A camel spider can run at 30 mph and they have a terrifying scream while they run! At least that is what urban legend and popular myths would have you believe. The truth is that a camel spider can only run about 10 mph. Camel spiders can get up to 6 inches long and are nocturnal creatures (prefer the night). the Camel Spider will dig holes and burrows where they spend time during the day. Because the camel spider possesses no venom and is not poisonous and must rely on other assets, for example their force and their speed.

Camel Spiders

Camel Spiders can jump 4 or more feet into the air, eat the stomachs out of camels, and can grow to be the size of a dinner plate - again, another myth of which none are true.

In fact, the picture of the soldier holding the camel spider is really a picture of two camel spiders attached to one another and held out in front of the soldier to make it appear larger than it really is! The picture of the smaller camel spider below is what you can expect.

Screaming Spider

What spooks so many people is that the camel spider seeks out shadows, so if your walking (and even running), the camel spider will actually follow your shadow! This leads to people imagining that the spider is screaming while chasing them!

Because they run so fast and stay in your shadow, you might think they are chasing you but in fact, they are simply staying out of the light.

The next time you are walking and notice a massive spider following you, don’t get to excited, it’s just you standard camel spider seeking shelter.

Camel spiders are nocturnal and they spend most the day hidden in burrows that they excavated themselves rather than using a pre-existing hole.

A Camel spider is more likely to be seen during the spring and summer months due to the fact that they dislike cold weather. Camel spiders typically feed on insects, scorpions, or lizards and often eat so much that they become bloated and can hardly move (much like I do when eating out!)

The camel spider is not dangerous and typically does not bite humans unless it is on accident or they feel threatened (except for this Camel Spider Bite), as is the case with other spiders. Like other spider bites, it is important to consult a doctor immediately after being bitten by a camel spider, especially if the kind of spider is unknown.

A Black Widow spider is also referred to as the “hourglass” or “shoe button” spider. The Black Widow is a shy and a nocturnal spider. All species of Black Widows are found in warm climates of the north and south, which are approximately 45 degrees north or south of the equator. The Black Widow spider can also be found in four of the American southwest deserts as well.

Black Widow

The Black Widow weights about one gram; they are anywhere from one to one and a half inches long and their leg span is anywhere from one to three inches long. There are several differences in appearance between the male and the female Black Widow spider.

Both have a spherical abdomen, but the male is usually half the size of a female. The female is a shiny black color and on the underside of its abdomen there is a reddish colored hourglass shape.
On the other hand, the male Black Widow spider has yellow and red bands with spots on their back. When males are newly hatched they are a white, sometimes with a yellowish tint. Newly hatched Black Widows are harmless and resemble the males more in appearance. The Black Widows do spin webs, however their webs contain no specific patterns or shapes but their silk is stronger than any other spider. Also, the female spider will rarely leave the web.

It takes anywhere from 70 to 90 days for a Black Widow spider to sexually mature. The Black Widow typically mates during the springtime. A sac will contain anywhere from 250 to 700 eggs. A Black Widow typically lives up to three years and their main diet consists of a variety of insects.

Black Widow Spiders - Bites

The adolescent and male Black Widow spider is harmless; leaving the female as the only one that is venomous. The female Black Widow spider’s venom is deadly and is even more so than a rattle snake or any other spider.

The danger of being bitten by a Black Widow is that the victim most likely will not feel it. However, there are some symptoms to look for, which may include but not be limited to: abdominal pains, sore muscles, especially on the feet, a dry mouth and paralyzed diaphragm, excessive sweating, and swollen eyelids. If a Black Widow spider bites somebody they should seek medical attention immediately. The victim is usually given antivenin or calcium gluconate.

The brown recluse spider is part of the genus Loxosceles and is sometimes known as “fiddleback” spiders or “violin” spiders because of the violin-shaped marking on the top of the cephalothorax, which are the head and the thorax. The brown recluse spider has six eyes, which are all arranged in three pairs (sometimes a pair may be so close that they look like one eye rather than two). Their eyes are also their most noticeable feature which makes it easy to identify a brown recluse spider.

Identify the Brown Recluse Spider

The violin-shaped marking is typically found only on more mature brown recluse spider. The brown recluse is range from a light tan to a darker brown color with their entire body being covered with thin hairs. The brown recluse spider is about 3/8 inches long and about 3/16 inches wide. Although the male spider are somewhat smaller in body length than females, their leg span is usually the same length.

