A female daddy long legs isn't called by a specific scientific name; she's still a daddy long legs, but people often affectionately call her "Mommy Long Legs," especially if she's seen carrying a clutch of eggs, which she holds with her fangs. Scientifically, she's a cellar spider (Pholcidae), often Pholcus phalangioides, and females are usually slightly larger than males, notes Wikipedia.
There are three main arthropods that commonly get lumped under the name “daddy long legs”:
The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an order of arachnids, colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, daddy long legs, or granddaddy long legs. Over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total number of extant species may exceed 10,000.
The body of most adult daddy-longlegs is about 1/16-1/2 inch long, oval with very long legs. Males tend to have smaller bodies than females but they have longer legs.
In addition to being harmless (yet creepy), daddy longlegs are technically beneficial to us. They eat smaller pests that cause problems for humans, so they provide some natural pest control.
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The daddy longlegs is actually a large type of cranefly, of which there are 94 species in the UK. It is familiar to us in its adult form as the gangly insect that flits around our homes in summer. As a larva, it is a grey grub (also known as a 'leatherjacket') that lives underground, feeding on plants stems and roots.
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daddy longlegs cause no harm to structures or to the people inhabiting them. Unfortunately, some people fear daddy longlegs because they've heard myths about them being poisonous. However, this is untrue.
While Daddy long legs spiders aren't harmful to humans, they have been known to bite when harassed. However, their venom isn't potent and symptoms resemble a bee sting. Picking them up for observation or relocation isn't harmful, but it is best to avoid handling them unnecessarily to prevent a potential bite.
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Fact: This is a tricky one. Unfortunately, different people call completely different creatures by the "daddy" term. Most Americans who spend time outdoors use the term for long-legged harvestmen (below, right), which are ground-dwelling outdoor creatures.
He found that losing a leg or two had little effect on speed and foraging success, but losing a third leg slowed the animals down by as much as two-thirds and limited their ability to find food. It also matters which leg is lost.
“Squashing a female may release dozens of baby spiders if she's carrying eggs. And squashing spreads pheromones that attract more scavengers. Some spider species eat other spiders, including venomous ones like brown recluses. So when you kill one, you're potentially tipping the balance in favor of the bad guys.”