The daddy longlegs debate is an interesting one. You might not even realize there is a debate surrounding daddy-longlegs, but there is. Mainly, are they even spiders? According to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, that really depends on who you ask. Some refer to harvestmen as daddy longlegs, a creature that’s an arachnid, but not a spider. Others refer to crane flies, a type of long legged fly, as daddy longlegs. Those are certainly not spiders. You may also hear the Pholcus phalangioides house spider referred to as daddy longlegs. Those are definitely spiders. No matter what you consider them, waking up to an aggregation of these creepy crawlers on your tent is sure to cause nightmares.
“Camping in the remote depths of Lake Clark’s vast, Alaskan landscape can be an amazing experience. Just ask the daddy longlegs. Why the cluster? Groups of daddy longlegs sometimes form thick clusters called aggregations. This behavior is common among these leggy creatures, but there’s no straightforward explanation for why they do it or why they chose your tent. For the record, Daddy Longlegs pose no threat to people whatsoever. Sleep well!“