C R EAT U R E F EATU R E
BY
Liam Barnwell
Call me Daddy
E
ight long black legs plonked in the corner of your room can instantly give anybody the creeps. The daddy long legs is quite recognisable for its distinct small body with long thin legs. This look will automatically make somebody think that it is a spider, which is understandable, but you need not worry! Daddy long legs aren’t spiders, but rather part of the arachnid family called Opiliones. Unlike
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spiders, they only have 2 eyes, can’t produce silk, and they lack fangs and venom. In the science community they are also referred to as harvestmen. Lacking venom, daddy long legs can’t turn their prey into soup like spiders do, so they actually just chomp and chew on their food – which includes flies, plants and fruit. One disadvantage they have, is that they can’t regrow their legs like spiders do, so once it’s gone, it’s gone for good. Speaking of losing legs to
predators, they are also able to release a certain chemical to fend off possible threats. There are about 6600 species of opiliones that can be found all over the world – except for Antarctica. They can live up to 1 year, and in some areas they are even considered a symbol of good luck. So be of good cheer – these little critters cannot harm humans. Next time you see one, maybe consider giving it a meal in the form of the fly that you just swatted.
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Unlike spiders, they only have 2 eyes, can’t produce silk, and they lack fangs and venom.
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