Can You Eat Daddy Long Leg Spiders?
WouterDaddy long legs are not dangerous to humans. In fact, they are an excellent bug eater. They mostly eat dead and decaying plants, insects and eggs. If they feel threatened, they release foul-smelling compounds.
There are at least three different kinds of daddy long legs. All have very similar bodies but look different depending on where they live. Some daddy long legs have spines, others have long, thick legs and others have short, thin legs. Most daddy long legs have a life cycle that lasts about a year.
Daddy long legs mainly eat earthworms. But they also have a taste for other creatures. Occasionally, a female will lay eggs in leaf litter or under stones.
Daddy long legs are not venomous, but they do produce a pungent odor when threatened. These odors are very unpleasant, and many predators will avoid them. However, if you get bitten by a harvestman, you’ll likely experience a stinging sensation that is very mild. The bite is unlikely to cause any serious damage to your skin, and you may not need medical attention.
Daddy long legs are not the only kind of spiders. Some species of spiders are venomous, but these are not dangerous to humans. A few species secrete poisonous stuff when they are threatened.
Although the venom glands are not effective against humans, the fangs are. The fangs are only about 0.25 mm long, but they can penetrate human skin. So, if you’re worried about getting a bite from a harvestman, you shouldn’t be.
