page_title: List of medically significant spider bites
section_title: Harvestman
hierarchical_section_title: List of medically significant spider bites / Myths / Harvestman
caption_attribution_description: jpeg image, male Hadrobunus grandis, Harvestman: Order Opiliones, Family Sclerosomatidae
context_page_description: A number of spiders can cause spider bites that are medically important. Almost all spiders produce venom but only a few are classified as "venomous" and able to cause significant harm to humans. Two medically important spider genera have a worldwide distribution—Latrodectus and Loxosceles. Others have a limited distribution.
  Medical reports have been criticized for poor evidence. In the last century, both white tailed and wolf spiders were considered medically significant, only to be recanted. Only eight genera are considered medically significant. Bites of these spiders have a range of severity, with only a minority having severe symptoms. Deaths by verified spider bites are exceedingly rare.
context_section_description: The spider-like arachnids known as Opiliones (also known as "harvestmen" or "daddy-long-legs") are a species often handled by humans. They are the subject of an urban legend which not only claims that harvestmen are venomous, but are in fact more venomous than any of the spiders but are incapable of biting humans due to their lack of penetration. This is untrue on several counts. None of the known species have venom glands or chelicerae bearing fangs, instead having smaller, pincer-like chelicerae that cannot usually penetrate human skin. In addition, incidents of opiliones biting people are rare, and no reported bites by these species have had any lasting effects.
  The term "daddy-long-legs" also can refer to the similar-looking cellar spider. This species (a true spider) can bite humans, but its venom is not known to have any effects beyond mild discomfort at the site of the bite.
caption: Opiliones (harvestman)
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