Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#28021
Cellar spider? - Pholcus phalangioides

Cellar spider? - Pholcus phalangioides
Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA
August 11, 2005
Size: 1.5 inch and .5 inch
Is this a male and a female of the same spider? They seemed to be on the same web. This was found just outside my front door. Thanks!

Pholcus phalangioides.
Yes, these are cellar spiders, but they may simply be different ages rather than different genders. Cellar spiders seem to spin contiguous webs, from which they often stray to kill other kinds of spiders in 'their' webs. Interesting creatures that would benefit from further study.

 
More info?
Eric:
My barn, feed room, horse stalls, pump house, back porch and most everything else are filled with these. I've always wanted to learn more about them do you have any suggestions for sources of information? Interestingly when I search the site for Pholcus phalangioides I get this image which is a house spider eating a celler spider. Seems there would more images of cellar spiders than just one of it being eaten.

Thanx