July 2, 2025

Not a spider, but like spiders, they are arachnids. This is a Harvestman (Opiliones). It is in the order Opiliones. Spiders are in the order Araneae.

There is a spider with the common name of Daddy Longlegs, or Cellar Spider (Pholcidae), which looks to me like a miniature version of a Harvestman. It’s that spider that spins a cobweb. These spiders have 8 eyes in 2 groups of 3 eyes on either side of the head with 2 additional eyes in the center. A Harvestman usually has 2 eyes on a turret-like mound on the front of its body.

Another difference to look for, a Harvestman appears to have a single body part. But it is actually two body parts which are fused together, just the look of one. The spider, Daddy Longlegs or Cellar Spider (Pholcidae) has two obvious body parts which are connected with a thin waist.

The Harvestman in the picture above has just captured its dinner. Harvestmen are omnivores and will eat invertebrates including insects and their larvae, decaying organic things, and fungi.

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