Daddy long legs spiders (Pholcus phalangioides) typically live about three years, with females often living up to this length and males generally living around one year, dying soon after mating
. The development from baby to adult takes about one year, and adult females can produce multiple clutches of eggs during their lifespan
. It is important to note that "daddy long legs" can refer to different creatures, including harvestmen (Opiliones) and crane flies, which have different lifespans. For example, crane fly daddy long legs usually live only 10-15 days as adults
. However, the spider species Pholcus phalangioides, which is most commonly called daddy long legs spider, has the longest lifespan among these. In summary:
- Daddy long legs spider (Pholcus phalangioides) lifespan: about 3 years for females, around 1 year for males
- They reach adulthood in about 1 year and can produce several egg sacs during their life
- Other creatures called daddy long legs, like crane flies, live much shorter lives of about 10-15 days as adults
This makes the daddy long legs spider one of the longer-lived arachnids commonly found in homes.
