Q: Do spiders dislike dusty old webs? Do spiders get bored?

Mr. Richard Fagerlund,

The Bug Man

The Garden Section

The San Francisco Chronicle'

San Francisco, CA

fagerlun@unm.edu

Dear Mr. Fagerlund,

Hi. Recently, I have been enjoying your weekly column in the Garden section of the Saturday San Francisco Chronicle.

I am interested in the so-called indoor Daddy Longlegs Spider, Pholcus phalangioides, which tends to live indoors in the upper corners of rooms. It is also variously called the Cobweb Spider, the Cellar Spider, the Spinning or the Long-bodied Cellar Spider and is originally from Europe.

Do you have any ideas on spiders' attitudes about dusty old spider webs? Would spiders prefer a clean slate so to speak? I have observed that these Daddy Longlegs often move to new locations every day or two. Do spiders get bored?

Yours truly,

James K. Sayre

20 March 2004