Like most other spiders, cellar spiders are highly adaptive and successful predators. They prefer to eat small moths, flies, mosquitoes and other insects or spiders that are found near their webs. Although their bites are harmless to humans, their webs are unsightly and profuse: unlike other spider species, cellar spiders prefer to live within close proximity to one another, creating troublesome communities within human dwellings. The web of the cellar spider is irregular, with no discernable pattern. Male and female cellar spiders may be found in climate-controlled structures year round. The cellar spider is often found in damp locations like basements, crawl spaces and cellars, which is how it got its common name. Because of their long legs, cellar spiders are often mistaken for daddy longlegs. The most common Phlocidae in the United States is the long-bodied cellar spider. There are two groups of cellar spiders, the long-bodied cellar spiders that have legs up to two inches long and the short-bodied cellar spiders whose legs are about ½ inch long. Legs: Like all spiders, they have eight legs. Consider contacting a licensed pest control company for assistance in controlling large infestations.Body: Cellar spiders have small bodies with long, thin legs.Ĭolor: Cellar spiders are tan or gray in color. If you use insecticides, read the label directions carefully before use, and follow all safety precautions. Use nonchemical control methods before using insecticides, and only use insecticides if nonchemical means of control do not work. However, insecticides are not a replacement for good sanitation practices, and without proper sanitation, spiders and insects will quickly return. Insecticides labeled as appropriate for eliminating cellar spiders can also be used to help control an infestation of spiders. Sealing cracks in your foundation and in doors and windows also helps to keep spiders out. For example, keep your home clean, lower the humidity and replace exterior white lighting with sodium vapor lighting. Next, take steps to reduce the insect population of your home, which provides prey for the spiders. If you have a lot of cellar spiders in your home and want to get rid of them, begin by removing the webs with a broom or vacuum. If you have a large amount of cellar spiders in your home, however, you can reduce the infestation with nonchemical and chemical means of control. In fact, they may help control the populations of other nuisance insects, such as flies, mosquitoes and moths. They don't bite humans, and although their webs can be a nuisance, occasionally encountering a cellar spider isn't cause for concern. InfestationsĬellar spiders aren't poisonous or harmful. The cellar spider then shakes the web to trap the insect further. They hang upside down from their massed, messy webs, which they often build in corners, until an insect wanders into the webs. Short-bodied cellar spiders have legs that are approximately 5/16 inch long, while long-bodied cellar spiders have legs about 2 inches long. Cellar spiders are classified as short-bodied or long-bodied. Cellar spiders belong to the family Pholcidae about 20 species of cellar spiders live in the U.S.
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