The term “cricket spider” informally refers to arachnids that are not true spiders but share characteristics or behaviors resembling crickets or large spiders. This designation often refers to camel spiders (also known as sun spiders or wind scorpions) or sometimes cave spiders.
Identifying Features
The term “cricket spider” most commonly refers to Solifugae, known as camel spiders, sun spiders, or wind scorpions. Despite their names, they are neither true spiders nor scorpions, belonging to their own distinct order within Arachnida. Their body has two main parts: a prosoma (head and thorax) and a segmented opisthosoma (abdomen). Camel spiders are tan or brown with hairy bodies and legs.
Camel spiders have large chelicerae, powerful pincer-like jaws used for crushing prey. They appear to have ten legs, but only eight are for locomotion; the front two are pedipalps, sensory organs for feeling and manipulating prey. Their size varies, with the largest species reaching up to 15 centimeters (6 inches) in leg span, though their body length is up to 7 centimeters (3 inches).
Less commonly, “cricket spider” might refer to certain true spiders like Meta menardi, the European cave spider. These spiders are large, dark brown, and can have a leg span of up to 5 centimeters. Unlike camel spiders, they have a rounded, dotted belly and spin orb webs, which are often non-sticky and serve different purposes.
Where They Live and How They Act
Camel spiders inhabit warm, arid environments, thriving in deserts and scrublands globally, excluding Antarctica and Australia. They are largely nocturnal, a behavior reflected in their scientific name Solifugae, meaning ‘those that flee from the sun.’ During the day, they seek shelter from heat under rocks or in burrows. When active, these arachnids are swift, running up to 16 kilometers per hour (10 miles per hour).
Camel spiders are aggressive hunters, relying on speed and powerful jaws to pursue and capture prey, rather than building webs. Cave spiders prefer dark, damp environments like caves, tunnels, and cellars. They are photophobic, avoiding light, and often construct orb webs in shadows or near cave entrances. These webs are frequently used as supportive platforms or tripwires to detect prey, not as sticky traps.
Their Place in the Ecosystem and Human Interaction
Camel spiders are voracious carnivores, acting as predators within their ecosystems. Their diet consists of insects and other arthropods, including other spiders and scorpions. Larger camel spiders also prey on small vertebrates like lizards, birds, and rodents. They use digestive fluids to liquefy their prey’s flesh for consumption.
Despite their formidable appearance, camel spiders are not venomous and pose a negligible threat to humans. While their bite can be painful due to strong jaws, it is defensive and not medically significant, often causing localized swelling or irritation. Myths about them chasing humans or eating flesh are misconceptions. Their perceived ‘chasing’ behavior is actually them seeking shade, running towards a human’s shadow to escape the sun.
Cave spiders are also predators, feeding on smaller invertebrates like woodlice, millipedes, slugs, and flies. They help control insect populations within their dark habitats. Cave spiders are venomous, but their venom is mild and not dangerous to humans. Bites are rare, occurring only if the spider feels threatened, and cause symptoms comparable to a bee sting, such as localized pain, redness, and swelling.