Opiliones or Daddy Longlegs

Subject: ok!! I found her-spider
Location: livingston texas
May 25, 2013 8:39 pm
A pea sized red body with legs forever. Delicate, spindly, easy three inches out from her body. I’m so sorry I cannot find her anymore for a picture. You do, of course, have my permission to publish my artwork but I most certainly will sue if I catch you smiling or falling out of your chairs laughing. I think there is too much activity on the porch now. It was all hers for 2 years.
Why is it always 8? Is that a leg thing?
Signature: petie

Daddy Longlegs
Daddy Longlegs

Dear petie,
Though your drawing isn’t anatomically accurate, it is an excellent rendering of a Harvestman in the order Opiliones.  Before we enlarged the images, we saw a thumbnail of the drawing and we knew immediately what you had seen.  Like Spiders, Opiliones are classed as Arachnids, but they are in different orders.  We were unable to verify the species you submitted, not even to the family level.  See BugGuide for more information on Opiliones.  

Rendering of a Harvestman
Rendering of a Harvestman

We just posted a really cute photo of Aayla with a Harvestman crawling on her face.

3 thoughts on “Opiliones or Daddy Longlegs”

  1. Dear Petie – after finding my insect I came straight to the net to try and identify her and your drawing was the closest i came to finding her! body was was small and round like a smartie and those legs just went on forever!
    thank you for helping me to identify this gorgeous creature

    Reply
  2. Dear Petie – after finding my insect I came straight to the net to try and identify her and your drawing was the closest i came to finding her! body was was small and round like a smartie and those legs just went on forever!
    thank you for helping me to identify this gorgeous creature

    Reply

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