Longbodied Cellar Spider

The Longbodied Cellar Spider can be recognised by its long, tube-shaped body, usually 7 to 10 millimetres in length, which looks much longer than similar spiders. Its pale grey to cream body has faint darker marks on the front part. The legs can stretch up to 50 millimetres and are very thin and delicate. When disturbed, the spider shakes its legs quickly, making it hard to see clearly. Originally from the Mediterranean region, this spider is now found all over the world and lives well in heated buildings across Britain. It makes loose, messy webs in quiet corners of cellars, garages, and rooms, often near the ceiling. Unlike harvestmen that live outdoors in gardens, this spider stays in its web all the time. It hangs upside down, waiting to catch prey. Female spiders carry their egg sacs in their jaws until the baby spiders hatch.