Daddy Long Legs
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ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2060B.htmlDADDY LONG LEGS
The Daddy Long Legs is also called the Harvestman. These are a different kind of arachnid but not spiders. They are more related to scorpions, tick, and mites. Spiders have two body parts and eight legs. The Harvestman has one body part and eight legs. The Harvestman has two eyes and a knob on the top of its head. Spiders usually have 8 eyes. The Harvestman does not produce venom and spiders do. In fact they do not have fangs, they have two small pincer-like claws to capture prey. There is no truth to the myth these spiders have the most potent venom among spiders but their fangs are too little to bite people.
Harvestman are nocturnal and rarely found indoors. Sometimes they will gather in large numbers with their legs intertwined in a large ball in a tree trunk or similar location. I remember seeing this a couple of times at the top of a porch area at different locations. They like moist areas outside more in line with their prey harborage areas. These areas include leaf and wood debris piles, trees, and structures.
They have a varied food preference including small insects in both larvae and adult forms, bird droppings, decaying plant and animal matter, and earthworms. They have to be on the look out for predators such as birds, frogs and other harvestmen. One of their defense reactions is to release a foul smelling odor if captured to deter their predators. Another is to give up a leg to save itself. This is more of a loss than you might think because its legs are also important sensory organs. They live about 1 year and die off in winter.
Control of the daddy long legs is a multi step process. A couple of things to remember about the daddy long legs is that it is nocturnal and is mainly an outside spider. Try to remove as much excess leaf and wood debris to minimize harborage sites for spiders and potential prey. Repair any gaps, cracks, or holes on the exterior of the structure to minimize entryways and harborage sites. Replace any worn, loose, or missing weather stripping around doors and windows. Also check for any worn doorway threshold areas and repair or replace as needed. Remember spiders do serve a purpose to control insects and other small pests until they become a nuisance themselves.
For quick control of the ones you see use an aerosol product. They come in both contact and residual types. Residual products leave behind material to remain active for a further length of time. Residual products include items such as
Cy- Kick 17.5 oz. can ,
Invader HPX 14 oz. can, and
D-Force HPX 14 oz. can. Contact products include items such as
PI 18 oz. can,
PT 565 Plus 20 oz. can,
CB 80 Extra 17oz.can.
Liquid residual concentrates are mixed with water at label rates as needed. This method gets the treated area to a “neutral” condition where no spiders or insects are present. The drawback is that after 2 or 3 sprinkler cycles, a rain, or heavy dew the material is diluted to the point of ineffectiveness and nothing is there to provide continued control. If you use this method to control spiders and ants or other insects at the same time, afterwards you may want to treat with a weather resistant particle bait such as Niban to provide continued control for non-spider pests that could serve as a steady food source. Residual concentrate products include
Demand CS 8 oz. or
Demand CS 1 qt.,
Suspend SC 1 pt.,
Tempo SC 240 ml
Tempo Ultra WP 420 gram btl,
Talstar Pro 1 pt. or
Talstar Pro ¾ gal,
Viper 4 oz.,
Demon WP 4-9.5 gram bags per pk,
Demon WP 1 lb. jar,
Demon EC 1 pt.,
Cy-Kick CS 1 pt. or
Cy-Kick CS 120 oz..
Viper RTU is a ready to use pre mixed product in a 1 gal. Container with a handy sprayer attached to a 1-foot hose. These materials can be applied with a
1 gal. Poly Sprayer or a
2 gal. Poly Sprayer. For foundation perimeter application or yard application use a
Gilmour Hose End Sprayer Model 486 or a
Gilmour Hose End Sprayer Model 362. A lot of these products are labeled for inside use as well.
Before applying the liquid residual around the foundation perimeter apply insecticide dust in the weep holes and other void areas such as gaps, cracks, holes or other areas along the outside to control spiders running to these areas in escape of the liquid treatments. These products include
Delta Dust 1 lb. btl,
Delta Dust 5 lb. btl,
Borid 1 lb. btl, or
Borid 5lb. btl. The insecticide dust is best applied with a
Crusader Hand Duster. The dust works by applying a light amount in the target area. The pest then walks across it, picks it up on their body and ingests the dust as they groom themselves. The dust is a stomach poison and control is completed in this manner. If too big of a placement is applied they will avoid the area.
Copper mesh in the weep holes is a good way to minimize insect and spider entryways into this area. Since it is made of copper it won’t leave streaks down the foundation and the mesh is wide enough to allow adequate ventilation behind the bricks. This includes products such as
Stuff-fit Copper Mesh 20 ft. roll,
Stuf-fit Copper Mesh 20 ft. Precut, and
Stuf-fit Copper Mesh 100 ft. Roll.
Use these Niban products for the foundation grass line, landscape areas, and/or yard areas.This is good to treat non-spider pests.These sizes more suited to outside applications
Niban Insect Bait 5 lb. Shaker Bag, or
Niban Insect Bait 40 lb. Bag. Remember the particles are weather resistant through up to 4 inches of water. This bait works well through sprinkler cycles, rain, or heavy dew.
Glueboards are a good tool to use because they serve to control the spiders or insects, monitor for activity, and if any is found observe which way the pest is captured. This will allow you to backtrack to find possible harborage areas or entryways. We carry
Catchmaster CM MB 72 72 ct box ,
Catchmaster CM MB 72 8 ct pk, or
Trapper LTD 72 ct box.
Always read and follow label directions. For additional information call Do It Yourself Pest Control Supplies at 972-562-9999, 903-891-8818, or 866-562-8999.
