Camel Spiders: Myths, Habitats, and Fights

Camel spiders, despite their looks and name are not spiders at all. They may seem to have similar characteristics with scorpions, spiders, or insects. They are called solifugae because they belong to different species of arthropods. They are sometimes referred to as false spiders or wind scorpions. What makes them so unique is that they do not have venom glands and silk glands to produce venom and webs. Like other small creatures, camel spiders do not attack humans unless they are provoked. They usually have close human encounters because they follow their shadow during the day. It is natural for them do this because they are nocturnal creatures.

There are so many myths surrounding this strange creature. Most of them are false and exaggerated. One such myth states that camel spiders can grow as large as regular dinner plates. This is highly false because they can only grow five to six inches tall. Another fiction is that they lay their eggs in the bellies of camels and they eat them. This is practically false. They usually lay their eggs on holes that they burrow. They do not eat camels or other creatures bigger than they do. They only eat rodents, termites, centipedes, scorpions, and small lizards. Other people believe that solifugid jump can reach up to six feet in the air. This is untrue. Although they can jump, but not as high as six feet!

Where can you find camel spiders? These creepy crawlers can usually be found in the desert regions of the Asia and the Middle East. They can also be found on the sandy regions of the United States, Australia, and Mexico. Generally, its major population lives on the Eastern and Western hemispheres of the planet. On these desert dwellings solifugid can be found under rocks, logs, hollow debris, and even empty containers lying around. They also burrow into the soil or sand. They practically retreat on these places because they do their best to escape from the heat of the sun. This is why they are mostly active during nighttime.

Most solifugid also dwell in tropical and semitropical areas of the world. They commonly reside on these places because they inhabit in arid and warm habitats. However, some of them often live in forests or grasslands. The popularity of these spiders has grown worldwide. Many people want to have them as pets while others simply want them to be household displays. Its widespread demand has prompted many businesspersons to sell them in reasonable prices. The fact that camel spiders can mostly be found at night makes them difficult to catch. This one factor makes them very expensive in the market.

Camel spiders are used as fighting pets. You can find them in arenas where solifugid fights are held. The fact that they fight to eat up their own kind makes them perfect creatures to entertain men through fights. Most people also choose to make camel spider and scorpion fight. Most of the time camel spiders win the match because they have stronger grasps and bites.