How to get rid of daddy long-legs – 4 top tips
DADDY long-legs are not spiders, but they are arachnids which are known to invade your home – but how can you get rid of them effectively?
Daddy long-legs are very fragile and tend to be easy to manage. As the warm weather arrives each year there is an invasion of daddy long-legs. These pesky pests can damage your law and cluster in your home. Express.co.uk has compiled a guide for how to get rid of these creatures and banish them from your home.
Daddy long-legs are gangly, brown insects which are familiar to many of us.
These insects are a large type of cranefly, of which there are 94 different species in the UK.
The adult daddy long-legs is identified by its brown long body with translucent wings and very long legs which fall off easily if handled.
They tend to invade British homes in the largest numbers between June and September, but are around all year.
How to get rid of daddy long-legs: How should you get rid of daddy long-legs? (Image: GETTY)
How to get rid of daddy long-legs: Daddy long-legs are gangly insects (Image: GETTY)
Daddy long-legs are not native to the UK and are thought to have been introduced to the country through trade.
These insects have become more widely distributed over the last 30 years.
These creatures feed on insects found in homes, including other spiders.
They are not spiders and do not produce silk – in fact they are more closely related to the scorpion family.
How to get rid of daddy long-legs: These insects have become widely distributed in the past 30 years (Image: GETTY)
An urban myth claiming daddy long-legs are one of the most poisonous spiders in the world has been lurking for many years.
These creatures cannot bite and the venomous rumour is likely linked to confusion with certain species of spiders.
Daddy long-legs do not have venom glands, fangs or any other mechanism for chemically subduing their food.
Most scientific sources claim these insects will never be considered harmful to humans.
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How to get rid of daddy long-legs: Daddy long-legs don’t have venom glands (Image: GETTY)
How to get rid of daddy long-legs
Vacuum
The easiest way to get rid of daddy long-legs is to use a vacuum cleaner to remove them.
Place your hose attachment onto your vacuum and then use it to suck them up.
How to get rid of daddy long-legs: You can get rid of these bugs by vacuuming them away (Image: GETTY)
Sticky traps
There are specialised sticky traps which are used to capture many household insects.
These work well with catching daddy long-legs because their legs offer plenty of surface area for the traps to stick to.
You should place these traps in areas where you think they will walk over – such as under your doorframe.
Boric acid
If you sprinkle boric acid in places where daddy longlegs enter your home you should be able to repel or kill them.
Boric acid has crystal-like microscopic particles which make tiny cuts on the insects.
Children and pets should not be able to ingest the powder as it can cause health issues if consumed.
Dry environment
Daddy long-legs enjoy moist environments and therefore ensuring your home is dry will repel them.
These creatures prefer damp places so if you fix leaks and make sure to avoid dampness you can avoid daddy long-legs entering your home.
