
Camel spiders are not venomous, but they do utilize digestive fluids to liquefy their victims' flesh, making it easy to suck the remains into their stomachs. They use them to seize their victims and turn them to pulp with a chopping or sawing motion. These hardy desert dwellers boast large, powerful jaws, which can be up to one-third of their body length. FeedingĬamel spiders are not deadly to humans (though their bite is painful), but they are vicious predators that can visit death upon insects, rodents, lizards, and small birds. Their top speed is estimated at 10 miles per hour.

True, they are fast, but only compared to other arachnids. Photos that purport to show creatures six times that size have misleading perspective-the spider is invariably placed in the foreground where the lens makes it appear much bigger than its actual size. Size and SpeedĬamel spiders, also called wind scorpions and Egyptian giant solpugids (SAHL-pyoo-jids), are only about 6 inches long. Like spiders, they are members of the class Arachnida, but they are actually solpugids. The camel spider's history of misinformation begins with a misidentification. These creatures do not actually eat camels' stomachs or sleeping soldiers, and they are not so large-but the real camel spider is still an amazing predator. Myths and Rumorsįor many years, Middle Eastern rumors have painted camel spiders as large, venomous predators, as fast as a running human, with a voracious appetite for large mammals. Many tales were accompanied with photos purporting to show spiders half the size of a human. was used in the generation of this content site is 100% curated by humans.Camel spiders became an Internet sensation during the Iraq war of 2003, when rumors of their bloodthirsty nature began to circulate online.

Please direct all inquiries and comments to insectidentification AT. When emailing please include your location and the general estimated size of the specimen in question if possible. This new sheet-weaver, dubbed Islandiana lewisi, is most likely not dangerous to humans. Images in JPG format are preferred with a minimum horizontal dimension of 1000px if possible. Milne is an arachnologist at the University of Indianapolis who identified the new spider in Indiana. By submitting images to us () you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Site Disclaimer as it pertains to "User-Submitted Content". Material presented throughout this website is for entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for scientific research or medical advice (regarding bites, etc.).Please consult licensed, degreed professionals for such information. The logo, its written content, and watermarked photographs/imagery are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and is protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. To remove entries below, simply click on the 'X' in the red box of each respective insect.īeetle Identification Butterfly Identification Caterpillar Identification Spider ID Fungal Infections on Insects Nursery Web Spider Official State Insects Termite Basics Insect Molting Process Bugs of Tennessee House Always pay close attention to color variations and body shapes when trying to identify a species. There are a total of Spiders in the database. Other species rely on the element of surprise and bury themselves in loose soil, springing out when prey passes - injecting them with powerful subduing venom. It is not wholly uncommon for spiders of different species to share a web or a spider to steal another's prey. This protein hardens once it is outside of the body and released through the rear of the abdomen, guided by spinnerets that allow the spider to customize its release as needed.

Silk is produced by specialized glands found in the abdomen of the spider that are formed of liquid protein generated within the body. Some are used in courtship rituals while others are used to secure egg sacs. Spiders can generally be identified by the type of web they create though not all webs are used to capture prey.
