Sunspider/Wind Scorpion

The Sunspider or Wind scorpion which is another name for it, ranges in size from nearly half an inch up to almost two inches.

In comparison to their bodies they have gigantic pincers which are hinged to let them move up and down.

They have a three segmented body, with very distinct sections.

Sunspider
Sunspider

Their arms are sticky, which are used to hold their prey items while they eat them. Only the last pair of legs is used for walking.

The abdomen is rounded and the tail has no stinger of any kind, which makes it different from others of its species.
Females lay eggs in a burrow they dig in the sand.

They will lay about fifty eggs at a time and guard them with veracity until they hatch. The small sun spiders are active only at night, while the adults are more active at night but will also hunt and move around in daylight hours.

Windscorpions, or sun spiders are predators, but they have no poison to help them catch their prey.
They are very aggressive hunters, stalking and capturing prey in their arms rather than with poison. They eat insects, and some smaller animals such as lizards who are many times larger than the predator.

Sun spiders live independently of each other, and only the females with young will live in a group. They are very often regarded as beneficial because they feed on insects and can keep homes insect free.

Their harmless nature to man further discourages any control.

“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.

Wind Scorpion
Wind Scorpion

In Mexico and the Southwest it is one of two different creatures referred to as nina de la tierra or child-of-the earth. Solpugids live where arid and semi-arid conditions occur. In the United States, they are found from Arizona to West Texas and as far north as North Dakota and adjacent areas of Canada.”

(Quote from nsdu) – Where you can also find out a great deal more about sun spiders.

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