Are There Insects in Iraq?

If you are wondering if there are insects in Iraq, the answer is yes!

These little critters survive the harsh temperatures of the Iraq climate by staying hidden during the day and coming out to live their lives during the night time hours.

Spiders

A couple of different types of spiders like to make their dwelling places in the sands of Iraq.

• Have you ever heard of the Sand Spider? Well, if you ever see one, you will probably want to get away from it immediately. They are the most poisonous of spiders, and they can make your blood vessels leak! They do not usually attack humans; however, it's best you not take the chance. These creatures like to bury themselves under the sand, so they can surprise their prey and attack while remaining relatively unseen.

• Another spider breed roaming the area are the Camel Spiders, which are more like scorpions than regular spiders. Legend has it that these spiders go into the stomachs of dead camel's in order to lay their eggs. However, people are pretty sure at this point this is a myth. Unlike the Sand Spider, Camel Spiders are not known to be particularly dangerous to human beings. They generally only appear during the night, so if you are out in the day, chances are you will not catch a glimpse of one.

Little Bugs

Watch out for sand flies if you are journeying through the deserts of Iraq. Like the mosquitoes that also reign in the area, they tend to carry many diseases. If you suspect that you have been bitten by one of these bugs, you should probably head to a doctor right away. They carry diseases such as malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever, and a deadly disease known as Baghdad Boil.

Another popular species is the Black Desert Ant, which are a species that are constantly in search of food. They will travel a great way to find items to satisfy their appetites. They seem to build complex communities, as they form mounds of sand that are connected to other nests. Next time you call a bug "stupid," you might really want to think about it. These ants are quite the architects and engineers.

Bigger Bugs

Are you getting chills down your spine yet? Well if you aren't, maybe you will after we discuss some of the bigger species roaming around Iraq.

• Like the praying mantis that many of us know, Iraq has the Desert Mantis, which is a large creature that goes after other species of bugs. They blend in with the sand, so that they can stalk their prey. Unlike a number of other species, the females are bigger than the males.

• Similar to bees, the desert has the Oriental Hornet. Some of them live in communities just like the honeybees that we know. Eggs hatch extremely quickly and the babies grow within a week.

In some ways, the insects that live in Iraq are not incredibly different than the ones that we are familiar with. However, they are built to withstand the hot, dry atmosphere of the desert.