If there is more than one color on the legs, or if the legs are dark brown, or if there is more than one pigment on the abdomen, it is NOT a recluse. Note: spitting spiders (genus Scytodes) have a similar eye pattern but do not have the violin mark.

The brown recluse spider is found throughout the Midwest and the southern central part of the United States. It is very rare to find a brown recluse spider outside of those particular areas. Brown recluse spiders are typically found outside in many different areas such as under rocks or logs, woodpiles, dirt, or debris. However, during the cooler months it is not uncommon to find brown recluse spiders within the house, especially basements, attics, closets, or anywhere else that is dry and warm.

Many times during those months the brown recluse will go without any food or water. It is nearly impossible to fully get rid of brown recluse spiders once they have become established in these areas of the home. The brown recluse does not spin a web either to catch their food; instead they hunt their prey which usually consists of insects, either dead or alive.

The brown recluse is actually somewhat nocturnal, as they spend most of the daylight hours hidden within rocks or logs. They line these homes with webbing, which is later used for holding their egg sacs. If a brown recluse spider is seen during daylight hours it usually has to do with the fact that they are hungry, otherwise they stay hidden.

Our Brown Recluse Spider Bite section has some very graphic pictures of what happens when people are bitten by a BRS and pictures of the spider. Rick Vetter over at UC Riverside Dept of Entomology also has a page on Entomology - Brown Recluse Spiders. The agricultural extension service of the university of Tennessee has a brown recluse spider packet in pdf format the you may also find helpful.

Here is a quick test to determine if you may have a Recluse:

1) Has 3 pair of eyes, one in front, one on each side.

2) Has Violin shaped marking

3) Legs must be one uniformly light-colored

4) Only one pigment on the abdomen

5) Fine hairs on legs, no spines

6) Body length is less than half an inch (3/8 usually)

Brown Recluse Spiders

Brown recluse spiders are not aggressive unless they are aggravated, which is like many other species of spiders as well. Some cases where they may bite is if they are trapped between skin and other surface or when putting on clothes that they are hiding in.

Because of that it is extremely important to thoroughly shake out clothing before putting it away to ensure that there are no hidden spiders that could possibly bite. The brown recluse spider bite is often not even felt, which makes it very dangerous. In some cases the bite is noticed right away because of immense pain, for others it can take several hours before the bite is even noticed. The reaction to the bite depends on how much venom is injected.

The only deaths reported from a brown recluse spider bite have been with children under the age of seven. However, the brown recluse is one of four species of spiders that is dangerous to humans along with the black widow spider. If bitten by a brown recluse spider it is vital that the victim seeks medical attention right away, and if possible capturing the spider and bringing it in will help ensure accurate identification. More about the Brown Recluse Spider Bite

Because brown widow spiders (latrodectus geometricus) can vary from light tan to dark brown or almost black and may have differing markings such as white, black, yellow, brown and even orange on the back of their abdomen, they are very hard to recognize! The picture below is of the red widow spider.

On the bottom of the abdomen you’ll notice the hourglass marking but it will be colored yellow or orange. The Egg Sac of the brown widow spider is not that same as other widows and has pointed projections much like the old sea mines.

If you have pictures of this spider, or believe you have been bitten by a Brown Widow, please post your comments below and send the pictures to the email address located on the bottom of this page.

Because dust mites are so small the human eye alone can not detect them; To see a dust mites, you’ll need a basic microscope. Females dust mites are larger than their male counterpart and can lay anywhere from 1 to three eggs per day.

* According to controversial article by William F. Lyon written for the Extension Service at Ohio State University, a typical used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside!

It goes on to state that 10% of the weight in a pillow that is two years old can be composed of dead mites and their waste. One more disturbing finding was that when you open your shades and see that beam of light with a ton of floating objects, eighty percent of it are flakes from your skin!

In as little as a month, a dust mite can reach adulthood and thrive best in damp material, such as towels, clothes or a mattress.

Dust mites love dead skin and some of the best repositories of dead skin are bed covers, blankets, anything made of cloth, dust and more.

Higher then normal humidity levels can also contribute to dust mites.

