Hairy Scorpion

Hadrurus arizonensis

Meet the largest Scorpion in North America-- the Hairy Scorpion. These arachnids can grow over 5in long, and their large size makes them quite the predator within their desert habitat. They feed on smaller invertebrates (including other Scorpions) and will even hunt snakes, lizards, and small vertebrates as well.

Hairy Scorpions are named for the dark brown hairs that cover the backs of their otherwise yellow-ish bodies. Their coloration helps them to blend in with the dry environment that they live in. You'll find these Scorpions in the Mojave and Sonora Deserts.

The large pincers on these arachnids are used for more than just grasping at food. These guys are excellent burrowers, and can dig tunnels that are more than 2m in length. They hang out in them during the daytime, emerging at night to hunt.

Even though they are large in size, the Hairy Scorpions shouldn't frighten you. Their sting is venomous, but tends to be no worse than a beesting for the average person.

---

IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : North America
Size : Length around 5.5in (14cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Scorpiones
Family : Caraboctonidae -- Genus : Hadrurus -- Species : H. arizonensis
Image :  Fritz Geller Grimm

Read More

Goliath Birdeater

Theraphosa blondi

If spiders make you squeamish, you might not want to read much further (though I hope you do!). This spider is... well... really, really big. Like, the size of your hand big.

Goliath Birdeaters have legspans that can reach nearly a foot across, so the Goliath name is well earned. However, despite the name and gigantic size they normally consume insects, and birds are only consumed on rare occasions!

You can find these monster Spiders living in the northern rainforests of South America. They live on the ground, and build burrows for themselves that can go deep into the ground. It will take them several years to reach full maturity, and males have MUCH shorter lifespans than females (who can live up to 25 years!) Part of that probably has to do with the fact that females are known to kill their mates after breeding-- yikes!

Happily, though the Goliath Birdeaters are venomous, their venom is not particularly dangerous to humans. Also, even if they do bite you (normally in self defense) they probably won't even inject any venom.

---

IUCN Status : Not Evaluated
Location : South America
Size : Leg span up to 11in (28cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Araneae
Family : Theraphosidae -- Genus : Theraphosa -- Species : T. blondi
Image : R. Somma

Read More

Argiope lobata

Argiope lobata

Argiope lobata is a species of spider with a range that extends across Africa, and into southern Asia and even parts of Europe. They are not dangerous to humans.

These spiders can be identified by their silvery abdomens that are ridged speckled with black. The males are quite small in size, measuring only 6mm. The females on the other hand, can reach up to 25mm and are more noticeably colored.

Argiope lobata, like all members of its genus, builds zig-zag patterned webs. They also build thicker white lines, called stabilimentum, into their webs. These lines help to camouflage the spider from prey, but also make the webs noticeable by larger animals (so that they don't get destroyed).

When it comes time to breed, the male spiders will build webs next to the females. After mating, the female will place her egg sac on the web, and this sac can contain as many as 1,400 eggs. Interestingly, the eggs hatch during the autumn months, but to stay warm the tiny spiderlings remain in the sac through winter, emerging when it is warm again in spring.

---

IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Africa, Europe, Asia
Size : Body length up to 6mm (males), 25mm (females)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Araneae
Family : Araneidae -- Genus : Argiope -- Species : A. lobata

Image : Ester Inbar

Read More

Yellow Sac Spider

There are a couple of species that go by the common name "Yellow Sac Spider," but the specific one that we will be talking about today is Cheirachanthium punctorium (what a mouthful!)

These spiders, which are found in Central Europe and Asia, grow to about 15mm in length. They get their name from their yellow coloration, and from their egg-laying behavior.

Females build large (compared to their bodies) egg sacs in the grass, and they defend these 4cm long pouches very aggressively. And their aggression should be taken somewhat seriously! Their bites can actually pierce human skin, and cause reactions similar to a wasp sting in most humans (though some people will of course react in worse way).

---

IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Europe, Asia
Size : Body length up to 15mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Araneae
Family : Miturgidae -- Genus : Cheiracanthium -- Species : C. punctorium

Image : Rainer Altenkamp

Read More

Daring Jumping Spider

Phidippus audax

Daring Jumping Spiders are common jumpers in North America. They are large for their family, and are predominantly black with some spots or stripes on the legs and abdomen. They also have incredibly shiny, metallic blue-green mouth parts (called Chelicerae).

Compared to body size, humans can't jump very far. Even the very best long jumpers only make it to distances of 3-4 times their height. The Daring Jumping Spider has us beat for sure! These little 2cm Spiders can leap between 10 and 50 times their own size!

