Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kansas City Pest Identification
Pholcus phalangioidesCellar Spider Identification
The long-legged, wobbly spider in the basement corner that shakes its web when you get close. Often called a daddy longlegs, and completely harmless.
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How to Identify It
Tiny gray-tan body with extremely long, thin legs; hangs in a loose, messy web in corners and vibrates rapidly when disturbed. Multiple generations often share a corner.
Size: Body 6–9 mm; legs up to 50 mm
Commonly Confused With
Confused with brown recluse (they are far more delicate and hang in a web) and with harvestmen ("daddy longlegs" arachnids that have a single oval body and no web).
Why It Shows Up
Cool, damp, dim spaces with small flying insects. They are one of the few spiders that actually prefer living indoors.
Where Homeowners Find It
Basements, crawlspaces, garages, under stairs, and the upper corners of ceilings.
Seasonal Activity in KC
Year-round indoors.
Risk Level
None. The "most venomous spider but fangs too short" story is a myth. They eat other spiders, including recluses.
What You Can Do Yourself
- • Vacuum webs and egg masses.
- • Run a dehumidifier in the basement; they follow moisture and the gnats that come with it.
What Professional Treatment Involves
Covered by any general interior spider treatment, but honestly, a vacuum does most of the work. We will tell you that rather than sell a treatment for it.
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Common Questions
How do I tell a cellar spider from something that looks similar?
Confused with brown recluse (they are far more delicate and hang in a web) and with harvestmen ("daddy longlegs" arachnids that have a single oval body and no web).
Do I need professional treatment for cellar spider?
Covered by any general interior spider treatment, but honestly, a vacuum does most of the work. We will tell you that rather than sell a treatment for it.