Summary
Cellar spiders (Pholcidae) are true spiders with two body sections, eight eyes, silk webs, and venom. Harvestmen (Opiliones) have a single fused body, two eyes, no silk, and no venom.
Diagnostic traits
| Trait | Cellar Spider | Cellar Spider |
|---|---|---|
| Body sections | Two (waist visible) | One (fused) |
| Eyes | 8 | 2 |
| Web | Tangled ceiling-corner web | None |
| Venom | Yes, harmless to humans | None |
The bottom line
At-a-glance comparison
| Cellar Spider | Cellar Spider | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific | Pholcus phalangioides | Pholcus phalangioides |
| Family | Pholcidae | Pholcidae |
| ♀ body | 7–10 mm | 7–10 mm |
| Leg span | 40–70 mm | 40–70 mm |
| Range | 1 U.S. states | 1 U.S. states |
| Medical | Not medically significant | Not medically significant |