about these spiders being “highly venomous but unable to bite humans.” The confusion stems from their ability to kill other spiders, which is due to their predatory behavior rather than exceptionally potent venom.
Harvestmen have no venom glands whatsoever. They also lack fangs entirely. They simply cannot inject venom because they don’t possess the biological equipment to produce or deliver it. When harvestmen catch prey, they use their chelicerae (mouthparts) to tear and crush rather than envenomating.
Both creatures are harmless to humans and beneficial for controlling other pest populations. In my years of service calls, I’ve never encountered a medically significant bite from either species.
Understanding where and when you’re likely to encounter each creature helps with both identification and management. Their habitat preferences reflect their different lifestyles and needs.
Cellar spiders prefer dark, undisturbed areas with moderate humidity. Indoors, this means basements, crawl spaces, storage areas, and corners of garages. They’re particularly common in older homes with stone or brick foundations that provide numerous small entry points.
These spiders remain active year-round indoors because of climate control. In wooded areas with high moisture like Mt. Vernon, I see some of the heaviest cellar spider populations in northern Virginia. The combination of trees, moisture, and older home construction creates ideal conditions.
Harvestmen are most visible during late summer and fall, which aligns with their common name. You’ll see them on exterior walls, garden vegetation, under decks, and on tree trunks. They often form large aggregations of dozens or hundreds in September and October.
Ohio State University research indicates that most Mid-Atlantic harvestmen overwinter as eggs or immatures, emerging and maturing the following summer. This explains their seasonal peak visibility during harvest time.
Research from Ohio State University shows that harvestmen are important components of ecosystems, consuming decomposing organic matter, fungi, dead insects, and even pest species like aphids and small caterpillars. Their aggregation behavior in fall serves multiple purposes including protection from predators and preparation for overwintering. Studies indicate they can live up to 2-3 years and play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and pest control in garden ecosystems.
Because cellar spiders and harvestmen have different behaviors and habitats, effective management requires different approaches. My experience with spider control across the DMV area has shown that one-size-fits-all treatments rarely work well.
For cellar spiders, treatment focuses on web removal and targeted applications to areas where they build. I always start by removing existing webs, then treat the areas where spiders are most likely to rebuild. Key locations include basement corners, crawl space entry points, and areas around utility connections.
Reducing indoor humidity and sealing foundation gaps helps discourage new infestations. However, because cellar spiders are beneficial predators that help control other pests, complete elimination isn’t always necessary or desirable.
Harvestmen aggregations are typically temporary and seasonal. Because they don’t build webs or establish permanent indoor populations, management focuses on exclusion and habitat modification. Routine leaf-litter cleanup around foundations reduces their preferred hiding spots.
Most importantly, harvestman aggregations are harmless and provide ecological benefits by consuming pest insects and organic debris. Our spider control services take this into account when developing treatment plans.
Both cellar spiders and harvestmen provide significant ecological benefits that homeowners should consider when deciding on control measures. Understanding their positive contributions helps put any pest concerns in perspective.
Cellar spiders reduce nuisance insect numbers and prey on other spiders, including occasional widow species inside structures. They’re particularly effective at controlling flying insects that enter basements and crawl spaces.
Harvestmen are generalist scavengers that help decompose organic debris and consume eggs of invasive pests. Research shows they even eat brown marmorated stink bug eggs, making them valuable allies during stink bug season.
Neither species damages property, contaminates food, or creates large sticky webs that interfere with human activities. When I explain these benefits to customers, many choose targeted management rather than wholesale elimination.
🏆 Beneficial Fact: Both cellar spiders and harvestmen are natural pest controllers. Cellar spiders can even prey on dangerous spiders like black widows, while harvestmen help reduce pest insect populations in your yard.
While homeowners can often distinguish between cellar spiders and harvestmen using the guidelines above, professional identification ensures accurate treatment planning. Our family business has served the DMV area for over 50 years, and proper identification remains the foundation of effective pest management.
For cases involving significant cellar spider populations, our approach includes thorough web removal followed by targeted treatments in areas where spiders are most likely to rebuild. We also provide guidance on moisture control and exclusion techniques that reduce long-term issues.
Harvestman issues typically require minimal intervention beyond exclusion and habitat modification. Because these creatures are temporary visitors that provide pest control benefits, aggressive treatment is rarely necessary.
Understanding the cellar spider vs daddy long legs distinction helps homeowners make informed decisions about pest management. Both creatures are beneficial allies rather than dangerous enemies, and effective control focuses on managing populations rather than complete elimination.
If you’re dealing with long-legged arachnids in your home and want professional identification and treatment recommendations, our registered technicians can help determine exactly what you’re seeing and develop an appropriate management plan. For more information about our spider control services or to schedule an inspection, call us at 703-683-2000 or email info@bettertermite.com.
Confused about what spiders you’re seeing? Our registered technicians can properly identify cellar spiders, daddy long legs, and other arachnids, then create a targeted treatment plan.
Not exactly. Cellar spiders are often called “daddy long legs,” but true daddy long legs are harvestmen, which are arachnids but not spiders. Cellar spiders build webs and have two body segments, while harvestmen don’t build webs and have a single fused body.
Cellar spiders can technically bite but their venom is extremely mild and poses no medical threat. Harvestmen (true daddy long legs) cannot bite at all because they lack venom glands and fangs. Both are essentially harmless to humans.
Look for webs and body structure. If you see messy cobwebs with a spider hanging upside-down, it’s a cellar spider. If you see a long-legged creature walking around without webs, it’s likely a harvestman. Cellar spiders have a clear “waist” between body parts, while harvestmen have one solid body shape.
Both cellar spiders and harvestmen are beneficial. Cellar spiders control flying insects and other spiders, including potentially dangerous species like black widows. Harvestmen help decompose organic matter and eat pest insect eggs. Neither poses any threat to humans.
You’re likely seeing harvestmen, which are most active during late summer and fall (hence “harvest” men). They often form large aggregations on walls and trees during September and October. This is normal seasonal behavior and the groups typically disperse on their own.
You can remove webs if they bother you, but remember that cellar spiders help control other pests. If you’re seeing many webs, it might indicate an abundance of flying insects that the spiders are catching. Consider addressing moisture issues and insect populations rather than just removing webs.
Cellar spiders are often found indoors year-round because they prefer the stable conditions inside homes. Harvestmen typically stay outdoors and most species overwinter as eggs or immatures. If you see long-legged arachnids indoors during winter, they’re more likely cellar spiders.
Focus on reducing humidity, sealing entry points, and removing existing webs. Target areas where they’re most likely to rebuild, like basement corners and crawl spaces. Because they’re beneficial, complete elimination isn’t usually necessary – just population management in areas where they’re unwanted.
With five years of hands-on experience in the pest control industry, George Schulz is a registered technician with the Virginia Pest Management Association and a proud third-generation professional in a family business that’s been protecting homes for over 57 years. He manages and trains a team of service pros while also leading internal research efforts—recently spearheading a deep-dive review of thousands of documents on pest control materials to hand-pick the most kid and pet friendly, most effective solutions tailored specifically for homes in the DC metro area. Read his bio.
