this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2025
579 points (98.2% liked)

Science Memes

16745 readers
2189 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.

Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.

This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.

Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Sal@mander.xyz
fossilesque@mander.xyz
SciBot@mander.xyz
fossilesque@lemmy.dbzer0.com
579
Call me... (mander.xyz)
submitted 3 weeks ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
40 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 
all 41 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 91 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

For those who might be confused, "daddy longlegs" colloquially refers to two totally separate things. Spiders are of the order Araneae under class Arachnida (they're arachnids; go figure).

"Daddy longlegs" often refers to cellar spiders, the family Pholcidae within the spiders. However, "daddy longlegs" also refers to another order of arachnids altogether called Opiliones, also known as harvestmen. So if this doesn't look like the daddy longlegs you know, that's why; they're not a "different type" of the cellar spider you're familiar with.

[–] warm@kbin.earth 28 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Also crane flies!

[–] Deebster@infosec.pub 5 points 3 weeks ago

That's what I think of when I hear The name Daddy Longlegs. Wikipedia tells me that they're called "Jenny long legs" in Scotland and Pilib an Gheataire ("Skinny Philip") in Irish.

[–] xorollo@leminal.space 2 points 3 weeks ago

Skeeter eater!

[–] sartalon@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Here's the thing...

[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 15 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

Funnily enough, that Unidan copypasta is 100% correct. I don't know why, for as long-winded as it is, though, he doesn't use more taxonomic names to make it precise: jackdaws are in genus Coloeus, and crows and ravens are in genus Corvus, both under family Corvidae. The apes are the primate superfamily Hominoidea*, which Homo sapiens sits under. There, Unidan; that's all you had to say.

* To clarify, not "are in" – are. You are an ape if and only if your species is in this superfamily.

[–] sartalon@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago

I thought he was a great contributer. It was disappointing to see it fall apart like that.

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago

It was never that they were wrong it was that they lost it and harassed someone at length and with alts about birds.

[–] JayGray91@piefed.social 2 points 3 weeks ago

man, a unidan reference. a simpler time when I was ignorant using reddit.

[–] remon@ani.social 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)
[–] xorollo@leminal.space 3 points 3 weeks ago

Obvs that's a skeeter eater, not a daddy longlegs. Plant is pretty.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

Daddy Longlegs are cute!

They're almost completely harmless to humans, and pets, aside of possibly small rodents.

They kill smaller pests, and can even kill other spiders that actually are dangerous to humans.

But I want the sequel, Mommy StepsAlot.

[–] remon@ani.social 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

This one is the harvestmen daddy long legs, not the spider one.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

But harvestman doesn't allie-oop into a sex pun. =(

Wait.

Unless you go into HarvestMoon r34 fanfiction.

... Nope, not going there today, lol.

[–] deepus@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

What do they do to rodents?

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Theoretically, a very small animal, or one that is quite sick and unhealthy, or basically a new born...

They may be small enough and have weak enough skin that a longlegs could actually penetrate the dermis and actually deliver a potentially troubling amount of venom.

IIRC, small rodents are things that a longlegs could potentially deliver an effective bite to... but I am not completely sure where or how exactly to draw the line.

Basically, they have a decent venom, but their fangs are quite bad at penetrating most kinds of skin... they are geared mainly toward hunting other small insects... but its not 100% impossible to harm something a bit bigger.

[–] remon@ani.social 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Basically, they have a decent venom, but their fangs are quite bad at penetrating most kinds of skin…

That is a myth. They (Pholcidae) are absolutely capable of biting humans, their venom however is nothing special.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Wait, so its inverse of the myth?

Fangs are fine, venom is a joke?

[–] remon@ani.social 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yup.

They even busted that one on the myth-busters (2004, Episode 5).

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 weeks ago

Damn!

I must have forgotten.

Welp, time to rewatch... all of Mythbusters, lol

[–] Codpiece@feddit.uk 18 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Harvestman is kinky?

[–] ChrysanthemumIndica@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 3 weeks ago

That's the best name for them! (We called them grandaddy long legs where I grew up, they were always so cute and ticklish)

[–] Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Possibly the original? or at least another widespread name for them is ‘granddaddy longlegs’, which is a very different kink. 🍋🥳

[–] Peppycito@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 weeks ago

John Wayne is big leggy might turn your crank.

[–] Cornelius_Wangenheim@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

I get it, but scientists don't come up with common names. The name scientists came up with for them is Opiliones.

[–] FerretyFever0@fedia.io 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Urghhhhhhhhh, so looooonggggg

[–] FerretyFever0@fedia.io 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Euthanize me.

[–] toynbee@lemmy.world 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Would moisturizing be an acceptable alternative?

[–] FerretyFever0@fedia.io 4 points 3 weeks ago

Potentially.

[–] affenlehrer@feddit.org 9 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

We call them "Schneider" (tailor) in Germany. Or at least some creature looking similar to this one.

[–] DonPiano@feddit.org 9 points 3 weeks ago

Another name: Weberknechte, weaver's servant/slave/minion (think a person who lives and works and belongs/'belongs' to a farm)

[–] haerrii@feddit.org 7 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

That took me down the rabbithole of Wikipedia, cause I could swear that Schneiders were big flying insects in my childhood. Turns out there is a whole bunch of confusion in naming going on, and not just in german. Daddy long legs (I guess what the meme plays on) can be an arachnid or an insect depending on whom you ask

[–] banause@feddit.org 2 points 3 weeks ago

The one with the wings is clearly a "Häbbergas".

[–] affenlehrer@feddit.org 2 points 3 weeks ago

Ah, right... I forgot the flying things. Yes, for some reason they're also called Schneider

[–] 1stQ@feddit.org 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Never heard anyone calling that a Schneider in northern Germany. It's popularly called Oma Langbein (or the official term Weberknecht) in my area. Though Wikipedia doesn't know the Oma, only Opa.

[–] affenlehrer@feddit.org 3 points 3 weeks ago

I live in the Niederrhein region and never heard the Oma/Opa Langbein term before :)

[–] hakase@lemmy.zip 8 points 3 weeks ago

It's a good name in my humble opilion

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 weeks ago

These arachnits are more pathetic than creepy. Sometimes also called Master 7 legs, because they are very fragil creatures and often lose one or more legs. Anyway, as almost all spiders useful creatures.