Cellar Spider

Category:

Actual Size: ¼” not including their long and thin legs

Characteristics: Tan, light brown, or gray with long and spindly legs.

Legs: 8

Habitat: True to their name, these spiders are usually found in dark and quiet places like cellars or basements.

Habits:

  • Often mistaken for harvestmen spiders or daddy long legs. 
  • Hangs belly-up from webs, which are usually built in corners or ceilings. 
  • Are natural enemies of large house spiders.

Cellar Spiders in Anaheim

Cellar spiders are small, harmless spiders with long, thin legs. They are sometimes mistaken for daddy longlegs due to their appearance, but they are actually unrelated. Certain species of cellar spiders are frequently found in homes, especially in dark places like garages or cellars, which is how they got their common name. These spiders are often seen hanging upside down in corners and ceilings. Cellar spiders play a role in controlling other house spiders but may also feed on flies, wasps, bees, and even other cellar spiders if food is limited.

Cellar Spider Habitat

In the wild, cellar spiders typically inhabit cave openings, tree hollows, and other sheltered locations. When indoors, however, they are commonly found in dark and damp areas like basements, crawl spaces, and garages. Cellar spiders are also known for building untidy, irregular webs that are very responsive to vibrations. When unsuspecting insects wander into the web, the spider will move quickly to capture its prey. Most cellar spiders can survive year-round in climate-controlled homes or buildings.

Cellar Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

While cellar spiders do possess venom, they are not considered dangerous because they’re not known to bite humans or spread disease. They are typically considered nuisance pests because they produce so much webbing, which can become an eyesore over time. Unlike many other spiders that consume their old webs before crafting new ones, cellar spiders keep adding to their webs, creating a mess that can be troublesome to remove and unattractive in homes and commercial buildings.