Sun Spider

Still shivering at the sight of it!
Dear Bugman,
We found this walking around our house and thought it was a scorpion. FREAKY!!! It acted very agressive. I think I saw it posted on your site that it was a: "Solpugid… a Sun Spider or Wind Scorpion, and … Sand Puppy." Anyway–In addition to the 2 giant fangs (you said aren’t poisonous), It has 8 legs & 2 other arms or things that look like they are reaching up to kill you! What are those and what do they do? Thanks
Jamalee
Queen Creek, AZ (August 2007)

Hi Jamalee,
We are happy to hear you were able to identify your Solpugid on our website. The Pedipalps you mention are described in Insects of the Los Angeles Basin by Charles Hogue: “Suckers at the tip of each of the two slender appendages (the pedipalps) at the front of the body enable the sun spider to climb smooth surfaces – even glass – and also are used in feeding, drinking, and battling.” You should be thankful you are not two inches tall.

10 thoughts on “Sun Spider”

  1. Dear Bugman
    I have found one of these (what you call) “magnificent” creatures in my home as i was packing to go to Paris. I live in Northern Colorado, and as I have read several of these posts, it seems like it’s supposed to be an aggressive spider/scorpion-like creature, however, the one found seems to be rather calm, almost tired, and is hiding in a piece of luggage I NEED to take with me. It is exactly how most of your other posts have described otherwise, however I don’t think I should keep it alive long enough to let it’s aggressive behavior come out, as I live with multiple people who suffer from arachnophobia.I fear and almost dread the thought of killing it without any reply from you first… PLEASE! before either it or my family wakes!

    Reply
  2. On june08 2013…
    We find and one in our house in Levelland tx
    These bugs will devour a cockroach in 1.5 seconds flat and spit out the hulls
    Just for those of you with roach problems they ar your friends

    Reply
  3. I caught one of these inside my house in the San Bernardino Mountains, about 5,000 feet altitude.
    After some crazy searching, I believe this is what I caught. My cat was trying to catch it and it move incredibly fast. I have never seen one of these before. I actually thought it was related to the “potato” bug. Are they common in the mountains? If not, how did it get there?

    Reply
  4. Found one of those ugly suckers in Southern California. ?
    Do they bite ? Are dangerous, do they make webs ?. So many questions !!

    Reply
  5. Found one of those ugly suckers in Southern California. ?
    Do they bite ? Are dangerous, do they make webs ?. So many questions !!

    Reply
  6. Looking at another website I saw a picture of a bigger one. I realize I’ve had a big one and now a little one. I imagine I’ll have more ? I’m afraid of spiders what can I do to discourage them at my house. ?

    Reply

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