SiReNiTa
Special Correspondent
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Registered: 5-5-2006
Location: Ensenada, B.C.S.
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Mood: Savoring life while saving the world!
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Matavenados (arachnoid)
As summer is here with heat, parties and cold cerveza for all, it also brings with it all sorts of interesting (and sometimes scary) creatures.
Many of you know that I'm not a fan of spiders and run the other direction most of the times I see one. Well just the other day a friend and I were
talking about insects that had, at one time or another, made us shiver and she mentioned the infamous "matavenado", which is said by most everyone to
be a highly venomous spider that comes out at night.
Since I prefer fact to fiction (ok ok and maybe because I was super freaked out when I saw one outside the tidepool last night while watering the
plants) I looked the animal up on the internet, to make sure I knew what it looked like and what to do in case it bit someone and here is what I came
up with:
Description and Biology:
Solpugids range in size from 5/8 to 1-3/4 inches (15 to 45 mm). Their color is mostly brownish or yellowish and they are often covered with short
hairs. The body is divided into three distinct body regions - a segmented head region with two distinct eyes, a three segmented thorax and a 10
segmented abdomen.
The most striking characters are the enormous, two-jointed jaws with the pincers hinged up and down. There is no poison associated with the
mouthparts.
The pedipalps, or first pair of arms, are slender and do not have pincers, this is different than scorpions. These arms are sticky at the tip and
are used to hold prey and scoop water to the mouth. The first true pair of legs are longer than the others and are used as feelers. The last three
pair of legs are used for walking.
The abdomen, distinguished by the waistline constriction, is rounded. The abdomen has no tail or stinger of any kind, further distinguishing it
from scorpions.
The females lay about 50 eggs in a burrow dug into the soil. She then guards the burrow until the young hatch. Upon hatching, the young are active
at night. Adults are most active at night but can be found moving about during the day.
Host(s):
Windscorpions are predators. Their prey consists of insects and some small vertebrates, such as lizards. The solpugids are aggressive hunters
seizing their prey with their arms. They have no poison to help them capture food.
Damage/Symptoms:
The sun spiders are occasionally found inside homes. They enter homes while searching for insect prey. Homes with many entries, such as poor
fitting door seals, may be invaded more frequently. When found, they are usually alone. All sun spiders are independent hunters.
Chemical controls specifically for sun spiders are not recommended. Windscorpions are regarded as beneficial because they feed on insects. Their
harmless nature to man further discourages any control. The best management is to limit the number of possible entry points into the living area. Use
caulking and weather stripping to block these areas. These same procedures will limit entry of all home invaders including crickets, spiders,
millipedes, sowbugs and others.
Comments:
Upon seeing these arachnids, a person's first impression is often, "Anything this ugly MUST be poisonous." This is the unfortunate reputation that
follows the sun spider .
The truth is quite different. The sun spider's appearance is quite fierce, yet they are perfectly harmless to man. Many superstitions are told
about these creatures. In Mexico and the Southwest it is one of two different creatures referred to as nina de la tierra or child-of-the earth.
I just thought I'd put it the information out there to stop the myth that these spiders are venomous.
Hope this was useful!!
SiReNiTa
BTW here is the source if anyone wants to check it out.
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/entomology/entupdates/In...
Live life as well as you can,
don\'t regret the things that once made you smile,
learn from your mistakes,
and thank God for every second he gives you upon this earth.
Visit me at
Http://BajaScents.Scentsy.com.mx
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Photo from Bob & Susan and a thread on the Deer Killer/ Camel Spider/ Wind Scorpion: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=33295
More photos from Nomads here: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=27185
[Edited on 8-17-2010 by David K]
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Bugman
Nomad
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There really is no need to worry about these guys as they are fantastic predators of other insects and will not bite people unless they are handled
incorrectly. My only caution here is that to the untrained eye a bug is a bug, so don't handle some of this stuff unless you are sure you know what
you are dealing with!
Chris - your nomad entomologist
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Jack Swords
Super Nomad
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Location: Nipomo, CA/La Paz, BCS
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SiReNiTa: very nice job. The best way to dispel misinformation is with facts. Keep at it as there are many folks who are afraid of creatures
needlessly and kill them.
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SiReNiTa
Special Correspondent
Posts: 881
Registered: 5-5-2006
Location: Ensenada, B.C.S.
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Mood: Savoring life while saving the world!
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Thanks Jack, even though I dislike spiders very much, I don't think it's fair that people go around deathly scared of an animal that can not do any
lasting damage, the bite would hurt but then again...stubbing your toe hurts just as much 
I just found two of these critters in ""The Tidepool" yesterday, one was already dead and the other scurried outside when it was discovered; then
found another one hiding behind our toilet...yikes...that would not have been a pleasant surprise when walking in to the bathroom in the middle of the
night...good thing I had my eyes open for them!
Live life as well as you can,
don\'t regret the things that once made you smile,
learn from your mistakes,
and thank God for every second he gives you upon this earth.
Visit me at
Http://BajaScents.Scentsy.com.mx
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shari
Select Nomad
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Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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I had never seen one before this summer and was told that there is a "plaga" of them this season....ewwwww!!! they look really gross and scary and I
would have killed one in an instant....until I read this thread and found out they were beneficial buggers....I mean bugs.
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
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Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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This guy won't hurt you...
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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