What Makes the Six-Eyed Sand Spider So Lethal

Let’s say you’re on safari in Southern Africa. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so you soak in the sights, traipsing through the sandy shores of Namibia. It’s beautiful, even epic, but dangers lurk in your midst. Even though many plants and creatures in Africa have looks that kill, some are more elusive, like the six-eyed sand spider, or Sicarius hahni. While walking, you notice some odd twigs sticking out of the sand, so you bend down to pick them up.

When visiting any neotropical environment, bending down to pick up odd twigs could be a fatal mistake as it very well might be a dangerous spider. The Sicarius hahni is a highly venomous spider that lives in deserts and arid locations around the globe. It’s best known for its habit of partially burying itself in sand, as shown in this video. But why does it do this? Let’s find out.

Sand Spider Facts

Before we investigate this curious sand burying, let’s learn more about these little spiders. Sicarius spiders are a genus of the recluse family. Ranging in size between 1-2 inches, Sicarius spiders have six eyes but lack the violin-shaped markings of their recluse spider cousins. They are durable little creatures, surviving for long periods without food or water. This stamina helps them survive the arid and desert regions across the world that they call home. Due to their flat appearance, they are also called six-eyed sand spiders.

Even without food or water, Sicarius spiders live an incredibly long time. Some last up to 15 years. They may be hardy and tiny, but don’t mess with a Sicarius. Its name comes from the Latin word for assassin — a fitting title, as Sicarius spiders are venomous and pack a powerful bite. Like other members of the recluse family, Sicarius spiders produce a dermonecrotic venom that can cause serious damage to living tissue.

Unlike other spiders, however, the Sicarius genus does not spin webs. Female members of the genus use a mixture of sand and silk to produce egg sacs, but all Sicarius spiders burrow in the sand. So why do they do that?

Head in the Sand

This video illustrates the cute but deadly tactics of the Sicarius hahni spider. It goes from motionless to furious action, quickly digging a hole in the sand and covering its body in a few seconds. Only its legs remain visible.

While this tactic may help protect their diminutive bodies from damage, it’s mostly used for hunting. Sicarius spiders cover themselves in sand for camouflage. Once covered, with legs that jut out like twigs, the Sicarius hahni gains an edge over potential prey like scorpions, insects, and even small mammals.

If a tasty-looking meal walks by, the Sicarius hahni rises from the sand and strikes with its deadly venom in one fell swoop. Considering they go without food or water for up to a year, it makes their attacks all the more dangerous and impactful. Though they are incredibly venomous and technically deadly to humans, Sicarius spiders rarely go that far. Less than five people in recorded history have been bitten by one. Even so, if you’re in one of its habitats, keep a lookout. You never know when one of these assassins is lurking in the sand.