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How to Kill a Wind Scorpion

Wind scorpions have many names including wind spiders, sun spiders and camel spiders. However, according to National Geographic, the creatures are neither scorpions nor spiders. Although they do belong to the arachnid family along with spiders, scorpions, ticks and mites, they are another branch called solifugae. The word is Greek for "flees from the sun." As the name implies, they seek darkness and shadow. Wind scorpions grow up to 5 inches long and have two pincers that hinge vertically. While their bite is painful, the creatures are not venomous. They can be beneficial because they hunt scorpions, spiders and even small rodents.

Things You'll Need

Fly swatter
Glue boards

Instructions

- 1
  Hit the wind scorpion with a fly swatter or other implement. You must be fast, because the wind scorpion is fast. They run up to 10 mph.
- 2
  Step on the spider if necessary. Wind scorpions follow shade, including the shade of a walking human being. This appears to some that the creature is chasing them. Stop walking and the wind scorpion will stop. If you must kill the creature you can step on it while it's stationary. But if you are outside, you can also walk over to another source of shade and the spider will leave you.
- 3
  Place glue boards around the house. The wind scorpion will walk over the glue and stick to the board. If the creature doesn't die of starvation, cover the glue board with a piece of newspaper and step on the wind scorpion.
- 4
  Call an exterminator. Household pesticides will only work if sprayed directly on the wind scorpion. However, pest control experts have other chemicals that the creature will carry back to its hole.

Insects & Science