phalangioides individuals of the same population that live in the same geographical region will have a very low degree of genetic variation (intrapopulation differentiation). Although some gene flow does exist between populations, its importance has been insignificant when compared to that of geographical isolation-driven genetic drift. This small size combined with low mobility of populations results in an increased importance placed on the role of genetic drift, more specifically the founder effect, on population structure. phalangioides, though populations tend to be relatively small, widely dispersed, and greatly isolated from one another. The large number of buildings in the world has favoured P. phalangioides are influenced greatly by the presence of human-made buildings since these spiders prefer warmer habitats indoors. This is not to be confused with organisms with similar physical appearances, such as the crane fly - an insect - and harvestmen of the arachnid order Opiliones. All of these spiders are known for their characteristic long legs, which can range from 5 to 6 times the size of their bodies. phalangioides shares ancestry with roughly 1,340 similar cellar-spiders such as the granddaddy long-legs spider, carpenter spider, and vibrating spider. A member of the genus Pholcus in the family Pholcidae, P. Pholcus phalangioides was first described in 1775 by the Swiss entomologist Johann Kaspar Füssli. Pholcus phalangioides is known to be harmless to humans and a potential for the medicinal use of their silk has been reported. This spider species is considered beneficial in parts of the world because it preys on other spiders, including species considered dangerous such as redback spiders. Pholcus phalangioides has a habit of living on the ceilings of rooms, caves, garages or cellars. The length of the spider's legs are on average 5 or 6 times the length of its body. Its common name of "daddy long-legs" should not be confused with a different arachnid group with the same common name, the harvestman (Opiliones), or the crane flies of the superfamily Tipuloidea.įemales have a body length of about 8 mm while males tend to be slightly smaller. This is the only spider species described by the Swiss entomologist Johann Kaspar Füssli, who first recorded it in 1775. It is also known as the skull spider, since its cephalothorax is said to resemble a human skull. We can help you to get rid of annoying and invasive cellar spiders by helping to prevent them from entering into your home in the first place.Īt Spencer Pest Services our pros will partner with you to create a pest control program to exclude cellar spiders and the insects and spiders that they dine on from your home all the while treating and eliminating any current pest problems you may be experiencing.Īvailable throughout the Upstate of South Carolina, North Carolina and northern Georgia, please contact us today to learn more about our home pest control services.Pholcus phalangioides, commonly known as the cosmopolitan cellar spider, long-bodied cellar spider or one of various types called a daddy long-legs spider, is a spider of the family Pholcidae. A fun fact about cellar spiders is that they hang upside down in their webs and when they are bothered they shake their webs aggressively. This means that in addition to lots of spiders living in your home a cellar spider invasion means that there will be lots of clusters of unsightly spider webs as well. They are often found invading barns, sheds, garages, basements, crawl spaces, underneath of sinks, and in root cellars.Ĭellar spiders can become a big problem inside of homes and other buildings because they like to live close to each other. Why do I have a cellar spider problem?Ĭellar spiders gravitate to environments that are both damp and dark. While cellar spider venom isn’t a threat to us, it is a threat to other spider species, including venomous spiders like the brown recluse spider and the black widow spider. Luckily this is completely false and while they are venomous, the venom is not strong enough to affect a person and they pose no medical threat to people. There is an old urban legend associated with cellar spiders, it states that their venom is the most deadly in the world but their fangs are too short to be able to bite and inject it into a person. However, their mouthparts are small and are not strong enough to pierce the skin of a person. Cellar spiders have the potential to bite if they are being directly handled or feel threatened.
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