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Camel Spider Forces Family Out of Home
By newsguy | August 29, 2008
Visiting Afghanistan is not something I will never do but not for the reasons you would think. I would never go simply because of my arachnophobia and the existence of the Camel Spider. Rodney Griffiths and his family have had first hand experience with this giant spider not over in Afghanistan but here in the states. Mr. Griffiths and his wife and four kids had this unwelcome invader in their own home. Mr. Griffiths did a four-month tour of Helmand province with 16 Air Assault Brigade.
Mrs. Griffiths, thirty-seven, and mother of four said: “Ricky saw a huge spider and screamed to his sister Cassie. They tried to put a pint-glass over it but it was too big, they poked it with a coat hanger and the spider bit it. The dog came in, jumped on the bed and barked at it. The spider hissed and Bella went running out whimpering.”
Not too long after this incident Bella was found with a high fever and swollen stomach. Mrs. Griffiths rushed the poor dog to the vet but she had to be put down. The reason for the dogs’ death is unknown but Mrs. Griffiths said she thought her death was “too much of a coincidence”.
The family looked up types of spiders on the Internet and came to the conclusion that it was a Camel Spider. It must have hid in one of Mr. Griffiths bags in June when he came home. Then the massive spider made itself at home in 18 year old daughter Cassie’s room.
The spider is venomous but it will not kill you and rarely attacks humans. A camel spider is type of arachnid known as a solpugid that can grow up to five inches long and run at up to 10mph. That information alone was enough to prompt Mrs. Griffiths to move her and her family out of their home and to her mothers.
By: Cortney Smith
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves |
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
This article made me scared to go home. I have never been over seas nor has anyone in my family, but its still scary to think that there are spiders that large. I would die of shock seeing one probably. Great article. Well written. I love when a writer gives there own voice in articles. Its so entertaining. Job well done.
September 5th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Oh man, that is a massive spider i dont even know what i would do.