You've probably seen them. Those spindly, almost invisible legs trembling in the corner of your garage or hanging upside down behind the washing machine. Most people call them "Daddy Long Legs," though that name is a bit of a mess because it refers to three entirely different creatures. We’re talking about the Pholcidae family—the cellar spider. If you’re scouring the internet for cellar spider bite pictures, I’ve got some news that might be a relief, or maybe just a little frustrating: you aren't going to find any verified ones.
Seriously.
There isn't a medical database on the planet that contains a confirmed photo of a cellar spider bite on a human being. It just isn't a thing. While the internet is full of "mystery bite" photos where people blame these shaky little guys, the reality is much more boring. And in the world of entomology, boring is usually good news.
The Myth of the Deadly Cellar Spider
There is this persistent urban legend that cellar spiders are the most venomous spiders in the world, but their fangs are too short to bite humans. You’ve heard it, right? Maybe a cousin told you, or you saw it on a Facebook post from 2012. It’s total nonsense.
The "MythBusters" team actually tackled this years ago. Adam Savage put his arm in a container full of cellar spiders. Eventually, he managed to get one to bite him. What happened? Almost nothing. He reported a tiny, fleeting stinging sensation, like a pinprick, that vanished in seconds. No swelling. No redness. No necrotic tissue. No need for a camera to take cellar spider bite pictures because there was nothing to see.
The venom of a cellar spider is designed to handle small insects and even other spiders. It's potent to a fruit fly. To a 180-pound human? It’s basically water. Research conducted by Dr. Richard Vetter, a retired arachnologist from the University of California, Riverside, has consistently debunked the idea that these spiders pose any threat. He’s spent a huge chunk of his career trying to clear the names of spiders that get blamed for "bites" that are actually staph infections or bed bug nips.
Why People Think They Have "Pictures" of These Bites
If you search for cellar spider bite pictures, Google might show you some pretty nasty images. You'll see red welts, blistering skin, or even holes in someone’s leg.
Those aren't from cellar spiders.
What you're actually looking at are usually one of three things. First, and most common, is MRSA. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterial infection that looks exactly like a spider bite. It creates a painful, red, swollen bump that can eventually turn into a nasty abscess. Because people don't remember getting a cut, but they saw a spider in the bathroom three days ago, they blame the spider.
Second, you might be looking at a Brown Recluse bite. These are the "boogeymen" of the spider world. While cellar spiders are found everywhere, Brown Recluses have a specific, limited geographic range in the United States (mostly the Midwest and South). People see a brown spider in their basement in Seattle, get a weird skin lesion, and assume it's a "cellar spider bite" because that's where the spider lived. In reality, recluse venom causes necrosis—cell death—which is why those pictures look so terrifying. Cellar spiders can’t do that.
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Third, it's often just hives or an allergic reaction to something else entirely. Maybe a new laundry detergent or a rogue mosquito.
Breaking Down the "Bite" Appearance
If, by some miracle of physics and spider-aggression, a cellar spider actually pierced your skin, here is what the "picture" would look like:
- Redness: Minimal to none. Maybe a tiny pink spot the size of a needle head.
- Swelling: Non-existent.
- Duration: It would likely fade before you could even grab your phone to take a photo.
- Sensation: A "huh, what was that?" moment of mild irritation.
Compare that to the "mystery bites" people post online. If the photo shows a bullseye pattern, significant bruising, or pus, you can bet your house it didn't come from the shaking spider in your cellar.
Anatomy of a Non-Threat
The fangs of a cellar spider—scientifically called chelicerae—are actually quite short. They are "uncate," which means they have a sort of hooked shape. While they can technically pierce human skin under the right circumstances (like being pressed hard against a soft area of skin), they aren't built for it. They are built for wrapping up house spiders and crane flies in silk.
Have you ever watched a cellar spider eat? They are incredibly efficient predators. They use those long legs to keep their prey at a distance while they throw silk over them. They don't even want to get close enough to bite something as big as you. To them, you are a mountain that occasionally moves. Their primary defense mechanism isn't biting; it's "whirling." If you disturb their web, they spin their bodies in a rapid circle until they become a blur. This is meant to confuse predators like birds or wasps. If they were deadly, they wouldn't need to play hide-and-seek.
