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Cellar Spider

Pholcus phalangioides

Photo by 21zbarrick
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Pholcids are thin and fragile arachnids. The body is approximately 2–10 mm in length, and the legs may be up to 50 mm long. Pholcus and Smeringopus have cylindrical abdomens and eyes arranged in two lateral groups of three and two smaller median contiguous eyes. Arrangements of eight and six eyes both occur in this family. Spermophora has a small globose abdomen and its eyes are arranged in two groups of three without median eyes. Pholcids are gray to brown, sometimes clear, with banding or chevron markings.

Habitat:

The cellar spider is often found in damp locations like basements, crawl spaces and cellars, which is how it got its common name. Male and female cellar spiders may be found in climate-controlled structures year round. Pholcids hang inverted in their messy and irregular-shaped webs. These webs are constructed in dark and damp recesses such as in caves, under rocks and loose bark, and in abandoned mammal burrows. In areas of human habitation pholcids construct webs in undisturbed areas in buildings such as attics and cellars.

Notes:

Cellar spiders are usually known as daddy long legs.

Species ID Suggestions

Cellar Spider

Pholcus phalangioides

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Photographed
PublishedOctober 21, 2019

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