Thanks for all the comments on yesterdays posts. After being away for so long from the blog, I was wonder who is still around and it's great to see dialogue going on.
The last few nights working, I've noticed a lot more of scorpions and camel spiders around. It may just be because it is getting slightly cooler (meaning, no longer 130-140). Anticipating some of these, I had my camera ready the other night to show some of you how hideous these camel spiders can be. Rumor spreads out here, and after time you begin to think that camel spider can grow to be 6 feet long and eat a man whole. Although they are big, maybe 1 1/2 times the size of a tarantula, I have never seen them as big as their reputation would lead one to believe. I've posted the picture here for all of you to see. Fortunately, I haven't seen one of these in our tent...yet.
Gahh. What do they hunt? Have people been bitten?
Posted by: Brian H | September 09, 2004 at 12:33 AM
They aren't so bad. It's the scorpions out there that you have to worry about. You have to worry if they are the black or green ones. Black is okay, but green is deadly. Keep it real Navistar.
Posted by: Kurt | September 09, 2004 at 04:31 AM
Ewww, that is a scary looking spider.
Posted by: Jenny | September 09, 2004 at 05:39 AM
You need something in the picture for scale - a yardstick or a boot or a (ack!) hand.
This must not be a 'real' spider, but some other kind of bug - I count 10 legs, & regular spiders have 8. All the same, don't bring it home with you.
Posted by: Glenmore | September 09, 2004 at 05:57 AM
Ugghhh! That thing is hideous! Good to see you blogging again, was worried about ya for a while. Good luck keeping those things out of your tent
Posted by: Nicole Danielson | September 09, 2004 at 07:25 AM
Thanks for posting that. I've been wondering what they looked like. My daughter complained about finding them in her tent on occassion while she was in Oman. I'd complain too.!
Posted by: Tamara | September 09, 2004 at 02:05 PM
That is the most disgusting thing i have seen in my entire life. I'm gonna have nightmares!!!!!! Can they really eat a man whole?(I hope not) And how much do they weigh? Is it poisonous? FUCK
Posted by: jodi and pam | September 28, 2004 at 12:54 AM
ya those things a fucking huge!!!! ive been looking them up for 2 days and oh my jesus those are some freaky creatures and to answer Glenmores question it is an anthropod it doesnt have 10 legs look again thats its shadow it does have 8 legs . i was looking through the pages and there is a guy whoes fooy is knawed like 2cm deep and thats deep and it is true u wouldnt know if u were bitten ... THAT WOULD FUCKING SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Desiree' Deckers | November 06, 2004 at 12:13 PM
First you would hear me scream and then you would hear my weapon being discharged like it was the battle of the bulge....and that mother fucker would be in 10 pieces.
Posted by: J-Rock | December 25, 2004 at 11:26 AM
actually they do have 10 legs the two in front are for climping glass, o and they use animal/human hair for nests
Posted by: jordan | January 01, 2005 at 03:58 PM
these things are nocturnal creatures only and generally do get to grow to a span of 5". while being very scary looking, they are nonvenomous and can run 10mph tops. they feed on small prey such as other arthropods (such as scorpions, crickets, and pillbugs), lizards, and possibly mice or birds. Contrary to popular belief, they do not feed on camels' stomaches and are just about harmless to humans though they will bite humans in self defense, which would hurt like a bitch.
Posted by: dan | January 24, 2005 at 07:05 PM
my husband is in the army and his best friend's brother is in the army to. he just got back from iraq today and said some guy he was in iraq with got bit by a sand spider and the venom ate the inside of his hand' it was hollow and they had to amputate his hand. he also said they get as long as an adults thigh. is that true or a story coming back? if it's true i don't want my husband going to iraq!!!!!
Posted by: patricia johnson | January 25, 2005 at 09:42 PM
They are lighting quick and hunt at night. it's toxins are paralizing but also detriorate. i encountered these creatures in iraq. very intimidating.They have a habit of staring you down before they strike at you.
Posted by: leo | February 19, 2005 at 10:11 AM
What the hell do they do? There useless to the world and I heard they ingect novican into your body so you cant fell them eating you. and they eat a good bit of you too. the sick fucks
Posted by: Jason | March 25, 2005 at 02:15 PM
For the truth on Camel spiders read here
http://www.snopes.com/photos/bugs/camelspider.asp#photo
They don't eat flesh, dont run insanely fast, dont eat camels and technically aren't spiders ...
