Also known as Wind Spiders, Wind Scorpions, Sun Spiders and Sun Scorpions, they are actually neither scorpions nor spiders. They're called Solifugid.
The urban legend is that they are called camel spiders because they can jump a few feet into the air, and attach themselves to the bellies of camels at an oasis, well, or other desert drinking hole. Then they consume the camels' bellies by first envenomating them with a paralyzing bite.
They're said to be the size of a dinner plate and scream as they chase their prey at 25 mph.
In reality, they have a leg length of about five to six inches, which is still puking big. But they don't make any noise and they only run about 10 mph. Which is still honking fast. Fasting than a speeding bullet? Nah. Nor a can of RAID.
They do not, I repeat, do not, have venom with which to paralyze their prey. However, they do bite and the bite is painful.
I really do not know about the jumping thing. But they are nervous, aggressive and energetic. So keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times.
They're common in arid environments, such as the Middle East and the American Southwest. Texas has about 25 different species of these critters.
Isn't that more than you needed to know?
They’re ugly too.
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