Conundrum 1 #1 April 10, 2004 FOUND IN IRAQ ! They run 10 mph, jump three feet, are a nocturnal spider, so only come out at night unless they are in shade. When they bite you, you are injected with Novocain so you go numb instantly. You don't even know you are bitten when you are sleeping, so you wake up with part of your leg or arm missing because it has been gnawing on it all night long. If you are walking around and you bump something that is casting a shadow over it, and the sun makes contact with it, you better run. It will instantly run for your shadow, and scream the whole time it is chasing you. PS. The one on the bottom is eating the one on the top. These are Spiders found daily in IRAQ by our troops. Imagine waking up and seeing one of these bastards in your tent!! --Rick -------------------------------------------------------------------- Urban legends about the camel spider (properly termed a solpugid or solifugid) are as old as the proverbial hills, but they made a huge resurgence when vectored by American troops in Kuwait during Desert Storm. They're not quite as big as your hand (unless you're a five-year-old), and very shy and secretive. They do like to hide in the shadows, and they do run very, very quickly for a critter (they can reach about 10 MPH, the fastest known non-flying arthropod). They make no noise whatsoever, they have no venom whatsoever, and they do not eat flesh--they eat small desert arthropods like crickets and pillbugs. The rumors of their attacking camels, or crawling onto sleeping GIs' faces, apparently stem from one of two things, both of which may be true to some extent: (1) they may use hair to line their burrow when they are about to lay a batch of eggs, said hair being clipped from dead camels or other dead mammals (and a sleeping GI is not much different), and/or (2) dead camels are covered with flies, and crawling over a camel corpse may make for a convenient way to get a good meal of flies. We have camel spiders in the sandy parts of the southwest U.S. and Mexico (in Mexico they are called matevenados), considerably smaller than the Middle Eastern types, but of the same shy, unassuming habits. Completely harmless and beneficial critters, like the desert equivalent of a praying mantis. --SDSTAFF Doug Straight Dope Science Advisory Board Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kennedy 0 #2 April 10, 2004 QuoteWe have camel spiders in the sandy parts of the southwest U.S. and Mexico (in Mexico they are called matevenados), considerably smaller than the Middle Eastern types, but of the same shy, unassuming habits. Completely harmless and beneficial critters, like the desert equivalent of a praying mantis. Yeah, yeah, you say they're the Mr. Rodgers of the insect world. I say pass the 12 guage. Ick.witty subliminal message Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards. 1* Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DShiznit 0 #3 April 10, 2004 When I was in Kuwait in 1998, we had a pet one of those in a washtub for quite some time. They are freaking huge. We fed him lizards, had him fight scorpions, etc. It was pretty cool. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
themitchyone 0 #4 April 10, 2004 Maybe not really 10 feet, but I'd hate to find one of those in my shoe ."If the Bible has taught us nothing else, and it hasn't, it's that girls should stick to girl's sports such as hot oil wrestling and foxy boxing." - Homer Simpson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcandalysse 0 #5 April 10, 2004 I just noticed that on the list of top ten search terms at msn.com, camel spiders is at #2..... cute lil guys....just keep them far from me!! 4 inch long cockroaches (socalled 'palmetto bugs') here in Florida are quite enough for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akarunway 1 #6 April 10, 2004 The Palmetto Bug I think they had a contest a couple years ago and the largest came in at 2 3/4 " One of the group commonly referred to as "Palmetto Bugs", the American roach is the largest (1-3/8" to 2-1/8") of the roaches infesting homes. It has reddish brown wings and is a good flyer. American roaches often invade from sewer systems and heavily mulched areas. The female attaches the egg capsule, containing 15-18 eggs, in high areas in garages, closets, utility rooms and fireplacesI hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcandalysse 0 #7 April 10, 2004 Only 2 inches, huh?? Well they sure look big to me as they scurry across my garage floor! "The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tink1717 2 #8 April 10, 2004 Surely the guys in Iraq can summon greater firepower than a 12g?Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off. -The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!) AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kansasskydiver 0 #9 April 10, 2004 QuoteThe Palmetto Bug I think they had a contest a couple years ago and the largest came in at 2 3/4 " One of the group commonly referred to as "Palmetto Bugs", the American roach is the largest (1-3/8" to 2-1/8") of the roaches infesting homes. It has reddish brown wings and is a good flyer. American roaches often invade from sewer systems and heavily mulched areas. The female attaches the egg capsule, containing 15-18 eggs, in high areas in garages, closets, utility rooms and fireplaces Dude, go look at the roaches in Brazil... They have been known to steal manhole covers!<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paige 0 #10 April 10, 2004 Eeeeewwwwwwww I would scream and run in the opposite direction. Those things are crazy ass insects.Tunnel Pink Mafia Delegate www.TunnelPinkMafia.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #11 April 10, 2004 Here is another picture from Iraq, showing the actual size of a big camel spider. Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #12 April 10, 2004 they are pretty big..somewhere i have a picture of one larger than that, we kept it in a spare faraday shield we had you'd have to know the size of the shield to figure out the size of the spider so i sent it to the engineers in Scottsdale as a teaser... their front legs are so long they have to lift them to run..this one came out one night during maintainer training and ran straight at the NCO teaching...he only caught it out of the corner of his eye and jumped about 10 feet..____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paige 0 #13 April 10, 2004 I stand by my pervious statement.... eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwTunnel Pink Mafia Delegate www.TunnelPinkMafia.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ifics 0 #14 April 10, 2004 QuoteWhen I was in Kuwait in 1998, we had a pet one of those in a washtub for quite some time. They are freaking huge. We fed him lizards, had him fight scorpions, etc. It was pretty cool. HAH, I would pay to see some of those fights!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aviatrr 0 #15 April 11, 2004 QuoteI stand by my pervious statement.... eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww Is that kinda like a perverted statement? Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingnut 0 #16 April 11, 2004 i second what you said.... never been tot the sand box my self but have ahd frioends... they would pit the spiders against themselves and also to scorpions..... they said it was a very inpressive batle they would have..............said they came back one day and all that was left of one of the spiders was it's leg..... ______________________________________ "i have no reader's digest version" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paige 0 #17 April 11, 2004 QuoteQuoteI stand by my pervious statement.... eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww Is that kinda like a perverted statement? Mike No I'm just an awful spellllleeeerTunnel Pink Mafia Delegate www.TunnelPinkMafia.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #18 April 11, 2004 My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
