---
title: "What the sources say about the European Harvestman | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "35 claims from the European Harvestman profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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# What the sources say about the European Harvestman (*Phalangium opilio*)

> 35 claims from the European Harvestman profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [European Harvestman](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/european-harvestman/)

## Phalangium opilio. Biological Control: A Guide to Natural Enemies in North America, Cornell University.

https://biocontrol.entomology.cornell.edu/predators/Phalangium.php

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| a stilt-legged arachnid with a body roughly 3.5 to 9 millimeters long | The most notable features of P. opilio and many other harvestmen are the long, slender legs and short, globular body. Adult body length is approximately 3.5-9 mm (note: tagline; 'stilt-legged' is figurative for the long slender legs) |
| Crops and other disturbed ground across Europe and northern Asia, and introduced to Canada | P. opilio tends to be the most common in relatively disturbed habitats such as most crops in temperate regions (note: stats.habitat, first half. Range halves are claimed from ITIS below.) |
| Aphids, caterpillars and other soft-bodied arthropods, and it may also eat dead insects, earthworms and other harvestmen | Harvestmen will feed on many soft bodied arthropods in crops, including aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, beetle larvae, mites, and small slugs. (note: stats.diet) |
| it may also eat dead insects, earthworms and other harvestmen | P. opilio also may feed on dead insects and other decaying material, as well as earthworms, other harvestmen, spiders and other beneficial invertebrates |
| Long, slender legs and a short, globular body are the European harvestman's most notable features. | The most notable features of P. opilio and many other harvestmen are the long, slender legs and short, globular body. |
| That body is about 3.5 to 9 mm long in adults, and males are generally smaller than females. | Adult body length is approximately 3.5-9 mm, with males generally smaller than females. |
| Like a spider, a harvestman has two main body sections, eight legs and no antennae. | Like the spiders and most adult mites, harvestmen have two major body sections and eight legs and lack antennae. |
| Unlike a spider's, its two sections are broadly joined. | Unlike spiders, the two body sections of harvestmen are broadly joined |
| In crops, harvestmen feed on many soft-bodied arthropods, such as aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, beetle larvae, mites and small slugs. | Harvestmen will feed on many soft bodied arthropods in crops, including aphids, caterpillars, leafhoppers, beetle larvae, mites, and small slugs. |
| P. opilio may also eat dead insects, earthworms, spiders and other harvestmen, and it has a tendency toward cannibalism. | P. opilio also may feed on dead insects and other decaying material, as well as earthworms, other harvestmen, spiders and other beneficial invertebrates. Although its generalist feeding habits and tendency for cannibalism |
| On its own it appears unable to keep any pest under control. | P. opilio by itself appears unable to keep populations of any pest under control |
| It is one member of a gang of generalist predators found in many crops, though, and together they help keep pest numbers low. | it serves as one member of a complex of generalist predators that exist in many crops and that together are able to help keep pest densities low |
| In Europe the species has one generation a year and overwinters as eggs. | In Europe P. opilio has a single generation per year and overwinters as eggs. |
| The eggs hatch in three weeks to five months or more, depending on temperature, and the young take two to three months to mature, also depending on temperature. | The eggs hatch in three weeks to five months or more, depending on temperature, and the immatures undergo several molts and reach maturity in two to three months, again depending on temperature. |
| Of the many harvestman species, P. opilio tends to be the most common in disturbed habitats such as crop fields in temperate regions. | Of the many species of harvestmen known, P. opilio tends to be the most common in relatively disturbed habitats such as most crops in temperate regions |
| No. Unlike spiders, harvestmen have no web-spinning organs. | Unlike spiders, the two body sections of harvestmen are broadly joined and no web spinning organs are present. |
| Yes. This species is highly susceptible to at least some broad-spectrum insecticides, while more specific products such as Bts appear to be less harmful. | P. opilio is highly susceptible to at least some broad spectrum insecticides, while some more specific products, such as Bts, appear to be less harmful. |
| The top carries an indistinct, variable pattern of light gray or brown, and the underside is typically light cream. | The upper surface of the body is colored with an indistinct and variable light gray or brown pattern, and the lower surface is typically light cream. |
| In parts of North America, two or more generations may occur in a year. | In parts of North America two or more generations may occur |
| In moist places: under rocks, in cracks in the soil, or between the soil and a plant's crown or the leaves lying against the ground. | Eggs are laid in moist areas under rocks, in cracks in the soil, or between the soil and the crowns or recumbent leaves of plants. |
| This harvestman gets about on long, slender legs that hang from a short, globular body. | The most notable features of P. opilio and many other harvestmen are the long, slender legs and short, globular body. (note: vibe.reason; reuses the body claim) |

