# Cellar Spider — Spider Squad

## Common Name
Cellar spider, daddy long-legs spider

## Scientific Name
Pholcus phalangioides (most common Ontario species)

## Clarification on "Daddy Long-Legs"
"Daddy long-legs" is used for three different animals: cellar spiders, harvestmen (Opiliones — not actually spiders, one body section, no venom glands), and crane flies (insects). Cellar spiders are true spiders with venom, but the myth that they're "the most venomous spider in the world" is false — their venom is mild and their fangs are fully capable of piercing human skin.

## Size
Body: 6 to 9 mm (small). Legs: extraordinarily long relative to body, up to 50 mm. The long, thin legs are the defining characteristic.

## Appearance
Pale grey or tan with a very small, oval body and extremely long, thin legs. Essentially transparent-looking in good light. Hangs upside-down in webs.

## Behaviour and Web
Builds loose, irregular webs in dark, sheltered locations. When disturbed, they vibrate rapidly in the web to appear blurred — a defensive behaviour meant to confuse predators. They are not aggressive.

Cellar spiders are predatory and will actually capture and eat other spiders, including house spiders larger than themselves. They coexist with other spider species in homes and can accumulate in significant numbers.

## Where Found
- Basements and crawl spaces (their primary habitat — hence the name)
- Garages
- Upper corners of undisturbed rooms
- Closets, under stairs, any dark, undisturbed, relatively humid location
- They cluster — large numbers in a single area are common

## Why They Cluster
Cellar spiders often aggregate because conditions (temperature, humidity, food supply) are favourable in one zone. Unlike territorial spiders, they tolerate proximity to others of the same species.

## Seasonal Pattern
Present year-round in conditioned spaces. Outdoor populations disperse in fall and move to sheltered interior locations.

## Danger Level
Not dangerous to humans. Bites are theoretically possible but almost never happen. Venom is not clinically significant for humans.

## Professional Treatment
Cellar spiders respond well to the Spider Squad perimeter treatment. Since they concentrate in basements, interior spot treatment in the basement or crawl space is often the most effective approach for severe interior accumulations. Exterior treatment reduces new arrivals entering from outside.