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Hello!

Are there any insects to be careful about in Dubai? I've read malaria isn't a problem, but did read about a fly that can make you blind. Anything else? What about spiders, scorpio's, snakes and so on?

Camel Spider, real bad

BigBootsDubai , rubbish! All that stuff you read about camel spiders is an urban legend, they're completely harmless, just really ugly to look at. FYI they're members of the scorpian family and not actually spiders.

You get the usual mozzies and what not. But bear in mind even though there are massive residential areas, you are in the desert so you can get snakes, scorpians - maybe in more remote areas. Redback spiders - part of the black widow family - are common in some areas.

The real pests twice a year are the jellyfish.

There is nothing to be super scared about. I have lived in Dubai for quite a while now and I have NEVER crossed paths with any sort of dangerous insect. I have never seen a mosquito over here either. For me, the most common ones are flies (Really get on my nerve) and cockroaches.

Camel Spiders Solifugida

Camel spiders are one of the fastest running arthropods. Although they have four pairs of legs, they run using only three pairs. The first pair of legs or pedipalpi are held up in front of them and used in a similar manner to the antennae of insects. They have very long, silky setae and are constantly moving in order to locate and pick-up prey. Despite their fearsome appearance and their strong bite, solifugids are unlikely to harm humans. In the past they were considered venomous and extremely dangerous but it is now thought that the only risk of injury resulting from them is caused by shock or infection following a bite. There is no evidence of venom in any part of their body.
Camel spiders are nocturnal predators of other arthropods including scorpions and are voracious feeders. Some species kill and feed on lizards and it is speculated that others kill mice and birds. They rely solely on their speed and stealth to catch their prey. In desert areas they are often attracted to lights at night in search of food and their appearance can cause alarm if they enter tents. It is rare to see them during the winter months in UAE and they are thought to hide or hibernate during cold periods.
Camel spiders in UAE Despite their conspicuous appearance and size, little is known about these creatures and we are not even sure of their exact identity. There are probably three families of solifugids in UAE. These are the long-legged and sandy-coloured Galeodidae and Solpugidae, and the black-coloured Rhagodidae which has shorter legs and is better adapted for digging. The Galeodidae are commonly seen in sandy areas and the largest species is probably Galeodes arabs which is particularly hairy and bulky with limbs spanning up to 150mm. Other species probably occur in the mountains and Rhagodidae are thought to occur around Al Ain.

sage & onion ,

--- Jan 02, 2016 ---

sage & onion ,
Hi do you have any pictures? We think we saw two in RAK last night light colours with dark line up middle. Big looking mandibles! However much smaller than ones we saw in Saudi.