# Grand Daddy LOnglegs invasion **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 30, 2000, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340 "2000-08-30T15:26:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/1 "2000-08-30T15:26:58Z")
Harvestmen, Harvest Spider, opiliones, specifically Leiobumum rotundum. These suckers are invading the house by the dozens. It has been very dry here, so I guess they are looking for water. If you crush them they produce an awful stench. How do they get in? How can I kill them without poisioning the dog and cat? (No cracks about carnivorous plants, please) ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/2 "2000-08-30T15:29:35Z")
Well, as far as I know, they are pretty harmless to people. I guess that wasn’t the question though, was it? Try putting a bowl of water someplace they can reach it (outside) - maybe it will pull them toward that vs. your house. Okay, I know that’s a long shot but I just have this thing about killing stuff. My dad has this thing for spiders so all I’d ever hear growing up was “Don’t kill that spider! He’s not hurting you - just put him outside. He kills lots of other pests we wouldn’t want in the house”. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/3 "2000-08-30T15:31:34Z")
Mrs. Plant yelling “EEEEWWWWWWWWWW!!!” at the top of her lungs in the kitchen frightens the livestock. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Feynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@Feynn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feynn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/4 "2000-08-30T15:35:35Z")
Get some geckos, they love to munch on them. Catching the geckos afterwards will get you in really good shape. Everybody wins except the spiders. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/5 "2000-08-30T15:39:24Z")
I wonder which will produce a louder “EEEEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!”, Leiobumum rotundum or geckos? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/6 "2000-08-30T16:22:20Z")
But watch out–they contain the deadliest venom among all arachnids. Fortunately, the “mouth” is too small and weak to harm a person under normal circumstances. I know this is true. I heard some radio guys say it. ---
**Author:** ![Mamapotomus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mamapotomus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mamapotomus)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/7 "2000-08-30T16:29:42Z")
It’s like ten thousand degrees here & every kind of creepy thing is moving into my house. I’m walking around with cans of Hot Shot like a gunslinger in the old west. Does anyone know how to get rid of spiders, ladybugs, spiders, etc. without causing genetic damage to my family OR introducing more creepy things into the mix? Unless one of these vermin start paying the air conditioning bill, they gotta go. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2000, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/8 "2000-08-30T16:30:41Z")
I have a bunch of them in my new apartment (which is in a basement).  Curiously, there were loads of them before I moved (when the apartment was empty) but much less now that there is daily activity. I don’t like to kill bugs, so I get a glass and put it over the spider and then slip a piece of thin cardboard underneath, and then carry it outside.  Gotta be careful when doing this - if you slip, your hand is **right there** , just waiting for the spider to quickly crawl up your arm and into your shirt!  Brrrrrrrrr!!! The gecko is a good idea - cute too - but my cats would soon make a crunchy delicious snack out of it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/9 "2000-09-01T13:17:56Z")
I don’t know if I can kill them anymore. [http://www.violetbooks.com/Paghat/harvestman.html](http://www.violetbooks.com/Paghat/harvestman.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/10 "2000-09-01T13:53:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mjollnir \* > \*\*But watch out–they contain the deadliest venom among all arachnids. Fortunately, the “mouth” is too small and weak to harm a person under normal circumstances. > > I know this is true. I heard some radio guys say it. \*\* Heed **Mjollnir** ’s words of warning. Even the [Straight Dope itself](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdaddy.html) is inconclusive on this point. But I say better safe than sorry. You should move out immediately and burn down the house to be on the safe side. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/11 "2000-09-01T14:19:32Z")
In addition to body shape and number of eyes, the lack of venom is one of the defining characteristics of opiliones. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/12 "2000-09-01T14:33:46Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by carnivorousplant_ > > **(No cracks about carnivorous plants, please)** Damn. * * * Yer pal, Satan [sub]I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR: Four months, three weeks, two days, 12 hours, 32 minutes and 48 seconds. 5820 cigarettes not smoked, saving $727.61. Extra life with Drain Bead: 2 weeks, 6 days, 5 hours, 0 minutes.[/sub] **_"Satan is not an unattractive person."_-Drain Bead** [sub]Thanks for the ringing endorsement, honey![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/13 "2000-09-01T17:24:45Z")
> [@](#): > > In addition to body shape and number of eyes, the lack of venom is one of the defining characteristics of opiliones Are you disputing the wisdom of “John Boy and Billy?” The nerve. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/14 "2000-09-01T17:37:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mjollnir \* > > Are you disputing the wisdom of “John Boy and Billy?” The nerve. \*\* All I know is what I read on the net. 🙂 -Thinking of becoming a Non-Carnivorous Plant. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/15 "2000-09-01T17:52:15Z")
Do you have central vac? If so, just suck 'em up. If not, use the hose attachments on a regular vac. You don’t have to get too close to snag them and you can just empty the canister (or chuck the vac bag). I did this every time my house was attacked by ladybugs (some sort of weird annual New England thing) and it worked wonderfully. ---
**Author:** ![bunnymom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@bunnymom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunnymom)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/16 "2000-09-01T18:08:15Z")
CP, That was the saddest damn thing I’ve ever read involving spiders. It choked me up, fercryinoutloud! I’ve never even pulled the wings off a fly, but now I’m just guilt ridden over that poor daddy long legs. God, I think I might need therapy now… ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2000, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grand-daddy-longlegs-invasion/31340/17 "2000-09-01T18:24:10Z")
**Sue** – I just have to point out that your post contradicts your sig quite amusingly. 😉