FReeper Canteen~ Camel Spiders Found in Iraq , Urban Legends and Folklore ~Sept.21,2006

[fatima]

---

Camel Spiders Found in Iraq , Urban Legends and Folklore Urban Legends:Subject: FW: Camel Spider found in Iraq--This is a huge spider!!!! Yuck. I sure am glad we don't have these here. Although we probably will after this war..... This picture is a perfect example of why you don't want to go to the desert. These are 2 of the biggest I've ever seen. With a vertical leap that would make a pro basketball player weep with envy (they have to be able to jump up on to a camels stomach after all), these spiders latch on and inject you with a local anesthesia so you can't feel it feeding on you. They eat flesh, not just suck out your juices like a normal spider. Comments: The photo appears to be authentic. Fortunately for all of us — especially the guys in the picture — the same cannot be said of the accompanying text, which merely repeats false rumors circulating since the start of the Iraq war. This scary-looking creature (actually, it's a pair of scary-looking creatures dangling end-to-end) is indeed commonly called a camel spider, but it is found in arid locales all over the world — including the southwestern United States — not just in the Gulf region. A typical specimen can grow to about the size of a child's hand, but, though they are known for being vicious predators, camel spiders are neither venomous nor a threat to human beings. They don't eat camels, either.

World's Tallest Woman Netlore Archive: Emailed photos purport to show the tallest woman in the world Description: Emailed photos Circulating since: 2002 Status: False

The Giant Grizzly Bear Not quite a world record In real life, the big grizzly in the first two photographs measured 10' 6" from nose to tail and weighed an estimated 1,000 to 1,200 pounds — unusually large for the vicinity in which it was found, says the USDA Forest Service, but not quite a world record, nor even a record for Alaska. It was killed on October 14, 2001 by U.S. Air Force Airman Theodore Winnen on Hinchinbrook Island, Prince William Sound. The photos were taken by his hunting partner, Staff Sgt. James Urban. Both were stationed at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks at the time. Though the bear was within 10 yards of the hunters' position and moving towards them when he fired the first shot, Winnen says, it did not charge them, contrary to what the email claims. "I don't know if the wind was in our favor or what," he told the Anchorage Daily News. "We were dressed in camouflage. He might not have seen us." Winnen's weapon was a 338-caliber Winchester Magnum, not a 7mm semi-automatic as alleged. The first bullet pierced the bear's brain but left it standing; five more in the chest brought it down.

[TASMANIANRED]

And a couple of bricks.

[TASMANIANRED]

Good to see you as well.

[fatima]

Not me-these are true stories.
Dec 15th, 2005
Back around July 2003 after the war was declared over me a some of my Marines were sitting in our house playing cards. Our location at the time was in Al-Kut on an air base that we had taken over during the war, me and my guys were living right by the river, that exact spot seemed to be the “ Mecca” of Camel Spiders. It was pretty late that night all of us sitting around the table, my back was to the wall by the front door. All of a sudden one of my guys said there is a big Spider on the wall behind you. I looked over my shoulder and sure enough I think that was the biggest one we all have seen there, I would say it matched your three inch size, give or take a couple centimeters.
Well I slowly stood up and reached for the first thing I could get my hands on to kill it, (by the way these things are hard to kill) As I stood up he just sat there watching me then I hit it square and hard with a stick that I always kept in arms reach for that purpose. The Spider hit the floor and just disappeared in thin air.
My boys started laughing and said “Yeah he is going to go get his homeboys and come back here to kick your butt.” I walked back to my room to get my four cell Mag Light then I walked out on my front porch when I shut the door I heard a thud….I flicked on my light and there he was. This spider had jumped off the roof onto a MRE box that was on the porch, he just sat there and looked at me. Once again I swung at him, but he was to fast and got away, after a few minutes of scanning the area I went back inside to finish the card game.
The war started about ten minutes after the first encounter….and sure enough my boys was right. He got his home boys and can back for a fight. To make a long story short I killed eight of those things that night there had to have been 12-15 of them that came back to get me. This is just one of many encounters I’ve had have fun and be safe.

[AZamericonnie]

it was only 8 to 10 inches long

ONLY? It was ONLY 8-10 inches long!!!! lol

[luvie]

Evening, JJ!

How are you? Having a good week so far?

[TASMANIANRED]

Put a sadle on one of them and ride it.

[Lady Jag]

What a coincidence!   I was just making some spider soup!

YUMMY!!

[Just Lori]

Shoot! I saw that spider picture right here on FR a couple years ago, and......... well.......... I sorta believed it...........well...........y'know........

[AZamericonnie]

For a spinder like that ya gotta call in the professionals!:)

[TASMANIANRED]

Sounds like an very wise move.

[AZamericonnie]

Howdy Tom! *Hugs*

[TASMANIANRED]

Looks like a candidate for a mouse head.

[fatima]

(((Hugs)))Here's another story.
Oct 11, 2005
Sirs
Your site is great and I'd thought you'd like another story. I'd been used to camel spiders for some time having worked in Libya in the early eighties. The one's we saw in the Sahara weren't particulary large, usually up to 2" long and never seemed aggressive although the usual stories about people having bits chewed off abounded. I then moved to Syria for work, located about 10 miles from the Iraqi border. On the about the second night a group of us were sitting around a fire enjoying a beer when what I thought was a giant spider walked into the circle. It was approx. 8" across and was waving its front legs in the air, when I approached it it reared up on its back legs and waved it's front four legs in a threat posture. At this point I realised it had 10 legs and that it was a variety of camel spider. This creature would not back down no matter what we threw at it and eventually we vacated the area leaving it to it's own devices. Over the months we saw many more of similar size and just avoided them and made sure none were in the rooms when we went to bed (mindful of the myths). Then one night while sitting outside shooting the breeze we saw a particulary large one walking across the desert about 30 yards distant (remember it was night and the only illumination was a few lights from the camp). A wild dog puppy decided to investigate and began sniffing the aforementioned "monster", the scene that followed has only been matched in Alien. The camel spider sunk its jaws into the pups nose and wrapped its legs around it's snout. The noise the dog made was horrific and we could hear its screams for minutes as it ran off into the night complete with living muzzle. Anybody who says these things are harmless are probably the same sort of people who think pandas are cuddly. Regards
Mick

[TASMANIANRED]

Need a flame thrower.

[AZamericonnie]

Good evening Sheeza. Those sandstorms look wicked. Thanks to your husband for his service & for being a Military family!

[fatima]

Thanks for everything,fatima

[luvie]

(((Connie)))

Good to see you this fine evening! What's for supper? I had a bit of pimento cheese on rye, but am still hungry!

Thanks for your Tribute...I know the guys who see it are so thankful that you love them that much!

[fatima]

Feeling itchy yet.

[luvie]

I hope you haven't brought one home as a pet and intend to have "show and tell" on Saturday! LOL!

Other than something like that...I am looking forward to seeing you! (((hugs)))

[luvie]

Thanks for our pledge, Hope!