Is this long-legged spider you see everywhere in the house dangerous? (Cellar Spider) Let's talk!

Have you ever looked around your house and noticed a spider web or two in a corner of the ceiling, in an attic, or in a dark corner of a wall? There are actually many different types of spiders living in our homes and buildings. But most of them are harmless and pose no threat to humans. Today we are talking about a special spider that you see at home all the time, but which can be a little scary when you see it. That is the Cellar Spider.

Who are these Cellar Spiders?

Cellar Spiders are a species of spider that belongs to the scientific family `(Pholcidae)`. Like all other spiders, they have two main body parts: the front part (cephalothorax) and the back part (abdomen). But the main thing that sets these spiders apart from others is their very long, skinny legs . Because of this, you may know these spiders by the nickname "daddy longlegs". But there is a little thing, there is another animal called the harvestman, which looks like a spider of the same name, but is not a spider.

Check out these details to help you identify these spiders.

What is the lifespan of these spiders?

A fully grown cellar spider can live for two or more years. The female usually lays about three egg sacs in her lifetime. Each sac can contain between 13 and 60 eggs.

What's really amazing is that they don't attach their egg sacs to the web like other spiders. Instead, the female holds the egg sac in her mouth and holds it up . When the eggs hatch, the spiderlings crawl out of the mother's mouth. It takes about a year for a baby spider to become a fully grown spider.

As these babies grow, they shed their exoskeleton, or skin-like part, several times. But while they can live for several years, most don't live that long. Because other insects, spiders, small reptiles, and mammals eat them. And humans like us get rid of them as soon as they see them at home.

Where do they live the most? What do they eat?

Cellar spiders are found almost everywhere in the world. They live mostly indoors. This is because they are not much affected by the weather inside the house and have a uniform temperature, which makes it easier for them. They build their webs in places like the ceilings of houses, buildings, and rooms, on windows, and on pipes. As the name suggests, they like to live in places like basements and crawl spaces.

Cellar spiders usually hang upside down from their webs. When they sense danger or threat, some spiders will shake the web loudly, making it difficult to identify them. Other spiders will curl up into a small ball and try to hide.

What do they eat?

Cellar spiders use their webs to catch and eat insects. Although they will eat just about anything that gets caught in the web, their main diet includes:

• Mosquitoes
• Small flies like gnats
• Moths
• Fly
• Other spiders

The biggest question everyone has: Are cellar spiders poisonous? Do they bite?

This is the most important thing. Almost all spiders in North America are venomous. But that doesn't mean they're dangerous. While most spiders bite to inject venom into their prey, the cellar spider doesn't. Although it has fangs and venom glands, its fangs are very short . And its venom is very weak . So it has to rely almost entirely on its web to paralyze its prey.

There is a big story and myth in society that "cellar spiders have the most dangerous and powerful venom in the world. But because their fangs are short, they cannot harm humans." However, there is no scientific research to prove this. This is a completely wrong opinion.

The truth is, 98% of spiders are harmless and pose no threat to humans. They only bite if they feel threatened or in danger. Although a spider bite can be painful and uncomfortable, it is the venom that is dangerous, not the bite. The venom of cellar spiders is not strong enough to be dangerous to humans.

How do you get rid of these spiders from your house?

Now you know that cellar spiders are not harmful. In fact, they are also helpful in the home because they eat annoying insects like mosquitoes and flies. But no one likes to have messy cobwebs everywhere when someone comes home.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to reduce these spiders in your home.

How to prevent it?

The first step is to block their access to the house.

• Seal small cracks in the walls of your home and near window frames with silicone caulk .
• Installing weatherstripping on doors and a door sweep underneath the door can help prevent insects from entering.
• The best way to get rid of spiders is to take away their food. Replace your outdoor lights with yellow lightbulbs. This will reduce the number of insects that come out of the bright light.
• Using a dehumidifier to keep areas of the house with high humidity, such as the basement, dry, also reduces the number of insects and spiders.

Let's get rid of the spiders and cobwebs.

Unlike other pests, spiders don't require chemicals to get rid of. Spiders, their webs, and egg sacs can be easily removed with a broom or vacuum cleaner. This is the fastest and most effective way to get rid of spiders in your home.

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