Camel Spider

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-05-16 02:47pm

I'm posting this from my trusty Handspring Visor Prism, so hopefully it will turn out okay...

While I was deployed to Kuwait years ago, I witnessed a number of nasty desert critters. Among the most frightning was the camel spider:

Those things get bigger than tarantulas, can run fast, & have a nasty bite.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-05-16 02:50pm

I think I've heard of those. Are they the ones whose venom is so deadly that they might have to amputate a limb if it's bitten?

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-05-16 02:51pm

Note to self do not go to the middle-east.

This bug look like the next villain in Starship Trooper II.

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-05-16 03:00pm

Darth Wong wrote:I think I've heard of those. Are they the ones whose venom is so deadly that they might have to amputate a limb if it's bitten?

They aren't all that poisonous, but they're fast, aggressive, & tough. They have suction cups beneath their abdomens with which to remain attatched to their meals. When I was there, I saw too many of the things. Apparently, their bite hurts like hell, but they can deaden your skin & burrow into your flesh when you're asleep. The key is to stay away from them (sometimes easier said than done). The things attack & kill scorpions with relative ease.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-05-16 03:14pm

That reminds me of a story a Marine friend told me about serving in Okinawa. "Dangerous Creatures on Okinawa" class.

"This is the HABU. It is a poisonous, aggressive snake found only on Okinawa. IT CAN KILL YOU"

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-05-16 03:16pm

Darth Wong wrote:I think I've heard of those. Are they the ones whose venom is so deadly that they might have to amputate a limb if it's bitten?

I know what your talking about, but I'm pretty sure its not this thing, the nameless spider in question is much smaller IIRC.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-16 03:30pm

The venom of common house spiders could kill if it got into your bloodstream, the thing is, most animals of that size can't puncture the skin, letalone get to a vein or artery.

That beast however looks like a mean mutha, I'd love one as a pet, can't beat arachnids for badass looks, who needs 2, 4 or even 6 legs when you can have eight and an eye for each one!

EDIT: Must be noted, the Camel Spider (a.k.a. Wind scorpion, Galeodes arabs) is not a spider nor a scorpion, it has its own order known as solifugid. It is adapted for speed and sudden strikes as it intercepts prey with the front pair of modified feeler legs. It is also adapted to the harsh climate of the Siniai desert and makes burrows for further protection.

I like this thing.

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-05-16 03:35pm

Nice ... I'm off shift now, so I don't have to post messages on my PDA. Alas, here is another picture of our friend, albeit at a smaller, younger stage. If you look carefully, you can see its fangs. Notice that the two long "feeler" legs aren't quite grown out on this particular critter just yet. It does look like the thing's on somebody's hand -- either very brave or really stupid:

As an aside, I'll add that our company commander kept some of those spiders in a jar, and sometimes we'd catch a scorpion and throw it in there with the camel spiders so we could see a often short-duration death match. I never saw a scorpion win one of those...

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-16 03:38pm

Fortunately, not venomous. They just beat the shit out of anything they want, even if it's bigger than them.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-05-16 03:43pm

jegs2 wrote:Nice ... I'm off shift now, so I don't have to post messages on my PDA. Alas, here is another picture of our friend, albeit at a smaller, younger stage. If you look carefully, you can see its fangs. Notice that the two long "feeler" legs aren't quite grown out on this particular critter just yet. It does look like the thing's on somebody's hand -- either very brave or really stupid:

[img]Snip[/img]

As an aside, I'll add that our company commander kept some of those spiders in a jar, and sometimes we'd catch a scorpion and throw it in there with the camel spiders so we could see a often short-duration death match. I never saw a scorpion win one of those...

Is it just me or does it look like it has only one eye.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-16 03:49pm

Montcalm wrote:
jegs2 wrote:Nice ... I'm off shift now, so I don't have to post messages on my PDA. Alas, here is another picture of our friend, albeit at a smaller, younger stage. If you look carefully, you can see its fangs. Notice that the two long "feeler" legs aren't quite grown out on this particular critter just yet. It does look like the thing's on somebody's hand -- either very brave or really stupid:

[img]Snip[/img]

As an aside, I'll add that our company commander kept some of those spiders in a jar, and sometimes we'd catch a scorpion and throw it in there with the camel spiders so we could see a often short-duration death match. I never saw a scorpion win one of those...
Is it just me or does it look like it has only one eye.

