What are harvestmen?
Q: What are harvestmen?
A: Harvestmen are eight-legged arachnids that belong to the order Opiliones or Phalangids.
Q: How many species of harvestmen have been discovered?
A: More than 6,400 species of harvestmen have been discovered, but the real number of extant species may be more than 10,000.
Q: What is the age of the well-preserved fossils of harvestmen found in Scotland?
A: The well-preserved fossils of harvestmen found in Scotland are 400 million years old and were found in the Rhynie cherts of Scotland.
Q: Are harvestmen dangerous to humans?
A: Harvestmen are not dangerous to humans as none of the described species have poison glands.
Q: What do harvestmen eat?
A: Many species of harvestmen are omnivores and eat anything they can find. Most of the time, this is small insects, some plants, and fungi.
Q: What is the commonly used name for harvestmen in some places?
A: In some places, harvestmen are known by the name "daddy longlegs", but this name is also used for two other unrelated arthropods: the crane fly (Tipulidae) and the cellar spider (Pholcidae).
Q: How are harvestmen different from spiders?
A: Harvestmen are not spiders as they have no venom or silk glands, while spiders have these.
