Daddy Longlegs (Harvestmen) Spider Identification

How To Get Rid Of Daddy Longlegs

Since harvestmen are beneficial predators, control measures are usually unnecessary. Should they be found inside your home, remove them with a vacuum or broom. If control is necessary, seek the assistance of your pest management professional.

How Orkin Can Help Get Rid Of Daddy Longlegs

Your local Orkin Pro is trained to help manage daddy longlegs and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Orkin Pro will design a unique spider treatment program for your situation.

Orkin can provide the right solution to keep daddy longlegs in their place and out of your home or business.

What do daddy longlegs look like?

• Size: They measure 5/16 of an inch in length

• Color: They are usually brown or grayish in color.

• Body: Harvestmen have one body segment, two eyes, and eight legs. Their second pair of legs are longer than the others and function as their smell and taste sense organs.

Daddy Longleg Behavior

They have many names such as harvest spiders, shepherd spiders, and grandfather graybeards. Their proper common names are daddy longlegs, harvestmen, or opilionids. These organisms are called harvestmen because they are often seen in large numbers in the fall around harvest time. During the fall, their populations may briefly cluster together. Unlike spiders, they do not create silk webs.

What do daddy longlegs eat?

Harvestmen primarily search for food at night. They mainly feed on small insects, decaying plant material, and fungi, and use their mouthparts to hold their prey. In fact, these mouthparts are very similar to crabs. You may also find tiny brown spots where they feed which can be fecal deposits. They produce a strong odor that repels most predators to use as protection.

Where do daddy longlegs live?

Outdoors, harvestmen prefer to live in damp, shaded areas such as on trees, under eaves, and underneath logs and rocks. It is rare to see harvestmen in home living spaces. If they make their way indoors, they hide in areas including:

• Basements

• Crawlspaces

• Garages

• Sheds

Daddy Longleg Lifespan

In northern portions of their range, harvestmen live for only one year, while in the south they may live up to two years.