Dust mites are commonly thought of as causing dermatitis, asthma and rhinitis. Small children are also said to run the risk of asthma if exposed to the feces of dust mites. For example, if you sleep on a mattress containing a large amount of dust mites, you’ll notice red itchy bumps. These bumps are a result of your skin reacting to the allergen of the dust mite.

Controlling Dust Mites

Dust mites can cause a variety of health problems and while there is no way to completely eliminate the dust mites, controlling them can reduce a person’s risk of suffering from the health problems associated with an infestation of dust mites. This article is an overview of measures you can take to control the dust mite population in your home.

While you sleep, dust mites are hiding in your bedding. There are several things that can be done to reduce the dust mites in your bedding. The simplest solution is to wash bedding such as bedcovers, blankets and sheets once per week in hot water.

For pillows, it is recommended that you replace feather and down pillows with ones that are have synthetic materials as a filling. Alternatively, you can your regular pillow covers with dust-proof zippered ones.

Dust Mite

As stated before, washing blankets and other bedding once a week will help control dust mites in your bed. Also, replace wool blankets with cotton or nylon.

One the more cost effective ways to control dust mites is to damp dust the plastic mattress cover on your bed. Alternative ways to prevent a dust mite infestation is to buy dust-proof zipped mattress covers. Research also shows that covering your mattress with fitted-sheets helps slow the accumulation of skin scales; this is a low-cost alternative to dust-proof mattress covers.

Carpeting is another breeding ground for dust mites, but there is help. Vacuuming carpeting areas regularly helps control dust mite populations. It is also recommended that a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter when vacuuming the carpet, because the filter will trap allergens. Replacing carpeting with vinyl flooring

Dust mites thrive in high humidity conditions, but this can be controlled through de-humidifiers and air conditioners. To remove dust mite allergen from the air, researchers suggest an air filtration system, but especially ones that use a HEPA filter.

Detecting Dust Mites

Dust mites could be a source of allergens in your home, and detecting dust mites is the first step to controlling them. There are several dust mite detection kits commercial available. We focus on commonly used detection methods for dust mites.

Several of the dust mite detection kits measure the presence of dust mite allergens inside of samples collected from the entire home. The combined collected samples, with indicator chemical agents, tell the user about the infestation levels in the home.

A person may also detect the presence of dust mites by putting a small amount of dust on the surface of water then examining it under 20 times magnification with a microscope. The reason a microscope is needed is because dust mites are too small to be seen with the naked eye.

Using this method requires sufficient technical knowledge and microscope with the required magnification.

Spider mites have eight legs and an only a one part body. A spider mite alone is almost invisible to the naked eye, however they can be seen when they are in large groups. Also, when spider mites are in large groups they can cause serious damage to crops and plants.

Spider mites have a pair of needle-like structures called stylets, which are used to split and break leaf cells. Spider mites do this by pushing its mouth into the torn tissue and drawing up the sap of the cell. The marks left on the leaf by the spider mite are quite noticeable due to the brownish or yellowish color, and quite often the plant will die because of the damage caused by the spider mite.

A lot of spider mites produce their own webbing, especially when they occur in high populations. This webbing gives the mites and their eggs protection from their enemies. Spider mites webbing can be easily confused with the webbing of a spider.

Spider Mite

Almost all spider mites prime season is during the summer and during this time they can rapidly develop, anywhere from a week or two weeks. For other species of the spider mite, the cooler seasons are their peak time. This includes the spruce spider mite and most of the mites that can damage turf grass.

In order to keep spider mites away from crops it is important to check plants regularly, as the first sign of an infestation use the lowest toxic treatment possible, and also creating a non conductive environment for pests. Spider mites, by themselves, generally do not move much farther than from leaf to leaf. However, other forces like bird feathers, animal hair, and clothes often move them.

Some of the common host crop plants by spider mites are muskmelon, cantaloupe, beans, blackberry, cucumber, melons and tomato plants. The damage on the plant leaves often looks yellowish specks, fine webs, and the plant and fruit growth is stunted. The spider mites do have a few predators, which include lady beetles, lacewings, and other mites. Spider mites do not bite human beings and are not a threat to anything other than plants and crops.

Dust Mite

Sometimes, spider mites are also referred to as Dust Mites. We have an entire post dedicated to Dust Mites.

