Daddy longlegs Facts
Daddy longlegs Facts
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| Interesting Daddy longlegs Facts: |
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| Daddy longlegs can reach 0.28 to 0.87 inches in length. |
| Most species of daddy longlegs are brown colored. Brightly-colored species usually have yellow or green body covered with reddish or black dots and reticulate patterns. |
| Daddy longlegs has tiny, oval body and disproportionally big legs. Some species have short legs and body covered with spines. Second pair of legs has the same function like antennas (feelers) in insects: it collect stimuli from the environment. |
| Daddy longlegs is not able to regenerate the missing limb that continues to twitch few minutes or hours after it has been removed from the body. |
| Daddy longlegs has one body segment that is divided in the posterior part. Unlike the spider, daddy longlegs does not have narrow, central part that divides front and rear part of the body. It has only one pair of eyes and 8 legs. |
| Daddy longlegs is nocturnal animal (active during the day). |
| Daddy longlegs doesn't have fangs and strong pincers. Its diet is based mostly on dead, decaying plant and animal matter. |
| Despite widespread belief, daddy longlegs does not have venomous glands. |
| Unlike spider, daddy longlegs does not produce silk. |
| Daddy longlegs uses mouth to remove remaining pieces of food, mites and other parasites from the surface of its legs. |
| Daddy longlegs occasionally gather in large groups that provide protection against predators and poor weather conditions. |
| Daddy longlegs is able to curl the body, remain motionless and pretend to be dead when it is threatened. It also emits foul smelling substance to repel the predators. |
| Natural enemies of daddy longlegs are birds, frogs and lizards. |
| There are two types of males: alpha and beta. Alpha males are typical males that fight to establish dominance and get opportunity to mate. Beta males look like females. They are able to pass unnoticed near the competing males and mate with the females while alpha males are still fighting. Female lays hundreds of eggs on the leaves or deep into the soil. Incubation period can last from 20 days to 6 months. Young daddy longlegs undergoes 4 to 8 molting sessions before it reaches adult size. |
| Most daddy longlegs have lifespan of only one year. Some species can survive from 2 to 7 years in the wild. |
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