Daddy Long Legs SpidersPhalangium opilio
 
Physical Characters
Daddy-long-legs have eight very long, slender legs, although some species have shorter legs. They have an oval, compact, small body (1/16 to 1/2 inch long) that is held well above the ground by the thread-like long legs. Their body appears to be a single unit because the cephalothorax (combined head and thorax) and abdomen are broadly joined (no narrow waist), whereas spiders have a constriction between the cephalothorax and abdomen. Daddy-long-legs should not be confused with cellar spiders, which are found in cobwebs in dark, damp basements, cellars, and crawl spaces. Although cellar spiders have long legs, their body has a constricted waist.
Life Cycle and Habits
Eggs are deposited individually deep into the soil and they hatch the following spring. During the fall, large numbers of harvestmen often are seen clustered together. Because groups are observed at harvest time, they were named accordingly, harvestmen. Adults usually do not survive in northern climates where freezing occurs.
Daddy-long-legs usually are inactive and hidden during the day, then at sunset, they begin to wander about searching for food. Many Opiliones feed on live insects, especially aphids. Other species feed on dead insects or plant juices. Harvestmen commonly live among plants or on tree trunks.
Daddy-long-legs are rarely encountered in living areas of a building, but are more often found in crawl spaces, basements, and outbuildings. They often rest on buildings—on the walls, under the eaves, or in windowsills.
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