Its Daddy-longlegs Season -Ten Facts You Didn’t Know

Welcome to Daddy-longlegs season in Michigan.  Fall is their favorite time to hang and congregate (no social distancing here) out in the sun and light. Ready to rethink what you know about Daddy-longlegs?  Believe it or not, they are completely different then what you think.

Ten facts about Daddy-longlegs:

They are not spiders - despite eight legs and penchant for acting like a spider they are not spiders. What they are is related to a species called Opiliones.

They are also called Harvestman: More than likely because they are most often seen in large numbers around harvest time in the Fall.

Can't spin a web - no silk production is coming out of Daddy-longlegs. No lingering around on webs awaiting dinner, nope, damp crawl spaces is where they like to hang out.

They are not venomous - contrary to old folklore that Daddy-longlegs are the most venomous insect in the world, they simply do not produce any sort of venom.

They do not have fangs: So they can't bite you. Their mouths are more like scorpions and crabs and just like a crab or scorpion the Daddy-longlegs hold their food in their mouths while they eat.

They stink: Daddy-longlegs produce a very pungent odor that most of their predators find disgusting thereby assuring they won't become a meal.

They can regrow broken legs: Similar to lizards who can break off a portion of their tail if being attacked by a predator, Daddy-longlegs can break off a portion of their leg and escape with no worries about the leg growing back.

They are scavengers: Therefore very beneficial to the clean up of dead insects, bird droppings and more.

They are not fond of your home: Daddy-longlegs prefer dark, damp spaces like garages, eves and windows and any dark unfinished structures.

They love to congregate: Especially in the Fall. You'll find large clusters of the insect gathered on trees, and even outside your home near windows and eves.