Green Nature

Cellar Spiders

Types of Spiders

picture of a cellar spiderCellar Spiders are small and common spiders in homes and other types of shelters around the United States.

They are commonly lumped into either the house spider category or more generally referred to as daddy long legs or cobweb spiders. Technically, cellar spiders are a separate and distinct family of spiders called Pholcidae.

The above picture shows a cellar spider with the characteristic long legs.

You can see a picture of a different arachnid called a Daddy Long Legs by clicking on the link. It takes you to a description of a harvertmen, a similar looking arachnid, but not a spider.

close up of a cellar spiderAll spiders have two body parts, and the picture on the left is a close up of the above picture. It clearly shows the spider's two body parts.

Cellar spiders build webs similar to another family of spiders called, Theridiidae, more commonly called cobweb spiders. Theridiidae, however, typically do no have the extra long and thin legs like cellar spiders.

While cellar spiders might be considered an eyesore, they are harmless.

© 2007. Patricia A. Michaels