The desert and mountains of Saudi Arabia are home to several types of arthropods, including arachnids, such as spiders and scorpions; acarids, such as mites; and the group of multi-legged arthropods – known as myriapods – which includes the centipede. Consisting of millions of different species, arthropods are the largest and most diverse phylum in the animal kingdom and research is continuing with new information emerging all the time.
Saudi Arabia is a place where wildlife and new species are still being discovered. More than 700 night-flying moths have been identified in the country, as have over 100 species of butterfly.
Most arachnids – including camel spiders – are not dangerous to humans. Venomous arthropods, such as scorpions, prefer to hide so you have nothing to fear as long as you're careful. Don't put your hand or foot anywhere you can't see, take care when rolling up your sleeping bag or tent in the morning and be cautious if you have to lift any stones or wood.
See the 'First Aid' section for advice on what to do if you get stung or bitten.
BLACK SCORPION
Androctonus crassicauda
Of the various species of scorpion, the black variety is the most commonly encountered. Scorpions are nocturnal and hide during the day in dark, cool places.
CAMEL SPIDER
Solifugae sp.
Camel spiders have an undeserved bad reputation for being aggressive, despite being nocturnal and shy. During the day, they hide in dark places and if they're accidentally exposed to light, they'll frantically seek shade. Their Latin name means ‘flees from the sun’, and they'll run quickly (they can run as fast at 16 km/h) towards shadow – and the human casting it – if exposed. They have massive, segmental jaws armed with rows of spiny teeth to shred their prey. Their bite is not venomous but bacteria on their mandibles can cause an infection.
CENTIPEDE
Scolopendra valida
The largest of the centipedes in the Arabian Peninsula, they're active at night and feed on vertebrates, invertebrates and even small reptiles. Found close to water in and around wadi beds or hiding in moist, dark spots under flower pots in gardens, they can give a painful sting/bite. Their poison will cause swelling, chills and fever, and in some it can cause anaphylactic shock (a severe allergic reaction).
YELLOW ORIENTAL PAPER WASP
Polistes Wattii
Yellow oriental paper wasps are mostly present in coastal areas, and build nests around window ledges, among vegetation and near swimming pools or other water sources, where they live in colonies of 60 to more than 100 individuals. They can often be seen carrying water to the nest.
COMMON SWALLOWTAIL
Papilio machaon
Common swallowtails are mostly encountered in plantations and wadis, laying eggs on the wild plants that will become the food of their larvae. As caterpillars, they are colourful and have a unique defence mechanism. If touched, they pop out two ‘horns’ from an area behind their heads and eject a strong smell of either carrot or lemon, absorbed from the juices from the plants. This is enough to frighten off most predators. However, humans should also avoid touching them as the caterpillars' hair can cause skin irritation.
CRIMSON-SPECKLED FOOTMAN
Utetheisa pulchella
Most of the 700 moth species in the Arabian Peninsula are nocturnal and seldom seen by people. The day-flying, crimson-speckled footman moths feed on flowers, including the heliotropium on which they also lay their eggs. They're a spectacular sight with their silvery-white bodies dappled with black and red. With such bright colours, these moths may seem conspicuous, but when they sit on the sand with their wings folded, they blend perfectly into their environment.
DESERT LOCUST
Schistocerca gregaria
Desert locusts are a species of short-horned grasshopper. They swarm periodically, decimating the crops and plants in their path. They can change from solitary, shorter-winged, highly fertile, non-migratory to a gregarious, long-winged and migratory form to travel over long distances into new areas. During plague years, often triggered by heavy rainfall, desert locusts emerge and feed on large quantities of any kind of green vegetation and move quickly to other areas. There can be 150 million locusts per square kilometre in a swarm and they can cover up to 150km a day. Saudi Arabia experiences locust plagues on average once in a decade.
GLOBE SKIMMER
Pantala flavescens
Both dragonflies and damselflies (similar to dragonflies, but whose wings fold over their body when resting) are common wherever there is water. Around 41 spectacular species, like globe skimmers and large blue skimmers, have been recorded in Saudi Arabia, and new species are still being discovered. Dragonfly larvae live underwater where they are fierce predators. For their metamorphosis into adults, they climb out of the water onto rocks or plants, where you may come across their shed skin.
LOCAL OR LITTLE HONEY BEE
Apis florea
The fruit of this little honey bee's labour is much sought after by the residents of Saudi Arabia and further afield. They build their hives in trees and caves and they're not aggressive. Meanwhile, the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is found throughout the world and isn't unique to this region.
BLACK WIDOW SPIDER
Latrodectus mactons
With this type of poisonous spider, the male and female species look notably different. The female's shape is distinctive because of its shiny black and red body, with marks on the underside of its abdomen resembling an hourglass. These marks send warning signals to other animals to stay away. It feeds on flies, mosquitoes, locusts, beetles, caterpillars, insects and other spiders that it catches in its web. Mainly found in dark places such as animal sheds, large vegetation covers, toilets, garbage depots and places with large and wide holes, it is called the black widow because the female kills the male immediately after mating.
RED POTTER WASP
Delta dimidiatipenne
Red Potter wasps are named because of their ability to mix saliva with mud to create wet clay, which they then use to mould a pot-shaped nest. They are also called caterpillar-hunting wasps. A sting from a Potter may cause a localised infection, so it needs to be treated. As is the rule with most stinging insects, be careful in your approach and try not to lash out unnecessarily.
SCARAB DUNG BEETLE
Scarabaeus sacer
Many scarabs are scavengers that recycle dung, carrion or decaying plant material. Most beetles of this family live in and around the dunes where they're often seen rolling the tiny dung rolls they feed on. They've developed an ingenious system of obtaining water – they position their sleek bodies on higher ground, catch moisture from dew and as the temperature changes, let it flow directly into their mouths.
