Tailed Daddy-Long-Legs (Crossopriza lyoni)

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Floridian Lutz, FL(Zone 9b) Aug 28, 2006

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sweetdewdrops Columbus, OH(Zone 6a) Mar 05, 2007

What a pretty spider! I didn't know that "Daddy Long Legs"weren't all the same. I once heard that they weren't really considered a spider nor an insect. So Iooked it up and just in case anyone else was wondering why that is. Although they resemble spiders, daddy long-legs, more correctly called harvestmen, are neither spiders nor insects. Taxonomically, they are arthropods, in the same class as spiders, Arachnida, but in a different order, Phalangida. Anatomically daddy long-legs differ from spiders because their three body segments -- head, thorax and abdomen, are joined as one compact body segment. Spiders have two body segments -- the head and thorax are joined as the cephalothorax, and the abdomen is the second body segment. Insects, which are taxonomically in the class Insecta, have three distinct body segments. The more brilliantly colored males are smaller than females, but may have longer legs. Next time you are startled by a daddy long-legs scurrying across the woodpile, spare its life, for it is a beneficial and graceful creature in the complex web of life. Let daddy long-legs crawl onto your hand. It won't bite and you probably won't even feel it unless its second pair of legs is gently touching and exploring your hand. Take a closer look.

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