How to identify it
Also called daddy long-legs spider. Work down these in order — the first one is usually enough on its own.
- Extremely long, thin, fragile legs relative to a tiny body
- Loose, irregular, untidy webbing in corners
- Vibrates rapidly in the web when disturbed — a distinctive behaviour
- Often hangs upside down
What it gets mistaken for
Most people arrive at a pest name by ruling things out. These are the ones that genuinely look similar, and the detail that separates them.
Where you will find it
- Ceiling corners, especially in garages, basements and utility rooms
- Behind and beneath furniture
- Crawlspaces and under decks
- Anywhere quiet, dim and undisturbed
Signs it is already there
You will nearly always see the evidence before you see the pest itself.
- Accumulating loose cobwebs in upper corners
- Shed skins and prey remains collecting beneath webs
Low. Nuisance rather than hazard.
Why it is harder to deal with than it looks
Not a problem to solve so much as a housekeeping matter. Webs rebuild quickly because the conditions that suit them — quiet, dim, undisturbed — are unchanged.
What actually works
Remove webs regularly; persistent removal makes a location unattractive. Reduce the insects they feed on. If you are seeing a lot of them, that is usually worth reading as a signal about the wider insect population rather than about the spiders.
Common questions
How do I tell a cellar spider from a black widow?
Widows are glossy black with a red hourglass and a much heavier body. There is no real resemblance once seen clearly.
Where are cellar spider usually found in a home?s
Ceiling corners, especially in garages, basements and utility rooms Behind and beneath furniture Crawlspaces and under decks.
Is a cellar spider dangerous?
Entirely harmless to people. The widespread claim that they are highly venomous but unable to bite is a myth. They prey on other spiders, including species you would rather not have.
Identification guidance only. Under Texas law, applying pest control treatments for hire requires a licence from the Texas Department of Agriculture. This page describes what a pest looks like — it is not a diagnosis of your property or a treatment recommendation for it.