Daddy Long Legs Are the Most Venomous Spider in Australia But Can't Bite Humans

This compound myth circulated widely in Australian schools and families but doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Daddy long legs (harvestmen) are not even spiders, they're a different arachnid order. True daddy long leg spiders aren't particularly venomous compared to other species, and their fangs can actually penetrate human skin, though bites are extremely rare and cause minimal harm. The myth likely arose from confusion with redbacks and funnel-webs, and persists because it feeds into Australian folklore about the continent's lethal wildlife. Testing has shown their venom poses negligible threat to humans.