Next in our look at Ohio’s beneficial predatory arthropods: Harvestmen, aka daddy longlegs. From their CFAES fact sheet:
“Harvestmen are arachnids in the order Opiliones. The name of this group comes from the Latin opilo, which roughly translates to shepherd. At one time European shepherds used stilts to look over their sheep, and it is thought that the look of this arachnid’s body atop its long legs inspired the comparison.
“Harvestmen are beneficial predators in the garden and very common in residential landscapes. While the presence of harvestmen is not likely to completely suppress pest populations, they do contribute to biological control.”
Read the fact sheet. Next: Mantids.