Indeed, cellar spiders do spin webs, which tend to be untidy and can sometimes become quite extensive. These webs serve as their habitat, and they also play a role in capturing prey.
It’s interesting to note that when cellar spiders are disturbed, they are known to bounce within their webs as a peculiar defense mechanism. Cellar Spider Basics Species and RangeĬellar spiders belong to the family Pholcidae, which includes two common species – the long-bodied cellar spider ( Pholcus phalangioides) and the short-bodied cellar spider. They are found across North America, thriving in dark, secluded places like cellars and basements. Spider Identificationīoth species have long, delicate legs and are known for their “vibrating” behavior when alarmed, turning them into a blur in their webs. Lifespanįemale long-bodied cellar spiders can produce about three egg sacs in their lifetime, each containing around 13-60 eggs. The exact lifespan of cellar spiders is not clear, but they can survive for several months to a year. Conservation StatusĬellar spiders are common spiders and not considered endangered or threatened. Their presence is usually harmless, and they can even help control other pest populations by capturing and consuming small insects. Webs and Habitats Web Structure and MaintenanceĬellar spiders create webs in calm, undisturbed places and usually live in or near their webs. These webs have a chaotic structure, and when disturbed, cellar spiders bounce rapidly to turn themselves into a blur, making it difficult for predators to locate them. Webs need maintenance, so they don’t collect too much dirt and dust over time, which can make them unsightly. Regular vacuuming of the webs and spiders is recommended. Preferred LocationsĮxamples of such locations include basements, caves, sheds, and garages. To minimize cellar spider populations, consider: You can often find them in the corners of rooms, close to the ceiling. Here’s a comparison table of their preferred locations: Web Locationīiology and Behavior Anatomy and AppearanceĬellar spiders belong to the Pholcidae family and are characterized by their long, thin legs and small bodies. They come in various shades of gray, tan, or whitish color, which helps them blend into their surroundings. Their body length ranges from 1/16 inch for short-bodied cellar spiders to 1/4-5/16 inch for long-bodied cellar spiders, with legs extending up to 2 inches in the latter. Adult male short-bodied cellar spiders have a body length of about 1/16” (1.6 mm) with front legs about 3/8” (9.5 mm) long.A distinctive feature of cellar spiders is their flexible tarsi (“feet”), which adds to their wispy appearance 1. Adult female short-bodied cellar spiders have a body length of about 1/16” (2 mm) with front legs about 5/16” (8.5 mm) long. On the other hand, short-bodied cellar spiders have much shorter bodies as their name implies. As such, the “daddy longlegs” nickname also applies to harvestmen, but, by contrast, these arachnids have oval bodies that are more reddish in color compared to cellar spiders.
Long-bodied cellar spiders are also similar in appearance to harvestmen-which are arachnids, but technically not spiders-given their equally noticeable, lengthier legs. Adult male long-bodied cellar spiders have a body length of about ¼” (6 mm). They have a cylindrical abdomen that is about three times longer than it is wide.Īdult female long-bodied cellar spiders have a body length of about ¼-5/16” (7-8 mm) with front legs about 1 ¾-1 15/16” (45-50 mm) long.
Cellar spiders also have eight eyes that are arranged into two widely-spaced lateral groups of three each and two eyes in between. However, theirs are very elongated and thin compared to other spiders.
Like all arachnids, cellar spiders have eight legs. All cellar spiders have oval-shaped bodies that range in color from pale yellowish to light brown or gray.