## Phalangium opilio Linnaeus, 1758 (TSN 1014112). Integrated Taxonomic Information System.

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=1014112

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Europe and northern Asia, and introduced to Canada | Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China) North America Jurisdiction/Origin: Canada, Introduced (note: stats.habitat range) |
| Not Evaluated | Phalangium opilio Linnaeus, 1758 (note: stats.conservationStatus. No Red List assessment: GBIF's copy of the Red List has no category for Phalangium opilio and the prefetch found no assessment DOI; Crossref Red List searches under synonyms failed with HTTP 429 and were not repeated. ITIS is cited for the species name only. Precedent great-scallop, moon-jellyfish.) |
| It is found in Europe and northern Asia, and it has been introduced to Canada. | Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China) North America Jurisdiction/Origin: Canada, Introduced |

## Gainett et al. (2022). Eggs to long-legs: embryonic staging of the harvestman Phalangium opilio (Opiliones), an emerging model arachnid. Frontiers in Zoology.

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-022-00454-z

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| In a lab colony, a female lays a typical clutch of about 250 eggs roughly every three days | A typical egg clutch contains approximately 250 embryos (note: stats.superpower) |
| roughly every three days | Females of P. opilio lay one egg clutch approximately every three days, when provided with fresh food and a container with moist coconut fiber at 26 °C |
| It belongs to Opiliones, the third-largest order of arachnids, with over 6,500 described species. | Opiliones is the third-largest order of Arachnida ... with over 6,500 described species |
| Phalangium opilio was the first harvestman described with the Linnean system, the scientific naming scheme. | the first species of Opiliones described with the Linnean system |
| Harvestmen also carry repugnatorial glands, which deter predators. | unique repugnatorial glands for deterring predators (note: Order scope (Opiliones), worded as harvestmen in general.) |
| Their openings are called ozopores, and in a lab-reared P. opilio embryo red pigment starts to show around them at about day 14. | Stage 17: Ozopore pigmentation (day 14) Stage 17 is defined by the onset of red pigmentation around the ozopores, which are the openings of the repugnatorial glands |
| In a lab colony kept at 26 °C, females laid one egg clutch about every three days, and a typical clutch held approximately 250 embryos. | Females of P. opilio lay one egg clutch approximately every three days, when provided with fresh food and a container with moist coconut fiber at 26 °C (note: Clutch size from the same paper: 'A typical egg clutch contains approximately 250 embryos'.) |
| a typical clutch held approximately 250 embryos | A typical egg clutch contains approximately 250 embryos |
| The eggs are almost spherical and about 0.55 mm across. | Eggs measure approximately 550 µm in diameter, are light-yellow in color, and are almost spherical. (note: 550 µm = 0.55 mm. Reviewer: the Cornell page says about 0.4 mm; the 2022 paper's measured figure replaces it.) |
| Adults in a research colony lived 40 to 60 days. | The adult lifespan is 40–60 days. (note: Lab colony at UW-Madison (Fig. 1 caption: 'terraria where adults P. opilio are kept at the Sharma lab (UW-Madison)').) |
| Adults can be collected in temperate parts of North America, Europe and East Asia, and in New Zealand. | Adult animals can be collected in temperate regions of North America, Europe, East Asia, as well as New Zealand. |