![]() ![]() "I think one scientist did some work on that, and he had a little black mark for a day or two and went, 'It's not that big of a deal.' Definitely not the most toxic spider in the world. "I'm not aware of any publication showing that pholcid spiders cause a toxic effect in humans," Vetter said. Their fangs are similar to those of the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa), Vetter said, which is notorious for its potentially fatal bite to humans. That leaves us with cellar spiders, the only true spiders of the bunch. Though this substance can kill spiders and insects, it's certainly not the world's most toxic poison. When harvestmen are disturbed, they either spray or coat themselves in a dark, foul-smelling chemical mixture designed to ward off parasites and predators. They are commonly known as cellar spiders or daddy longlegs spiders and are related to the long-bodied cellar spiders from the family Pholcidae. Cellar spiders belong to the family Pholcidae, which consists of about 1500 species worldwide. ![]() Whereas venom works by being injected into the target, poison works either by being ingested or through topical contact. Before delving into the specific types of cellar spiders, it’s essential to understand their taxonomy. Harvestmen don't have venom either - they have poison. ![]() But what about their venom? Crane flies have none, so for them, this legend is plainly false. They exist in their adult stage for just a few days - enough time to mate and lay eggs.Ĭlearly, daddy longlegs aren't just one thing. That's because many species of crane fly have no mouthparts at all. But unlike mosquitoes, they can't bite you. These are insects, not arachnids, and their long bodies and wings make them look like oversize mosquitoes. (Image credit: Terry Hadley / EyeEm via Getty Images)įinally, there are crane flies, in the family Tipulidae. Harvestmen have one body segment and two eyes. And they're mostly used for tearing apart prey, dead animals and detritus." "Harvestmen have little grabby mouthparts," Vetter told Live Science. Unlike spiders, these animals have a single body segment and only two eyes, and they don't have fangs or venom glands. Then there are harvestmen, which are arachnids in the order Opiliones. Like other spiders, it has two body segments, eight eyes and fangs, complete with venom ducts and venom glands. That animal is also known as a cellar spider, in the family Pholcidae. The problem is that the term "daddy longlegs" is used colloquially to refer to at least three different animals, only one of which is a true spider. Vetter has been busting this particular myth for years. "First, what are you calling a daddy longlegs?" said Rick Vetter, a retired research associate of entomology at the University of California, Riverside. But to reach that answer, we're going to have to get a few things straight. (Image credit: Iain Lawrie via Getty Images) Really the most venomous spiders in the world? A daddy longlegs, also known as a cellar spider. ![]()
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