Is the Daddy Long-legs spider deadly? Busting spider myths

Spiders are pretty special. Like bats, snakes and other animals that give us a bit of a chill, spiders are magnets for misinformation.

Despite living in an age where old wives’ tales are easily fact checked by a quick google, these legends are still passed from person to person. These dramatic fictions are, apparently, much more exciting than the bland truth.

The Daddy Long-legs (Pholcus phalangioides) and other members of the family Pholcidae are often said to be dangerously venomous. It’s said, in fact, that they’re the most “poisonous” spiders of all.

Fortunately, it’s also said that they can’t bite us because their fangs are too small to break our skin. Phew!

Image: Daddy Long-legs spider (Pholcus phalangioides). Melbourne, Australia.

It might sound convincing but this common “wisdom” is a total myth.

Daddy Long-legs, like most spiders, have a venom which is toxic to their prey (usually insects and spiders) but is not dangerous to people.

A study in 2019 showed that while the venom is full of interesting components, the “effects of bites on humans and other mammals are inconsequential”.

Not only is the venom not dangerous to us, but it’s also not true they can’t bite.

Image: Daddy Long-legs (Pholcus sp., possibly jinwum) living in a group under a rocky overhang. Cooktown, Australia.

Their petite fangs might seem like they pose no threat to us, but the bigger species can definitely break the skin! That doesn’t mean they will - Daddy Long-legs are not defensive and keep to themselves, but if they become trapped they are capable of giving a bit of a nip.

This ability was famously demonstrated when Mythbusters host Adam Savage allowed himself to be bitten on camera, reporting only a “little tiny burning” which disappeared almost immediately.

Image: Native Australian Daddy Long-legs spider (Wugigarra sp.). Daintree Rainforest, Australia.

As for other spider myths, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Head across to my YouTube channel where I dive deep into the top ten myths I hear regularly in my work with spiders.

It’s not just Daddy Long-legs copping a bad reputation from stubborn myths. Do you know fact from fiction when it comes to spiders?