Posted by: Browchay | March 28, 2005 at 09:59 PM
I live in the Judean Desert on a settlement, and we are infested with them. They grow on you. They have rather cute faces if you look close. Yes they are quite scarey when you first see them, but after a while you get used to them. We have no choice. They are very useful in the garden. They kill off scorpions, and the ticks in our yard. They have no venom, and do not bite people unless provoked or startled. We handle them now. They are really okay once you get used to them. We saw one the other day attacking and eating a gecko. Felt really bad for the gecko, but that's the circle of life...
In closing...all the stories you have heard of camel spiders killing camels, being venomous, running 25 mph screeching, jumping high,attacking people etc...are not true. They do however hate the sun, and if your shadow is the only place in the vacinity to get out of the sun, they will run after your shadow as you run, and it will seem that they are running after you, but they aren't. They are just trying to get out of the sun! LOL! I know from experience. It happened to me. (and I have to admit that it scared me quite a bit, as it was my first encounter!) But since then I've seen many a Camel Spidey!
We here is Israel love the Camel Spider!
Blessings to all... Shirah
Posted by: Shirah | May 03, 2005 at 10:14 PM
It's amazing that they call them spiders anyways. They are not spiders.They look more like a scorpion. When they run, their butts are up in the air. Oh! And you know something else that I found out? Camel Spiders care for their young! They lay 50-200 eggs. The mother stays and protects her eggs, and then after they are hatched, they stay with her until they can make it on their own. In the meantime, she hunts and gives them their food. Isn't that incredible? Does anyone (who knows what they are talking about) know how long they live? I have heard, that an arachnid that can grow as big as they are, must live for quite a few years.
Blessings, Shirah
Posted by: Shirah | May 03, 2005 at 11:33 PM
I JUST HAD TO SHARE THIS!!! Right after my last post, there was a baby Camel Spider (about 1/2 an inch long) right on my desk staring at me!!!!!! What a surprise! I just scooped him up in a dustpan, and put him out. As I told you before, we are infested with the creepy little cuties!
Bye!
Posted by: Shirah | May 03, 2005 at 11:39 PM
Ewww. That spider is UGLYYY. I myself am a spider lover and but i dont like the so called "camel spiders". I agree with Leo when he called them sick and Glenmore when he said they are hideous. But thats what i love about spiders. I love it when you let them crawl all over your body. To me it feels soo good.
Posted by: Laura | May 10, 2005 at 05:37 AM
Oh my god! That is the most scaryist thing i have ever seen in my entire life. Are you sure its a spider tho? Well either way you wouldnt catch me any where near one of them! Is there any way of wiping spiders out of this earth completely cos they really give me the creeps.
Posted by: carrie williams | May 20, 2005 at 02:54 PM
Hello, I found this link while google searching for camel spiders. We have them here in California. I live in the central Valley, and want to know how in the heck to get rid of them. They are really gross. They do run super fast. And I think they are supposed to be from the scorpion family, or so I have heard. God Bless you in Iraq with the daddy camel spiders. I can barely handly quarter size ones.
Posted by: Margie Gilbert | May 23, 2005 at 01:09 AM
hi,
camel.spiders are no monsters. I let a black scorpion fight against a camel.spider. The scorpion killed the spider.
Horst
Posted by: Horst | June 16, 2005 at 06:49 AM
I am in Afghanistan and I found a camel spider crawling around in my squads safe house. It was about the size of a silver dollar. I was mean looking but not threatening at all. It took one good stomp to kill the motherfucker.
Posted by: Justin Brehm | June 18, 2005 at 08:15 AM
They are quite sick - I don't get why people would like them. What do people think the best way to kill them is?
Posted by: Anthony | June 22, 2005 at 06:09 PM
I have too heard the rumors of these huge spiders that are the length of a man. I found this site looking them up out of curiousity. The picture of this spider actually looks like the sun spider down here in south east Arizona, exactly actually. Yes they grow big but our trantulas are usually bigger (they bite hard too) and also only attack if forced to. We also have another spider (vinigaroon) the whip spider. people think it is also from the scorpion family because of the claws it sports. I've had one in my living room the size of a crustacean! Thanks for sharing, I am relieved to hear they don't get 6 feet long!
Posted by: cindy | June 26, 2005 at 04:29 PM