Everytime I search the internet for Daddy Long Legs I get information about a different bug..
The picture, is the one we call Daddy Long Legs
What are they ?
Are they really a spider?
Are they hanging out in my Passion vines to eat the caterpillars?
What are those things on the edge of him?
Thanks
This look like a distant relative of spiders that we call Daddylonglegs, or Harvestmen, but they belong to the order Opilones. They differ from spiders in that they do not have poison glands to subdue their prey, and they have no glands to produce silk. They are considered beneficial because they eat small soft-bodies insects, slugs, and mites. They also scavenge dead insects, spiders, and earthworms. Some may also feed on plant juices.
This information was taken from a wonderful book - "Garden Insects of North America", by Whitney Cranshaw.
This message was edited Aug 4, 2006 9:38 PM
Here's a good site with pics:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/Opiliones/Opiliones.htm
And very interesting stuff:
http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~insrisg/nature/nw02/1007harvestmen.htm
Google harvestmen.
This message was edited Aug 4, 2006 9:41 PM
What I know as a Daddy Long Longs is a Crane Fly or Tipulidae oleracea. They are everywhere in late summer and autumn and they fly!
Great thread! Something I learned today. Did a search and some reading. We call them Daddy Long Legs too. A good guy to have around, but I hate it when they walk up your leg.
Thank You all for the information and links.
Galanthophile - Another case where the common name doesn't apply in different parts of the world/country. Crane fly and daddy long legs are two different critters in the US. We call a crane fly - a crane fly. :-)
