The Camel Spider (aka wind scorpion or sun spider) is the common name for a Solpugid: a large non-spider arachnid that lives in desert regions worldwide. The non-venomous camel spider is subject to many myths about its size, speed, and purported venom. It also has no glands for making spiderwebs, contrary to popular myth. The traveling speed of a camel spider is around 10 miles per hour.
Its living pattern is one of seeking shade, whether at nighttime or during the day. During the occupation of Iraq by coalition forces which began in April, 2003, soldiers noticed these arachnids seemingly racing up to them as if to attack. In reality, they were moving toward the newly available shade provided by the soldiers' presence. The absence of shade sends them away.
The leg span of Camel Spiders in the middle east may reach five inches while in North America they are typically around 1-1/2 to 2 inches.
Camel Spider myth
In the Middle East it is commonly believed that Camel Spiders will feed on living human flesh. The story goes that the creature will inject an anesthetizing venom into the exposed skin of their sleeping victim. Then they will feed voraciously leaving the victim to awaken with a gaping wound. Camel Spiders produce no such venom and are not known to feed on humans.
External links
Snopes article on camel spider myths (http://www.snopes.com/photos/bugs/camelspider.asp)
National Geographic article on Camel Spiders (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0629_040629_camelspider.html)
Camel Spider Blues (http://www.chinapost1.org/guestbook.asp) (scroll down to the June 9, 2004 guestbook entry)
Camelspiders, also known as wind spiders, wind scorpions, and sun scorpions, are a type of arthropod found (among other places) in the deserts of the Middle East.
Camelspiders are venomous, and their venom contains a powerful anesthetic that numbs their victims (thus allowing them to gnaw away at living, immobilized animals without being noticed).
Camelspiders rely on speed, stealth, and the (non-venomous) bite of powerful jaws to feed on small prey such as other arthropods (e.g., scorpions, crickets, pillbugs), lizards, and possibly mice or birds.
Camelspiders eat the stomachs of camels and lay their eggs there, hence the name "camelspider." (Legend includes the detail that camelspiders eat camel stomachs from either the outside in or the inside out.
These people are liars who only heard about camelspiders from hearsay, for to see a real, live camelspider is to die by their horrible diseases, which require a massive 35 fortitude saving throw to resist, and is spread through the air in a 30' radius.
Although the camelspider is undead, it cannot be turned, and in fact, any cleric must make a wisdom save against 20 to keep his faith and cast any spells at all.
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