Poke around a dusty basement full of boxes that haven’t been touched since last Christmas, and there’s a good chance you’ll come across a cellar spider. Known for their gangly legs and wispy webs, these arachnids are commonly found in homes around the world and scarcely ever cause much trouble (unless you are a small insect). The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

What is a cellar spider?

Cellar spider isn’t a strictly scientific term, and it can be loosely used interchangeably to refer to the hundreds of arachnids in the Pholcidae family. However, it typically refers to the species Pholcus phalangioides , also known as the cosmopolitan cellar spider or the long-bodied cellar spider.

The species has a cylindrical body,

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