The hobo spider is from the family Agelenidae. The hobo spider is also known as the aggressive house spider. Hobo spiders are found generally in the northwest part of the United States, western Canada, and throughout Europe. The hobo spider usually prefers dry and warm climates and will sometimes live within houses; except for in Europe, in which they are found primarily outside. Hobo spiders are moderately large spiders. The male hobo spider is about twelve to eighteen millimeters and the female is around the same size as the male. The only difference in size is that they have a larger abdomen.

Hobo Spiders

Hobo spiders are brown in color and have no distinct rings on their legs, and they are covered in short hairs. Their abdomens usually have several chevron shaped markings - usually, these markings are common among other spiders and some hobo spiders may not have them at all. Appearance wise, males are notably different from females in that they have two large palps. The palps, which is the male genitalia is often mistaken for fangs or venom sacs. The females also have these palps, but they look different, as they are not swollen like the males.

The hobo spider is usually seen running across floors. The males search for female hobo spiders during mid-summer until early fall, so that is the time when they are most likely to be seen. The hobo spider is a funnel-weaving spider, which means the web that it produces is not sticky, but rather it is meant to be a trip web. The hobo spider will trap insects that cannot maneuver the funnel surface. The hobo spider hides in the back of the funnel waiting for something to get caught in the web. Hobo spiders have been known to sometimes build their webs in or around human habitats.

The hobo spider is not an aggressive spider by nature and will generally avoid humans. However, when a hobo spider is tending to their eggsacs they tend to become even more aggressive and at that point they may attack a human. A hobo spider will usually bite a human due to getting trapped in clothing, in bed sheets, and being trapped next to the skin. The initial bite by the hobo spider usually is not painful, but in about thirty minutes a hard area will appear. Within 15 to 35 hours the sore will blister. The blister will break in around 24 hours, and the wound left behind generally will heal very slowly.

Hobo Spider Bite

The hobo spider bite is not considered to be fatal, however the spider’s venom is strong enough to cause local pain and also to cause tissue death at and near the bite. Because hobo spider bites are often mistaken for the brown recluse spider bite, it is always a good idea to bring in the spider if possible when seeking medical attention, which should be immediately after any spider bite.

The impact of a hobo spider bite is much like the brown recluse spider. Pain might not be associated with the bite, but a small hard area may appear within 30 minutes of the bite.

This bite area will be surrounded by an expanding red welt that can reach 5-15 cm in diameter. Blisters form within 12-48 hours, which eventually crust over the cratered wound. A scab can develop over necrotic tissue that eventually sloughs off. In some cases, tissue loss is so severe that surgical removal of damaged tissue and repair are needed.

The fully developed lesion may reach 3 cm or more in diameter which may take several months to heal and often leave permanent scars.

The occurrence of systemic illness is variable. However, the most common symptom is a severe headache, sometimes occurring within 10 hours (sometimes ~30 minutes) that does not respond to aspirin. The headaches have been compared to migraines and may persist for a week, sometimes accompanied by nausea, weakness, fatigue, temporary loss of memory, and vision impairment.

Here is a picture of a Hobo Spider Bite:

Very detailed text about the Hobo Spider can be found here:

Myths about the Hobo Spider by Rod Crawford at the University of Washington

Hobo Spider Web Site by Darwin K. Vest

Wolf Spiders

The eye arrangement of the wolf spider is one of its most interesting features; they have four small eyes in the bottom row, followed by two large eyes in the middle row, and two medium eyes in the top row. They received the name wolf spider due to an early belief that the spiders would actually hunt their prey in a group. Some other names for the wolf spider are the ground spider and the hunting spider. Wolf spiders do not actually make webs; instead they hunt for its meal. They are most commonly found throughout Australia. They make homes by digging holes or living under rocks. The wolf spider will often cover the burrow with leaves or grass.

During the beginning of fall, the wolf spider is quite often found in the home. The reason for this is that they are looking for a warm place to live throughout the course of the winter season.

The wolf spider would most likely be seen running across the ground, during the daytime. They search for their prey during both day and night. They have both excellent vision and touch. However, due to the fact the wolf spider is known as shy, if it’s disturbed it will quickly run away.

The mother wolf spider will usually carry around her egg sacs with them, which can tend to be on the large side. After they hatch, the newborn spiders will actually ride around on their mother’s back until they are about halfway grown.