So why do they need to make such gigantic jumps? Well, unlike many other Spiders, the Daring Jumpers do not build webs to hunt. They actively stalk their prey, using their amazing vision (their family has the sharpest eyesight among all Spiders). When they spot a meal, they leap after it from afar.

The spiders also use their great legs and eyes in courtship rituals. They are able to perform different dances, and can be seen from far away. Daring Jumping Spiders do actually build webs, but only for egg laying or shelter purposes.

---

IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : North America
Size : Length up to 20mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Araneae
Family : Salticidae -- Genus : Phidippus -- Species : P. audax

Read More

Driver Ants

Dorylus sp.

Today we're going to learn about a genus of Ant called Dorylus. Their are sometimes referred to as  "Driver Ants" or "Safari Ants." There are 63 different species within this genus, and they can be found mostly in Africa, with a few ranges extending into southern Asia. Driver Ants are known for their ground scavenging raids, where large numbers of ants will find, take, and steal food.

Driver Ants are also interesting because of the seasonal migrations that they make in search of food. When supplies run short, the colonies (which can number in the tens of millions) form a massive marching column that slowly moves to a new supply. These columns are very defensive, and will attack anything that gets in their way-- including humans! The soldiers have very strong jaws that can leave significant puncture wounds. Large numbers of ants can even kill and consume much larger creatures than them, like Rats.

Queens within this genus are some of the largest ants in the world. D. molestus, an East African species, has queens that can grow nearly 3in long! As with most ants, the drones are all sterile females. Males (sometimes called "Sausage Flies for their huge abdomens) actually leave the colony soon after hatching, but will be drawn back to the smell of them once they are mature. When the Drones find a male, they rip off his wings and bring him to the queen for mating. He dies shortly afterward.

---

IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Africa, Asia
Size :  Worker size from 3-11mm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Insecta -- Order : Hymenoptera
Family : Formicidae -- Genus : Dorylus

Read More

Bagheera kiplingi

Bagheera kiplingi

Today's animal is rather unusual-- it has an almost exclusively herbivorous diet, which makes it very unique among the 40,000 different spider species out there!

Bagheera kiplingi was only first discovered in 2008. It is a species of jumping spider that is native to Central America. Like other Jumping Spdiers, it possesses large eyes and the ability to leap large distances (as far as 50 times their body size). Unlike its cousins, however, it does not hunt its food.

B. kiplingi has figured out a way to steal nutritious protein and fat-rich nubs from Acacia trees. These nubs, called Beltian Bodies, are formed due to a symbiotic relationship between the Acacia tree and Ants. The Spiders ignore the Ants that guard the Bodies, and feed almost exclusively on the nubs. I say "almost exclusively" because the Spiders do sometimes feed on the Ant larvae as well, but it is a very small percentage of their diet.

B. kiplingi exhibits sexual dimorphism-- the males have a dark greenish cephalothorax, while the female's is reddish brown. Females also have much larger abdomens.

And for those who were curious, Bagheera kiplingi is named after the Panther in Kipling's The Jungle Book and Kipling himself. The Genus named was derived back in 1896 by George and Elizabeth Peckham. They named a handful of other genera after Kipling characters as well.

---

IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Central America
Size : Length around 2cm

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Araneae
Family : Salticidae -- Genus : Bagheera -- Species : B. kiplingi

Read More

Fattail Scorpion

Fattail Scorpion

There are about eighteen species within the genus Androctonus. All of them can go by the common name of Fattail Scorpion. These arachnids live in the arid and semi-arid regions of Africa and the Middle East, and have venom that is strong enough to kill a human!

Fattail Scorpions get their name from the fact that "tail" is pretty thick, compared to those of other Scorpion types. Did you know that Scorpions do not eat solid food? They hunt insects, especially Crickets, and when they inject the venom their prey's insides turn to liquid, which the Scorpion then slurps up!

As previously mentioned, Fattail Scorpions are capable of killing people. One particular species, A. australis, is responsible for several deaths every year throughout their wide range, and has the highest number of deaths attributed to it overall among Scorpions. They often live near human habitation, and there is an anti-venom, but even those who receive fast treatment can experience lingering side-effects, including headaches and loss of feeling.

Interestingly, there are people who keep Fattail Scorpions as pets, but they are defiantly not recommend for beginners, due (obviously) to their dangerous and aggressive nature.

---

IUCN Status : Not Listed

Location : Africa and the Middle East
Size : Length up to 4in (10cm)

Classification : Phylum : Arthropoda -- Class : Arachnida -- Order : Scorpiones
Family : Buthidae -- Genus : Androctonus 

Read More