This type of arachnid belongs to the group Solifugae, which is derived from Latin and means “fleeing from the sun”. The term “sun spider” refers to the fact that this insect is active during the daytime and escapes the heat of the day by running from shadow to shadow – often people’s shadows, giving the frightening impression that one is being chased! On the other hand, South Africans tend to refer to this critter as a “Red Roman”, or in Afrikaans, as a rooi roman, haarskeerder (“hair cutter”) or baardskeerder (“beard cutter”) because of its sizable jaws and the fact that it often cuts the hair of sleeping people and animals, using the hair to line its nest! It has even been reported that they have left bald patches on dogs, sheep and other animals.
Topic: Makro fotografie (Read 22735 times)
