![]() I have handled cellar spiders and never been bitten and if this rare event did happen, the spider’s bite is reported to be harmless to humans. ![]() In the land down under and some other parts of the world, cellar spiders go by the name of daddy-long-legs, a moniker associated with another arachnid, opilionids, which we met in a previous episode. Millions of years ago cellars were noticeably absent from the planet, but caves and dank tree hollows were aplenty and cellar spiders found these habitats perfect for building their loose webs for snaring prey. Beneath the web, exsanguinated bodies of small flies, pill bugs, and beetles piled up on the window sill.Ĭellar spiders are found throughout much of the world in temperate and tropical regions. Just on the other side of the glass, the cellar spider employs the same strategy for trapping small insects drawn to the light of a window in a futile attempt to escape the confines of a basement. In last week’s episode, we met the common house spider that exploits outdoor window frames to string her web and capture prey. Near the corner of one dimly lit window, I discovered a diverse collection of tiny insect carcasses and didn’t have to look far to see a gangly and beautiful cellar spider hiding in the upper corner of the window. Part of the assignment was to inspect windows and remove any arthropods living or dead that might terrorize visitors who do not share affection for animals lacking fur and possessing more than four legs. One small spider, suspended on unseen webbing, dancing and vibrating, and, nearby, another of the same type of spider, only larger, suspended on webbing that was full of tiny insect parts (ants, maybe?) and carrying an egg sac. I will count the days until her babies hatch. In the meantime, what will happen to that cool “vibrating” spider? I know you all want to know.With the holiday season fast approaching and family and friends soon to visit, the Bug Guy received orders to prepare the spare bedroom in the basement for overnight guests. The wolf spider carries her spiderlings on her back until their first molt. Orb weavers abandon their egg sacs, sometimes protected in leaves or soil.Īt my house, I am watching two spiders. They love to eat insects and spiders larger than themselves. That may explain why I don’t have a lot of other fun spiders in my house.Īfter cellar spiders mate, the female waits to lay eggs until food is available. When spiderlings hatch, the mother will guard them for nine days. When they shed their pre-nymph skins to become little spiders, they then move on to build their own webs. Other types of spiders do it differently. Based on its size, I am going to take a guess that my spider is in the cosmopolitan group and is a long-bodied cellar spider.Ĭellar spiders like human habitats, and they are beneficial to humans. People often mistake this spider for a daddy long legs, but it is not. Some species of cellar spiders are distinguished as cosmopolitan, which means that they can be found worldwide. The Arachnid class includes 11 different orders, some of which are harvestmen, aka daddy long legs, as well as mites, spiders and others. What makes a spider a spider is that it has four pairs of legs and two body parts, makes silk and venom and has piercing mouth parts.īased on scientific clues from the Field Museum, and other sources, my spider is probably a cellar spider from the Pholcidae family. ![]() “Howl’s Moving Castle,” a book that my daughter loved, includes a main character, Howl, who repeatedly reminds readers he does not believe in dusting for fear of disturbing the spiders in his castle. I love watching the spiders in my house. I’ve decided these spiders live here because it is a suitable habitat for them, so I am going to level up and embrace spider science. Spiders have fascinated me since childhood. My memories include reading "Charlotte’s Web" as a child, seeing beautiful web designs dappled with dew at sunrise, watching a jumping spider play with a moving cursor on my computer screen and seeing shimmers of silk glisten in the bright blue sky on a crisp autumn day. In this edition, Kate Caldwell, an interpretive naturalist at Plum Creek Nature Center, tells us why she loves cellar spiders. "Things We Love" explores those jaw-dropping parts of nature that one person finds particularly special. And yet for others, it's all about the scenery. ![]() One may have a soft spot for flowers, while another gravitates toward a particular animal. About this series: While many people love nature, different people love different aspects of it. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |