I’ll be the first to admit that I am a bit squeamish when it comes to spiders. The fact that harvestmen aren’t spiders, but closely related to them makes me slightly less scared of them, but they still have plenty of legs.

So how is a harvestman different from a spider? Firstly, they have a joined thorax and abdomen, so they look like they have a round body. Spiders on the other hand have three clear segments to their body.

The second pair of legs on harvestmen are longer and act like whiskers. They use them to feel their way around as they lead a nocturnal life.

Unlike spiders, harvestmen can’t spin silk, so catch prey with their pincers. They also feed on a greater range of food than spiders, including carrion, fungi and bird droppings.

Bye for now,

Rhian (Seasonal Ranger)