table of contents
- Harvestmen
- way of life
- differences
- frequently asked Questions
Those who don't like spiders don't like harvestmen either. Not least because it seems that these animals are also spiders. You can find out here whether this is the case and whether Grandpa Langbein is actually a spider.
In a nutshell
- Harvestmen (Opiliones) are not real spiders
- but they are arachnids
- there are various differences and similarities
- most noticeable distinguishing feature: body structure
Harvestmen
Eight long legs, the same quick movements. It seems obvious that the harvestman is an arachnid. In fact, however, it does not belong to the order of the web spiders (Araneae), which are the actual be crazy include. The harvestmen form their own order within the arachnids. If you take a closer look at the animals, you will also see obvious differences to other spiders.
Note: The arachnids also include scorpions, mites and pseudoscorpions.
way of life
The harvestman is nocturnal. It does not hunt larger insects, but microscopic creatures. Harvesters also consume tiny carrion particles. During the day and in winter they can come together in several copies to rest. Especially when the sun is shining, they like to sit on warmed up house walls. There are also larger occurrences of the animals in deciduous forests.
With their eight very long legs, they can move very quickly and with great agility. Since Grandpa Langbein mostly lives on the ground, he has to rely on being able to run quickly between leaves and grass. For this purpose the legs have several joints.
differences
- Physique: Spiders subdivided into front and back bodies, harvestmen fused together
- Number of eyes: harvestmen 2, spiders 6 to 8
- Harvestmen less defensive
- only have stink glands
- Spiders, on the other hand, have poison glands and powerful claws
- also hunt larger insects
- most spiders build webs that harvestmen are incapable of doing
Note: In terms of reproduction, Grandpa Langbein also differs from "real" spiders. For example, the gender differences are not that pronounced.
frequently asked Questions
They do have jaw claws, but they are too small to really bite with. In addition, they cannot sting and do not have any poison glands.
It is not advisable to want to lift the harvester by one leg to carry him out of the house. In most cases, the animal loses its leg. The reason for this is that it can shed legs to escape any predators. Therefore, legs that are thrown off move for a while.
Most likely, Grandpa Langbein is to be confused with trembling spiders, which also have very long legs and a compact body. However, they live in buildings and only rarely outside.