Cellar Spider Control: How To Get Rid of Cellar Spiders (Daddy Long Legs)

A spider species known to frequently infest homes is the Cellar Spider, also commonly called Daddy Long Legs.

This spider earned its descriptive (yet unoriginal) nickname due to their very long and thin legs. Where it might get confusing is that the Cellar Spider's nickname "Daddy Long Legs" also refers to a similar-looking long-legged arachnid called Harvestmen. An important distinction is that the Harvestman, while being an arachnid, is not a true spider where a Cellar Spider is.

Cellar Spiders aka Daddy Long Legs gather in large numbers in dark, secluded areas like cellars, basements, garages, and storage areas. Cellar Spiders are so common in homes and other buildings that, in parts of the U.S., they are as common as a house fly.

If you have an issue with Cellar Spiders on your property, this guide can help. Our pest control experts have compiled step-by-step instructions using our top recommended products to help you get rid of Cellar Spiders yourself.

Identification

Before you can proceed with a treatment program, it is important to correctly identify the pest you are dealing with and confirm whether they are a Cellar Spider or not.

Because Cellar Spiders and Harvestmen look so similar, it may be hard to tell them apart. The traits below can help you tell the difference between a Cellar Spider Daddy Long Legs and a Harvestman Daddy Long Legs. You can also compare the Cellar Spider to a Daddy Long Legs with the image above.

• Cellar Spiders have 2 basic body segments (cephalothorax and abdomen), 8 legs, and 8 eyes. Harvestmen/"true" Daddy Long Legs have one body segment, 2 eyes, eight legs.
• A big difference between Cellar Spiders and Harvestmen are that Harvestmen do not possess the typical spider abilities of spinning webs nor do they produce silk.
• Cellar Spiders are a light yellowish to light brown or gray colored while Harvestmen have a more reddish hue.
• The Cellar Spider's most distinguishing traits are their very thin legs (1.75 to almost 2 inches long) that are much longer than its body (0.25 inches long).
• Cellar Spiders characteristically like to hang from their spun webs upside down in dark, secluded areas.

Use the image and description above to help you identify Cellar Spiders (Daddy Long Legs) on your property. If you're having trouble with identification, contact us and we will assist you in correctly ID'ing the pest and offering treatment options for control.

Inspection

Once you have identified and confirmed that you are dealing with Cellar Spiders, you can then move forward with Inspection. During this phase, you will need to pinpoint where the Cellar Spiders are frequenting and most active so you know where to focus your treatment application.

Where To Inspect

Cellar Spiders like to hang around areas where there is high humidity as well as being dark and secluded. In a residential setting, you may find Cellar Spiders in damp, shaded areas such as around trees, under eaves of a home or under logs and rocks. If they do make their way inside a home it will be in dark, damp, secluded areas like cellars, basements, crawl spaces, garages, and sheds. 

What To Look For

You're looking for Cellar Spider activity or any evidence of their webs. Cellar Spiders have a tendency to layer their webs, creating the appearance of cobwebs in ceiling corners and other areas that are rarely visited in a home or building. Also, look for any entry points that the Cellar Spider or other insects may use to gain access indoors such as broken doors and window seals, garage door openings and any other crack or crevice where they can hide.

Treatment

Prior to chemical application, remember to first read all product labels and follow their application instructions, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment. 

Cellar Spiders don’t like to enter indoor environments unless there is a sufficient source of water or dampness present. That is why they are commonly found in damp basements and cellars.

Treating a Cellar Spider infestation is quite simple compared to other spider problems. We recommend a treatment of Supreme IT insecticide and laying out glue traps to capture the pests.

Step 1 - Declutter

To start, we suggest conducting a thorough cleanup of your home and reducing clutter.

Tidy up your home, get rid of unnecessary items that are taking up space and especially clean up your storage spaces like closets and the garage and basement/attic. This will send a message to the Cellar Spiders that they are not welcome.

Step 2 - Exclusion

A home with cracks, gaps and holes is basically an invitation for the Cellar Spiders and other insects to gain free access into your living space. To combat that, begin by sealing cracks on the outside of the home and putting up screens on doors and windows.

Do a scan around your home for possible entry and use caulk to fill those gaps. Do this both inside and outside, taking away any places that Cellar Spiders can hide. Drying up damp areas and fixing up moisture issues are also important to discourage Cellar Spiders from hanging around.

Step 3 - Knockdown Webs with a Cobb Webb Duster

For Cellar Spider webs and nests that you find, you should take them down with the help of the Cobb Webb Duster. The Cobb Webb Duster head has special small nylon bristles on its head which is perfectly designed to remove cobb webs and spider eggs. Simply sweep and wipe the webbing away. If the webbing is too far to reach for removal, the Webb duster head has a threaded end which can be used to attach an extension pole.

Step 4 - Insecticide Treatment with Supreme IT Insecticide

Indoors, we recommend treating all your baseboards, around windows and doorways and any other crack or crevices where you think Cellar Spiders might be entering or hiding with Supreme IT Insecticide. This also addresses the food source of Cellar Spiders—other smaller bugs. With other bugs eliminated, Cellar Spiders will search for food elsewhere.

Supreme IT is a high-quality professional insecticide concentrate that is much more powerful than anything you would find at big box stores and you only need a small amount to get the job done. The best thing about it is its residual effect which means it can remain effective after application for up to 90 days.

Measure the square footage of the area of your home you wish to treat to determine how much Supreme IT you will need. For spot treatments, simply dilute 1 fl. oz. of Supreme IT (which can treat up to 1,000 sq ft.) into a gallon pump sprayer and shake the sprayer to mix the product well. After a few pumps of the handle, you're ready to spray.

Spray door and window frames, floorboards, corners and other areas where you have seen activity. Make sure to focus spraying in dark, damp, secluded areas like your basement or garage.

Prevention

After you have eliminated the Cellar Spiders from your home, you need to be sure they don't make a return. Practice good housekeeping and implement a regular cleaning routine and organize your storage spaces will do wonders in preventing Cellar Spiders from stepping foot in your home again.

• Use caulk to seal points of entry that Cellar Spiders may use to gain access into your home.
• Address moisture issues around the home by fixing plumbing leaks, using a dehumidifier or other method of keeping your basement or crawl space completely dry.
• Monitor Cellar Spider reemergence or other pest activity by laying out Glue boards.
• Spray a perimeter treatment of Supreme IT Insecticide around the outside of your home every 90 days to discourage daddy longlegs or other insects from returning.

Key Takeaways

What are Cellar Spiders?

• Cellar Spiders (also known as Daddy Long Legs) are a harmless pest, but can be a nuisance when they appear in large numbers around the home.
• They are often confused with another insect that is a distant relative known as Harvestmen (which is the "true" Daddy Long Legs).
• Cellar Spiders differ from Harvestmen in that they are able to spin webs and prefer damp places indoors as a place to reside.

How To Get Rid of Cellar Spiders

• Cellar Spider control starts with decluttering and exclusion followed by using a Cobb Webb Duster to knock down any visible webs that you come across.
• Treat with Supreme IT Insecticide around your home's exterior and indoor cracks and crevices to not only kill and repel Cellar Spiders but also their food source of other smaller insects.

Preventing Cellar Spider Reinfestation

• To prevent these pests from making a return, keep your home free of clutter and conduct preventative spraying of Supreme IT Insecticide around your home to form a protective barrier to keep Cellar Spiders away.
• Monitor Cellar Spider and smaller insect activity by setting up Glue Traps around suspected areas.