Distinguishing Cellar Spiders from Dangerous Neighbors
Since you're looking for cellar spider bite pictures, you’re probably worried about a spider you found. Let's make sure it's actually a cellar spider. These guys have extremely long, thin legs—sometimes up to two inches long—and small, cylindrical bodies. They are usually a pale tan, grey, or yellowish color.
If the spider you’re worried about looks different, you might be dealing with something else:
- Brown Recluse: Look for a violin-shaped mark on the cephalothorax (the front part of the body). They have six eyes arranged in pairs, though you’d need a magnifying glass to see that. They don't hang out in messy, tangled webs in the middle of the room; they hide in dark, dry, undisturbed places like old boxes or woodpiles.
- Black Widow: Shiny black with a red hourglass. These stay in dark corners, usually low to the ground. Their bite is medically significant and involves neurotoxins. You will feel this bite—it causes muscle aches and nausea.
- Hobo Spider: These are often confused with cellar spiders because they are brown and live in basements. They build funnel-shaped webs. While their bite was once thought to be dangerous, recent research suggests they are mostly harmless to humans.
Why We Blame the Innocent
Arachnophobia is one of the most common fears, and cellar spiders are visible. They don't hide well. Because they sit out in the open, they become the easy scapegoat for any unexplained skin irritation.
If you wake up with a "bite," look around. Is there a cellar spider nearby? Probably. But is there also a chance you have bed bugs? Or maybe you walked through some poison ivy? Or perhaps you have a localized skin infection? Doctors find that "spider bites" are one of the most frequent misdiagnoses in emergency rooms. Unless you actually saw the spider's fangs in your skin, it's almost certainly not a spider bite.
What to Do Instead of Taking Pictures
If you have a skin lesion that you think is a bite, stop looking for cellar spider bite pictures and follow these steps.
First, wash the area with warm soap and water. This is the most important part because most "bites" are actually bacterial. Keeping it clean prevents a minor irritation from turning into a major infection.
Second, apply a cold compress if there is any swelling. If it’s itchy, a little hydrocortisone cream or an antihistamine will do the trick.
Third, watch for "red flags." This is where it gets serious. If you see red streaks radiating away from the site, if you develop a fever, or if the center of the "bite" turns black or purple, go to a doctor. That isn't a cellar spider bite—that’s an infection or a bite from a medically significant spider like a recluse.
The Benefit of Having Them Around
I know they look creepy. The way they vibrate when you get close is unsettling. But cellar spiders are actually the "good guys" of the household. They are known to kill and eat Black Widows. They eat mosquitoes. They eat flies. They are like a free, non-toxic pest control service living in your rafters.
Instead of worrying about a bite that won't happen, maybe just let them be. Or, if you can't stand the "cobwebs" (which are actually just abandoned cellar spider webs), use a vacuum to move them outside. They won't chase you. They won't seek revenge. And they definitely won't give you a wound worth photographing.
Summary of Actionable Steps
- Verify the Spider: If it has long, skinny legs and a tiny body, it’s a cellar spider. It is harmless.
- Ignore the Myths: Don't believe the "most venomous" legend. It was debunked decades ago by researchers like Dr. Rick Vetter.
- Check Your Symptoms: If you have a painful, oozing, or spreading wound, stop looking at spider photos and see a healthcare provider. It's likely a bacterial infection (MRSA) or a different skin condition.
- Clean the Area: For any suspected bug bite, use soap and water immediately.
- Manage the Population: Use a dehumidifier in your basement to reduce the moisture that attracts the insects cellar spiders eat. If you take away the food, the spiders will move out on their own.
Stop worrying about finding cellar spider bite pictures. Your time is better spent sealing up the cracks in your baseboards or just enjoying the fact that your basement is likely free of more dangerous pests thanks to your vibrating, eight-legged roommates.