Originally published at: Whip spiders are having a renaissance | Boing Boing
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so, uh, just how big are these? because i generally have nothing against spiders, but scorpions kinda give me the willies, and these are definitely on the NOPE side of things for me.
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Looking online and there isn’t a clear answer. The generic answer is they range from a few inches to something like 27in depending on the species
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either way, GAHHHHHHHH!
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Cool! Apparently we have a population of these around here. At least, that’s what I’ve read. They’re pretty rare and most of the habitat that they prefer has been developed. But still, I’d love to see one. They’re pretty rad looking creatures.
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Yet apparently they’re the go-to species to practice unforgivable curses upon?
Ques: What species of spider did Alastor Mad-Eye Moody use the unforgivable curses on?
Ans: It’s called an amblypygid or a Tanzanian Tailless Whipscorpion. It’s a real creature related to spiders and scorpions in the arachnid family.
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Humans can (and do) travel around the world in a couple days, from one hemisphere and climate to another in hours. I’m sure tiny creatures and plant seeds have been hitching rides in our trouser cuffs and luggage the whole time.
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So it’s the same scientist who keeps finding these creatures everywhere? Hmm. 
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Having never before in my life seen a pseudoscorpion, I spotted one on a fence post the other day and my daughter spotted another one in our yard a couple days later. They’re pretty neat:
They’re tiny, the “big” one was still less than 1/2" from tip to tip.
The largest whip spiders are around 3 inches across, nowhere near 27 inches.
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Whip spiders are having a renaissance
Probably time for them to have a redécès then
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It’s an odd start to a supervillain plan but it gets points for style.
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May be related to general shifts in arthropod world, related to climate, deforestation, and insect decline, as well as increased world travel, as generic-name above mentioned. If some insects that are scarce aren’t around to fill a niche in the ecosystem, someone else fills in and becomes more prominent. Also, social media and everyone having a camera in their pocket helps. Fifteen years ago and earlier, it was a bar conversation: “I saw a scorpion/spider, it was 15 inches long!” which triggers no follow up, whereas now it’s a world wide web picture with the caption “wtf is this?”, and you can chat with arachno fans/experts on multiple continents who recognize it quickly. The Great Insect Die-Off | A World Unseen: the diversity of life
“Have whip spiders been spreading, traveling around the world and growing their packs?”
Not on our watch!
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I saw one on the Amazon.
It was quite small…
…and adorable.
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F*ck me! is nowhere safe?
spiders! why did it have to be spiders?
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We found one of these on a bed once as kids. We were pretty freaked out, but kept it alive and took it to the nearest science centre (Science North, in Sudbury) to find out what it was. I haven’t seen one since, though.
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The ones we generally have here in the west/southwest range from about quarter to 1/2 dollar size for the bodies. The legs and pincers can easily be hand sized though.
And it’s not the size. Like house centipedes, it’s the speed. These guys can be really fast.
But they’re totally cool. Harmless scuttlers.
hmm, i do like and leave house centipedes alone, too. (and they are wicked fast!)
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