Wolf Spider Bite

Even though the wolf spider is poisonous, its venom is not lethal. The wolf spider is not known to be aggressive; however, they will bite if they feel like they are in harm or danger. They also move extremely fast when they are disturbed. If bitten by a wolf spider, the wound should not be bandaged but an ice pack should be placed on the bite so that the swelling will go down. And if necessary the victim should avoid any movement if at all possible. It is extremely important that one sees medical attention if bitten by a wolf spider or any other spider.

There are many different types of garden spider, most of the time these spiders are found in the lawn or garden but can also be found within the home as well. Garden spiders include the following: meshweb spiders, crab spiders, running crab spiders, wolf spiders, nursery web spiders, comb-footed spiders, stretch spiders, orb-web spiders, sheet web spiders, dwarf spiders, sac spiders, and buzzing spiders. Most all of garden spiders are orb weaving, which basically means that they are known for their orb looking webs.

The most prominent time for a garden spider is during the fall. The main difference between the variations of the garden spider mostly has to do with their appearance and there are in fact quite a few similarities.

Garden Spiders

The garden spiders weave large flat webs suspended between plants, across paths, along window and door frames. They are generally found outdoors, although they may find their way indoors as fall progresses to winter. Some garden spiders tend to prefer wooded and shrubby areas, while others prefer sunny areas around houses and tall grasses. The Garden spider is actually most noted for spinning webs.

There are many different types of garden spiders, as listed above, however two common species are the European garden spider and the Argiope garden spider. The European garden spider is recognized by its large tan and gray body with mottled tan or brown markings across the back, which is also highlighted by five or more large white dots forming a cross like shape. The Argiope usually is yellow or black with two rows of three white spots along its back. The Argiope also spins their web with a very unusual zigzag pattern in the center of it.

The Final Act!

The female garden spider will sometimes eat the male spider after mating, but not usually. Rather the male garden spiders will usually mate with several females, and then often die from starvation and exhaustion, since they spend little effort feeding while searching for females.

The garden spiders diet consists of whatever they can catch in their webs. The garden spider will eject poison into their prey and eat almost all of it, eventually sucking out the liquefied contents of their prey’s body. The Garden Spiders is not aggressive and they are not poisonous to humans. Because they are not aggressive spiders, it is rare that one would actually bite a human. In some circumstances if they feel threatened or if they are pressed up against human skin, in that rare occasion they might bite a human. Even though garden spiders are not poisonous it is still important to seek medical attention, just in case the species of the spider is not identifiable.

The jumping spider averages at about 2 cm in length; the female spider is typically larger than the male. The jumping spider is also well known for its appearance and because of it they are easily spotted. Jumping spiders are typically brightly colored, have very outstanding patterns, and are also hairy and sometimes stocky. All together the jumping spider has four pair of eyes, two of which give it extremely sharp vision; so sharp that it actually allows it to see better than almost any animal the same size. All of the jumping spider’s eyes allow it to have a 360-degree eyesight, and on top of that the jumping spider also has the ability to turn its breast around 45 degrees.

Jumping Spiders

The jumping spider is typically found in tropic regions. The tropic regions that they are found in are very different, anywhere from the rain forest to the Himalayas. The jumping spider can be found anywhere in these climates, if its day the spider can be found on the ground, on rocks, in the grass, or on trees. At night or if it is raining, the jumping spider will hide under rocks or a small web.

Because of the jumping spider’s good eyesight, their prey can be noticed anywhere from 30 to 40 cm away. At this point, the jumping spider actually scans their prey; in fact their eyesight is similar to that of a zoom lens on a camera. When the prey is registered as eatable, the jumping spider will move closer. The jumping spider even catches prey much bigger than its own size. The jumping spider does not use webs to catch its prey, but they do attach a line of silk to their prey in case they happen to fall. When the jumping spider is within good distance of their prey they will actually jump or pounce on it.

Jumping Spider Bite

The jumping spider is often mistaken for being dangerous, but in reality they are not. The jumping spider is not poisonous to humans. Like a wolf spider, the jumping spider typically does not attack humans unless they feel threatened or in danger. The only way a jumping spider bite may be hazardous is if the person bitten is allergic to spider venom, and because of that it is extremely important to consult medical attention when bitten by a spider, especially if the spider is unidentified.