Subject: What’s this bug?
Location: San Marcos, CA
May 29, 2013 10:04 pm
I found this guy crawling up the wall in my house. It’s about 3/4 inch long and liked to make quick, jumpy movements. Thanks for the ID, bugman!
Signature: redfive
Dear redfive,
This nonvenomous arachnid is a Solifugid, commonly called a Sun Spider or a Wind Scorpion, though it is neither a spider nor a scorpion. Despite not having venom, they are fierce predators that can capture and dispatch large prey. Even though they are perfectly harmless, the frightening appearance of Solifugids leads to much Unnecessary Carnage. We are tagging your entry as the Bug of the Month for June.
i unfortunately mistook one of these for some kind of ferocious predator while i was residing in the desert (So. Cal Palm Springs area) and killed it. knowledge it half the battle. and know we know. they are QUICK and intimidating. had i known it was nonvenomous (who would have guessed? look that that thing!!) i would have relocated it elsewhere. a great example of mothers natures versatility. a wonderful BUG OF THE MONTH!
We are happy to have educated you on this efficient predator.
I just found one of these on my bathroom wall. Once I realized it was not a real scorpion (which I do kill when I find them in my house because they terrify me) I captured him in a glass and a thin piece of cardboard and let him go outside.
While it is more humane to catch and release creatures that have wandered inside the house, there is an added advantage of not needing to clean up the mess that is produced by squashing a harmless creature. Now your Sun Spider can prey upon insects and other small arthropods in your yard, hopefully keeping things in balance.
I keep finding these mainly in my bathroom. This morning one was crawling on my foot,
I brought it in to work to check on google. I live in Grand Junction, Colorado, they call
this a desert but there’s mountain all around us.
This insect gives me the creeps!