What Are Camel Spiders?

Do you know what camel spiders are? These are one of the weirdest looking arthropods in the world. It belongs to the solifugae family of the Arachnida order. They belong to the same species as the sun spiders and the wind spiders. Although a camel spider is not a spider at all, it sure acts like one! The distinguishing features about these weird creatures are their two long limbs on the front, which ends in claws. Their claws functions similarly to that of a scorpion’s claw.

What are the major characteristics of camel spiders? These nocturnal arachnids can be as long as five inches with their legs stretched out. Males are usually more slender and smaller than females. They are best known for the speed they posses. Camel spiders can reach speeds up to sixteen kilometers per hour or at most ten miles per hour. They can also jump up to four feet high. These yellowish long legged runners burrow on desert sands in order to seek shade. They are very aggressive and can jump up to moderate heights.

How do camel spiders behave and reproduce? These scary looking creatures are shy arachnids. Although they look hostile and frightening, there is nothing much to be afraid off when seeing one. They only bite when provoked. Since came spiders are considered nocturnal, they obviously come out at night where they hunt their prey through vibrations from the ground. When it comes to reproduction, the male violently clutches the female with its mouthparts and legs. This gesture is an act that signifies the start of a mating ritual. Once the male grabs hold of the female, he lays her on a supine position and strokes her abdomen. The male then produces sperms and then puts it on the female’s body. The female places the eggs on the burrow and waits for it to hatch.

What makes camel spiders so unique? They are so unique in a way that they may look like spiders but act like scorpions. These spider–looking creatures cannot weave a web at all. Unlike most spiders, these arachnids do not have any venom. However, their special defense system works almost as better as the venoms strong poison. These creepy shade-seekers are mainly carnivorous. They use their powerful claws as pincers in order to kill, sever, and chop their prey. They greatly depend on termites, beetles, lizards, and other crawlers in the desert for food.

Camel spiders are one of the most deceiving creatures on earth. They may be very intimidating to the human eye. However, camel spiders are not what they seem to be. As mentioned before, they are not venomous. Normally, they do not pinch or bite humans. If it accidentally hurts someone, he or she might have probably provoked the camel spider. Therefore, they are not as harmful as they seem. In fact, these arachnids have fascinated so many people. These creepy looking camel spiders are indeed wonders and marvels of the desert. Seeing these amazing species can be a wonderfully unique experience!