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Well.. I did some more researching and apparently Daddy Long Legs is more like a nickname for any bug/spider/whatever that has super long legs. I don't want to freak anyone out so I'm just posting the links, but here are pictures of the two kinds of Daddy Long Legs... I'm thinking the one I killed was the Opiliones one. Both are classified as Arachnids.

Opiliones

Pholcidae

The creatures most correctly called daddy-longlegs are in their own separate Order which is Opiliones. Common names for this Order are 1) daddy-longlegs, 2) harvestmen and 3) opilionids. They are characterized by having one basic body segment which shows segmentation on the posterior portion, at most 2 eyes and all 8 legs attach to the pill-like body segment. They are usually found under logs and rocks, prefer moist habitat although they can be found in the desert, often have long flexible legs (in the temperate Northern hemisphere but there are also short-legged daddy-longlegs) and they do not produce silk so therefore they are never found in webs unless they are being eaten by spiders. Because they are found under logs and other stuff which people most often are not turning over, most folks don't run into daddy-longlegs very often.

Another creature often called daddy-longlegs are actually spiders. These long-legged spiders are in the family Pholcidae. Previously the common name of this family was the cellar spiders but arachnologists have also given them the moniker of "daddy-longlegs spiders" because of the confusion generated by the general public. Because these arachnids are spiders, they have 2 body basic body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen), have 8 eyes most often clumped together in the front of the body, the abdomen shows no evidence of segmentation, have 8 legs all attached to the front most body part (the cephalothorax) and make webs out of silk. This is most probably the animal to which people refer when they tell the tale because these spiders are plentiful especially in cellars (hence their common name) and are commonly seen by the general public. The most common pholcid spiders found in U.S. homes are both European immigrants. Pholcus phalangioides is a uniformly grey spider with rectangular, elongate abdomen and is found throughout the U.S. Holocnemus pluchei also has a rectangular, elongate abdomen but has a brown stripe on the ventral side (the belly side - which is typically directed upwards since the spider hangs upside down in its web) which covers its sternum and is a stripe on the abdomen. These spiders are very common along the Pacific Coast. and into the southwest deserts.[/B]
Oddly enough, I'm not feeling as scared of them after looking at all those pictures... I say that now, but I'm sure I'll scream the next time I see one anyways :ph34r:
 
The daddy long legs that we have around here...are the Opiolones type from the pictures...I say smush them anyway!
 
Originally posted by Nichole@Sep 29 2004, 11:56 PM
I see it and smoosh it!  I don't bother to examine it! 
 
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Me too! Part of me wants to know what kind of spider it is.. like if it's a brown recluse or something.. but I'd much rather smoosh it into dust so there's not spider remaining.. :ph34r:
 
Spiders don't give me the heebie geebies as much as other pests...they keep other insects in control, so if they are outside, then you may want to thank them!

My brother lives in AZ and for the longest time, he had scorpions in his new house! He lives in a brand new development...he was one of the first to move in...on a golf course and I guess the scorpion's were there and decided to stay. He even got stung by one! He said it was like a really really bad bee sting. He exterminates once a month and hasn't had any in over a year. He also had a baby rattlesnake in his garage. Too much nature for my tastes. I'm with the other poster....I'll take the Northeast winters over that any day!
 
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