Are daddy long legs spiders poisonous?

Answer 1

Grand Daddy Long Legs ~ Fact or Crap?

So today I am doing a different kind of fact or crap. I was watching a show last night on the Science channel when I discovered that I have been fooled all these years about Grand Daddy Long Legs. I was taught in school that these creepy Spiders are the most poisonous spiders on earth. Why have they not taken over the world you ask... maybe their teeth are not long enough to penetrate the skin? Wrong again! They can bite humans. One of the scientists testing this allowed several long legs to climb on his arm and was bitten by one. It turns out that it only stings for a bit and then goes away. No he did not drop dead.

They tested the venom of the long legs and the black widow on a mouse and the black widow venom was much more powerful.

So there you have it....Am I the only person in the world who obviously had a science teacher who did not know what he was doing? Is this some cruel joke to make me look stupid as I spread the news that these long legs are the most poisonous spider? Oh and don't think I've not talked about it. Just the other day my cube mate and I were speaking of this. He is from Norway and had heard the same bit of lies.

My personal theory is that one long leg told another that they should come up with this story so we cruel humans will stop pulling their legs off. I know this was a favorite past time of mine as a child. Never fear! I am seeking therapy for this even as an adult.

http://wesley.vox.com/library/post/grand-daddy-long-legs-fact-or-crap.html

Answer 2

It depends on what you mean by "daddy long legs", as there are many arachnids that are referred to by this name. However, the only true spider out of this group is not venomous to humans (note there is a difference between venomous and poisonous, spiders are venomous as they inject venom, poisons are ingested).

Regardless as to which you refer, none of the spiders/insects often called "daddy long legs" have been found to be venomous to humans, however it is possible to have an allergic reaction to a bite from the creature, but that is not as a result of venom.

Answer 3

The term daddy longlegs is ambiguous.

In Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland it refers to craneflies which are harmless insects.

In the United States and Canada it can also refer to a harmless arachnid harvestman (Opiliones, not a spider) and in Australia it usually refers to the cellar spider(Pholcidae). The latter does have a venomous bite but its effect on humans is minor.

Answer 4

They are the most poisonous arachnids, however they are too small to actually bite a person, therefore cannot really cause harm

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This is an often repeated urban legend. There is no truth to it. And they are not the most poisonous arachnids around. There are no reported deaths as a result of Daddy Long Leg bites. See the link below for University of California's page on the Daddy Long legs and this myth.

Thankyou the most poisonous arachnid is the wandering spider.

Hope this helps as well.

Answer 5

They are the most poisonous spider on the face of the planet but their fangs are to thin and their isn't enough muscle behind them for them to bite, their was a case last year in my town where a grand daddy long legs crawled into a family's coffee maker and died and then they drank some coffee and they didnt even make it to the kitchen table before thay died

The wandering spider is actually more venomous.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

It is the most poisonous spider on the planet but its fangs are to small to pierce our skin.

Answer 7

no