I was terrified of spiders when I was young, a phobia that was most likely a learned fear from watching my mother's reaction to these common insects. The fear of spiders is known as arachnophobia and it's quite common, up there with a fear of snakes (ophiciophobia) and bugs (insectophobia). Things have changed for me after many years and as an adult I find these eight legged creatures fascinating.

The summer months are the height of spider season and an early morning walk will find each tell-tale web, heavy with the night's dew. Not all spiders make webs, a few are ground spiders, relegated to life on the ground or perhaps up a tree that they deftly climb. One such spider is very common, especially in the summer months.

Regionally referred to as (grand)daddy-long-legs, they are harmless and fun to watch. Technically not a spider, there are more than two-thousand species of daddy-long-legs, most commonly found within the order of "Opiliones". They are distant cousins to spiders, more closely related to mites and ticks. Instead of having segmented bodies, the body parts are fused, leaving them with no apparent waist. People are funny about daddy-long-legs and more often times than not ignore them in passing, understanding little of their life cycles.

Another common name used for daddy-long-legs is "harvest spider" or "harvestmen", derived from their appearance at harvest. Biologists refer to them as "Opiliones", from the Latin word for shepherd and in Linnaeus' time they were referred to as the shepherd spider. They eat a variety of foods, plant and animal, capable of chewing with forcep-like jaws. There are species that can bite as well as inflict painful pinches with their hind legs, but not in this part of the world. Common foods include insects, ripe fruit and even bird droppings.

Daddy-long-legs need a moist area to live, they drink a lot of water and most species are restricted to humid habitats of the world. Much of their time is spent preening, each leg is lifted to mouth, held with pedipalps and meticulously cleaned. It is believed that this helps prevent desiccation and keeps sensory receptors open. They are a marvel in design, well flexed muscular legs are able to nimbly walk through tall grass or over large obstacles. If our legs equaled the scale or length of theirs, we would find ourselves with 40 foot long legs! Typical of most spiders, their eyesight is poor and they rely on their legs to nimbly feel, and possibly smell their way around. Daddy-long-legs have been known to travel over other spider webs to eat their captured prey. The eyes rest on top of the round body, which will go through six molts or instars after hatching from the egg. Eggs hatch in late spring and most daddy-long-legs mature and die by fall. A few winter over as they may not have been able to complete their last instar. These hopeful survivors will seek warm locations under fallen leaves or protective rocks.

Little is known scientifically about daddy-long-legs. Spiders and kin remain one of the largest but least researched animals. Of particular interest is the usefulness of the fluid put out by their scent glands. Probably produced as a defense mechanism, certain birds and frogs have been observed spitting out daddy-long-legs and subsequently wiping beak or mouth. In one South American species, the fluid works as a fungicide, most likely developed to ward off fungal problems associated with the environment.

I will readily pick up a daddy-long-leg, carefully as to not harm a leg. On rare occasions I notice small red dots attached to the legs, randomly placed. These are trombiculid mites, relatives that also inhabit moist or damp places. The small mites are most likely hitching a ride, as there does not seem to be a symbiotic relationship between the two. If one watches a daddy-long-leg move, it becomes obvious that the most important legs are the second legs. Used to reach and inquisitively feel their way around, much like a walking stick for sight challenged individuals. Beneficial for the garden and fun to observe, reach out and let a daddy-long-leg sense you, their reaction is always the same... a very quick exit.