It has two eyes by the looks of it. I doubt it needs the all seeing ability of the spider family given the speed this thing can go at (it's attracted to camp fires, by the way and has been known to intercept at such speed that it goes over loose and coarse gravel and sleeping bags without noticing them, it's a nocturnal hunter). According to some soldiers in Humvees, they have seen these things by their shadows at night running upto 10+mph with ease.

I have just read an account saying you can tell when one is eating because you can hear it from several metres away and they only stop hunting after they're too bloated to be effective anymore!

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-05-16 03:51pm

Montcalm wrote: Is it just me or does it look like it has only one eye.

It's not just you.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2003-05-16 05:12pm

I was watching some documentary filmed in the middle east and they were talking about these things. The story they related was that one of these hideous, hideous things had decided to snack on someone's face during the night, and thanks to it's anesthetic venom, poor dude woke up with a lot of his face GONE!
We have a smaller, far less agressive type living in Arizona. The ones we have are harmless, though.

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-05-16 05:22pm

Frank Hipper wrote:I was watching some documentary filmed in the middle east and they were talking about these things. The story they related was that one of these hideous, hideous things had decided to snack on someone's face during the night, and thanks to it's anesthetic venom, poor dude woke up with a lot of his face GONE!

Gotta love cosmetic surgeon critters. Mmmm... face... so tasty...

We have a smaller, far less agressive type living in Arizona. The ones we have are harmless, though.

So they're like... exactly the same... only TOTALLY different... Cool!

XaLEv · Post by **XaLEv** » 2003-05-16 05:29pm

In before teh Spanky!

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcamelspider.html

EmperorMing · Post by **EmperorMing** » 2003-05-16 06:18pm

Frank Hipper wrote:I was watching some documentary filmed in the middle east and they were talking about these things. The story they related was that one of these hideous, hideous things had decided to snack on someone's face during the night, and thanks to it's anesthetic venom, poor dude woke up with a lot of his face GONE!
We have a smaller, far less agressive type living in Arizona. The ones we have are harmless, though.

Yech!!
I heard the same story from another soldier who was over there. You don't even notice it until you glance down at it...

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-16 06:23pm

EmperorMing wrote:
Frank Hipper wrote:I was watching some documentary filmed in the middle east and they were talking about these things. The story they related was that one of these hideous, hideous things had decided to snack on someone's face during the night, and thanks to it's anesthetic venom, poor dude woke up with a lot of his face GONE!
We have a smaller, far less agressive type living in Arizona. The ones we have are harmless, though.
Yech!!
I heard the same story from another soldier who was over there. You don't even notice it until you glance down at it...

It's fake, the Camel Spider isn't even venomous.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-05-16 06:32pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:I think I've heard of those. Are they the ones whose venom is so deadly that they might have to amputate a limb if it's bitten?
I know what your talking about, but I'm pretty sure its not this thing, the nameless spider in question is much smaller IIRC.

The Brown Recluse? That little bastard is fucking nasty. If the bite doesn't kill you, it creates open sores on the skin that don't heal.

Anarchist Bunny · Post by **Anarchist Bunny** » 2003-05-16 07:10pm

Am I the only one that thought that this was going to be an 8-Bit Theater thread.

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2003-05-16 09:09pm

anarchistbunny wrote:Am I the only one that thought that this was going to be an 8-Bit Theater thread.

Yes... and seeing that it hasn't been linked yet...

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-16 09:39pm

ROFLMAO!

Damn, I want a Camel Spider pet.

Shit the girls in the dorm right up.

aphexmonster · Post by **aphexmonster** » 2003-05-16 11:07pm

ahhh, nuke it >_<

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-16 11:09pm

aphexmonster wrote:ahhh, nuke it >_<

Wuss, it rocks!

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-05-16 11:13pm

Here is a link that suggests they aren't as dangerous as made out to be.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-05-16 11:16pm

When they do come out during the day, camel spiders avoid the heat by running from shadow to shadow, even if it belongs to a human. If a camel spider runs toward a person’s shadow and he or she tries to run away, the spider will chase the shadow. So, it appears to be chasing people when it is actually not.

...

Chemicals such as bug sprays are not recommended as they most likely will do nothing but make the spider angry, said officials.

Hehe...