Content including photographs are Copyright © 2009 - Don & Linda Gilmore
The most notorious of the Spider family is also the biggest; the Tarantulal; a big insect in the desert. They do get big, with a body length of 2 inches and span of 3 inches or a little larger. They are aggressive looking. But that's where it ends; looks. They can sting you but it's mild like a bee sting. They only make webs to encase the entrances to their subterranean dens; mostly to keep the entrances open or to close them when they're having young.
Having one crawl on you is a little nerve racking the first time. But they are only interested in getting where they're going. If they get irritated you'll know it right away; they'll raise their hind legs and thus raise their body up in the back in a threatening posture. You'll know it when you see it. Their stomach hairs can be irritating to your skin if you try to pick them up. As with any wildlife they can bite you if they feel threatened.
The Black Widow Spider is found in a lot of places in the desert and at your home. This is one Arachnid to stay away from. If you are bitten please seek information about the anti-venom before taking it. It is reputed in many cases to cause as much damage (and death) as the original spider bite. Different people react very differently to the Black Widow bite.
The Hairy Scorpion is a very close relative to the Bark Scorpion (not shown here). The Hairy Scorpion to the right is a common Scorpion in the desert. So is the Bark Scorpion. The Bark Scorpion doesn't have the dark coloration to the top of the back and is light yellow all over. The Bark Scorpion is very poisonous where as the Hairy Scorpion shown here is not. This does not mean you should get stung by one though.
They are in the order - Solifugae of Arachnids
This guy is over 3 inches long and is very fast. It can not sting you, but can bite you. It can be painful and can get infected! They look dangerous but are actually very helpful. We watched this one eat moths for over 20 minutes, and got so fat he could hardly move. They do have a very strong set of pincers that they use to capture another bug then cut it in half.
Other Insects in the Desert
The common Honey Bee or is it? Some people will jump right in and say it's a killer bee? Could it be? Yes it could, but it probably wasn't as it didn't seem bothered by us at all. How do you tell the difference? You don't; unless the hive attacks you. Just to see one tells you nothing. Only an expert will know and only after an examination in a laboratory.
So why all the mystery about the killer bees? Because it's on people's minds since there's been several attacks here in the desert. You have to know that your going to run into bees in the desert, because that's where a lot of them live. Like the bees shown here in this Buckhorn Cactus flower.
They can be big, this one measured 6 1/2 inches long. This one was seen at a cave near Salome, Arizona. Surprising to all of us it could move very fast. We've since learned that they have a pretty nasty sting. Effects from the sting last from several hours to several days.
In the desert you'll find lots and lots of ants. Here is a nest of Leaf-cutter Ants. It's obvious isn't it? All the leaves they've collected and brought back to the nest.
One of the ants you don't want to run into is the Fire Ant. They are very aggressive and usually attack in a group.
(Insecta: Coleoptera: Meloidae)
The Blister Beetle is found in the desert during the early Summer. Don't attempt to handle them; their bodies contain a toxin called (cantharadin) that can cause blisters to form on the skin. Animals, particularly horses, can ingest beetle contaminated feed and can become extremely ill and may even die. They usually arrive in swarms and feed on leaves of certain plants, especially legumes. 3/8 to 1 inch long.
Darkling Beetle often called the Armored Stink Beetle is found throughout the world in a wide range of habitats. There is a large population of them to be found in the desert Southwest. When threatened, the Darkling Beetle assumes a defensive posture like in the photo to the left. It emits a foul smelling liquid.
The Desert Spider Beetle is in the same family as the Blister Beetles. The inflated blister beetle has an inflated abdomen and a small head. Because it resembles a spider it is called the Desert Spider Beetle. The pitted back has several color variations.
You'll find the Plume Moth in a lot of areas in the desert. Not uncommon to run into these guys while camping in the summer. This one was on our door screen. Often they resemble a piece of dried grass, and they pass unnoticed by potential predators. Interesting looking moth.
This is the Cicada. Often found in trees in the desert. This one was photographed near the Colorado River. There are about 2,500 species of Cicada around the world. Many remain unclassified. Cicadas are related to leafhoppers and spittlebugs.
This is a Damselfly. Along the rivers and ponds here n the desert you'll find a lot of these acrobats. They eat mosquitoes.
This is the caterpillar that shows up in the desert in the early summer when the Verbenas are blooming. This is the Sphinx Moth caterpillar. One year there were so many you couldn't walk to the next street without stepping on them.
So what are these mounds? We've found a lot of them in the desert and have never seen any ants or other creature near them or coming out of them. Contact us if you know what makes these mounds. Are they ant mounds?
This is a very colorful beetle we photographed in the Sonoran Desert. We've looked for hours on the Internet and have found numerous other photos of this beetle; none with a description or name. If you know what this beetle is - please Contact Us with the information and we'll give you credit for the find.
