Subject: Large grey fuzzy bug
Location: Pecos, TX
August 5, 2017 6:22 pm
What is this? Seen in West Texas near Pecos around 8:30pm in August. Was hiding under some clothes on the ground. Looked like 2″-3″ long and I’m pretty sure it growled.
Signature: Susan

Solifugid

Dear Susan,
This is a non-venomous, predatory Arachnid known as a Solifugid, sometimes called a Sun Spider or Wind Scorpion.  Though like Spiders and Scorpions, it is classified as an Arachnid, unlike its relatives, the Solifugid has no venom, so it is harmless, though a large individual might bite if carelessly handled.  Considerably larger relatives in the Middle East are known as Camel Spiders.

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Subject: Solifugid?
Location: -20.726218, 14.682127
June 5, 2017 7:11 am
We saw this spider- or scorpion-like animal at May, 4, 2017 in Damaraland, Namibia. It seems to be the same mentioned in this post https://www.whatsthatbug.com/2015/10/09/solifugid-or-windscorpion-from-kenya/ from 2015, although it has a slightly different colour (dark brown with more greyish hair). We saw it at early evening time (05:25 pm), it was about 3 to 5 cm long. Unfortunately the pictures are a bit dark and blurry (it moved pretty quick…)
It burried itself in the sand. For a better camouflage it took a blade of dry gras with it into the hole and covered itself.
We asked the guy from a local village who accopanied us if he knows what it is. He told us that it’s very rare but also poisonous. He actually took a step back when he saw it and told us that he got bitten once and had to go to the hospital.
It would be great to know more about this facinating little animal – i haven’t seen anything like that before.Mayby you got some more information on the species since the post from 2015?
Signature: Bettina

Possibly Teddy-Bear Solifugid

Dear Bettina,
Your images lack critical sharpness, and it is difficult for us to conclusively discern that this furry creature is a Solifugid.  It does seem to resemble the Teddy Bear Solifugids pictured on this Arthropod Ecology page where it states:  “Like most arachnids, solifugids don’t get much positive media attention. Famous on the internet by “forced perspective” photos makes them appear to be much larger and scarier than their modest 15cm maximum. There is even a photo of an intimidating, solifugid-like creature constructed by a talented invertebrate artist that has many fooled. As formidable as they look, they are likely non-venomous, with bites being rare and only resulting in localized pain and swelling in humans (Naskrecki, 2012).”  The site also states:  “Also known as mole solifugids, as soon as it sensed us, it buried itself beneath the sand and disappeared. A member of the family Hexisopodidae, it is characterized by adaptions to a mysterious subterranean lifestyle with fossorial 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th legs, with the 4^th lacking tarsal claws (Savary, 2009). Overall, not much is known about the life history of the Solifugid order other than some broad generalizations based on detailed observations of just a little more than a handful of different species.”  ISpot has some images of members of the family Hexisopodidae from Namibia.  We don’t know what to make of your guide’s claim that “he got bitten once and had to go to the hospital” but in 1991 when our editorial staff was in the mountains of Guerrero, Mexico to view the total solar eclipse, some locals told us to stay indoors because Scorpions would fall from the sky during the eclipse.

Possibly Teddy-Bear Solifugid

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Subject: Don’t know if this bug is dangerous
Location: Burbank CA
May 2, 2017 8:13 am
Hi
I live in Southern California and found this big on my balcony. Would like to know what kind of spider it is and is it dangerous. I have a two year old son who likes to play on that balcony. I don’t want him or is for that matter to get bitten by dangerous spider.
Thanks
Signature: Andrew Warzocha

Solifugid

Dear Andrew,
This predatory Arachnid is a Solifugid, and it is commonly called a Sun Spider or Wind Scorpion, but that should not be of any concern for you.  Though both Spiders and Scorpions are venomous, Solifugids do not.  They do have strong mandibles that are used to crush prey, and a large Solifugid might bite a person who carelessly handled it, but our North American Solifugids do not pose any threat to humans.  Solifugids from the Middle East are commonly called Camel Spiders.  They are considerably larger and a bite might cause some concern.

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Subject: Citrusdal, Çape town, south africa
Location: Citrusdal south africa
December 30, 2016 11:03 pm
Hi. Got home and this guy came with. Just wondering if he’s dangerous as we go to the same spot annually !!
Signature: Steven

Solifugid

Dear Steven,
This Solifugid is commonly called a Sun Spider or Wind Scorpion in parts of North America, where our native individuals are much smaller than African or Middle Eastern individuals.  Like spiders and scorpions, Solifugids are Arachnids, but unlike their venomous relatives, Solifugids do not contain venom or poison, but they do have powerful mandibles that can draw blood if a bite occurs.  Large Middle Eastern Solifugids are known as Camel Spiders.  ISpot uses the common name Roman on several of its postings.

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Subject: First time we have seen this!
Location: Southeast Idaho
October 8, 2016 1:31 pm
Hey bugman! This has been a year of first bugs for us in our neck of the woods. We had a beetle you identified for us earlier in the summer, and now we have discovered several of these in our home. Any help??
Signature: Christine

Solifugid

Dear Christine,
This is a Solifugid, a member of order Solifugae, a group whose members are frequently called Windscorpions or Sun Spiders.  Here is a very similar looking individual from BugGuide.  While Solifugids, Scorpions and Spiders are all classified together as Arachnids in the same taxonomic class, Solifugids differ from both Scorpions and Spiders in that they do not have any venom, but they are still fierce predators that will help keep your home and property free of other, less desirable, and potentially dangerous creatures. It is worth noting that Solifugids from the Middle East are called Camel Spiders and they are much larger than our North American species, and though they do not have venom, they can still deliver a painful bite.  Many years ago we posted an image of two Camel Spiders that was widely circulated on the internet that caused much hysteria.

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Subject: Orange bug in Texas
Location: Austin, TX
September 28, 2016 6:48 am
Hello. I found a bug which looks like an ant with big abdomen and large antennae. Soft bodied. Not sure what this is? (See image). Can you identify?
Signature: Kevin Urban

Solifugid

Dear Kevin,
This is a Solifugid, a predatory Arachnid that is sometimes called a Sun Spider or a Wind Scorpion, though it is not closely related to either.  Solifugids differ from both Spiders and Scorpions in that they have no poison or venom, hence they are considered harmless to people, though it is possible that a bite might occur after an encounter with a large individual.  What you have mistaken for antennae are actually pedipalps, a pair of appendages defined on BugGuide as being:  ” the second set of mouthpart-like appendages in arachnids (spiders and allies). Male spiders have the last segments modified into organs for the transfer of sperm.”  BugGuide describes Solifugids as being:  “Eight-legged, somewhat scorpion-like, but lacking the tail. Elongated pedipalps look like an extra set of legs, but are used as sensory organs, similar to antennae.”

Awesome.  Thanks for the ID.  I know bugs but this was new to me.
Appreciate your help.
Kevin

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