Spider of the Month – Pholcus Phalangioides (Daddy Longlegs Spider)

This species has a pale yellow-brown cylindrical body except for a grey patch in the centre of the cephalothorax and are covered in fine grey hairs. They have 8 eyes: 2 small ones in the middle and 2 groups of 3 larger ones on each side. Adult males are about 6mm in length and the females about 8mm with front legs up to 50mm long which have 3 claws on the tip of each. They can be seen all year round in corners and on ceilings where there is little disturbance and thrive in houses where the average temperature is about 50ºC. As a defence mechanism, when disturbed, they shake and gyrate their bodies making it more difficult to see them. The peak breeding season is June. The females make excellent mothers carrying their egg sacs containing 20 – 30 eggs in their jaws until, after about 4 weeks, the eggs hatch. For the first week or so the spiderlings stay around their mother’s web benefitting from her protection but then disburse as part of their diet is other spiders including their brothers and sisters. It takes about a year for them to develop into adults shedding their skins 5 or 6 times as they mature. As well as spiders they eat small insects, woodlice and mites. When their prey gets caught in the web they flick more silk threads at it from a distance keeping themselves well out of danger. Once bound securely they kill and digest their prey with venom. The males live for up to 2 years and the females up to 3 years.
Did You Know?
•   These have several other common names including architrave spider, long-legged cellar spider, vibrating
spider and skull spider.
•   They live on every continent except Antarctica.
•   They are considered beneficial in some parts of the world as they kill and eat spiders larger than themselves
including extremely venomous ones.
•   The crane fly and the harvestman are also known as daddy longlegs.

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