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Discover the extraordinary resilience of desert dwelling creatures as we delve into the eerie existence of six creepy creatures that thrive in arid deserts.
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00:02Endless hot deserts seem lifeless at first glance, but among these sands you can meet dangerous and sometimes creepy creatures.
00:12Some of them can only cause health problems, but some can stay in your memory forever.
00:19Let's get to know them, starting with dangerous ones and finishing with real nightmares.
00:25So, you're walking through a desert and see a big teddy bear with open hands.
00:30You understand that it's probably a mirage, but still, you come closer.
00:35You were right. It's not a plush toy, but a giant cactus.
00:41There's something strange about it.
00:43Thanks to some strange fluff, the branches resemble the arms of a teddy bear.
00:48However, this is not fluff, but thousands of thin needles.
00:52And they are the reason you shouldn't come closer.
00:56The cactus is called the jumping cholla, or teddy bear cholla.
01:01It grows in the desert areas of Arizona and in the northern part of Mexico.
01:06Don't worry, this cactus won't attack you, but it will cling to your skin or clothes if you touch it.
01:13Such a fur coat protects the cactus from animals, creates shade, and saves it from heat.
01:19The lateral branches are the most important parts of the plant, as they carry out photosynthesis and accumulate a large
01:26amount of moisture inside.
01:28So, despite all the danger, the cactus can be helpful for desert wanderers.
01:33And the danger here is needles.
01:35If you look closer at them, you will see they have the shape of hooks.
01:39One touch, and hundreds of thorns are already in your finger.
01:44It's pretty difficult to get rid of them, and the needles cause unpleasant, painful sensations.
01:49But the coolest thing about this cactus is the way it reproduces.
01:53The plant clones itself in a new place.
01:57When animals and people pass the jumping cholla and touch it, the cactus gives them a small piece of itself,
02:04along with the needles.
02:05As soon as you throw this piece to the ground, it takes root and starts growing.
02:12The degree of danger is rising.
02:14The next monster from the desert is running toward us, and that is an ostrich.
02:20Many think these animals are cowards hiding their heads in the sand.
02:24You will most likely change your mind if you're unlucky enough to meet one.
02:30Usually, ostriches are not aggressive, but you should run if you come closer to their nest.
02:35On the other hand, you won't be able to do that because ostriches move at a speed of 43 miles
02:41per hour.
02:42You need a car to get away from them.
02:45They run and hit their enemy with their chests.
02:47There have been cases when ostriches attacked vans and caused significant damage to them.
02:54But the main danger these birds present is their powerful legs with sharp claws.
02:59They can deliver strong blows with them and even beat a prone opponent.
03:03So, yes, if you see an ostrich in the distance, go the other way.
03:09This small spotted lizard lives underground almost all the time in the arid deserts of the southwestern US and northwestern
03:16Mexico.
03:18Sometimes, it goes outside to find lunch.
03:21It only seems cute, but in fact, it's a dangerous gila monster.
03:26Its thick skin protects the reptile from hawks, coyotes, and other predators.
03:32But its main protection is its venom.
03:36Snakes and spiders inject their toxins using long, needle-like fangs.
03:41The gila monster clamps down and chews the prey to spread the venom.
03:46And when it bites a person, it can keep its jaws closed for a long time.
03:52Getting rid of the animal is a tricky feat.
03:55People who have experienced the effects of the venom say it feels as if hot magma passes through the veins.
04:01Despite this, the lizard turned out to be useful for science.
04:05Doctors used its venom to create medicines for diabetes and obesity.
04:11The time has come.
04:13Now you're about to meet one of the creepiest creatures living in the desert.
04:18Be quiet and listen to the silence.
04:21Stand still.
04:23There's no one around.
04:25Suddenly, you hear some hissing coming from below.
04:28You lower your head and see it.
04:30A big yellow spider the size of a human palm with strong jaws and long legs hides in the shadow
04:37of your body.
04:38In horror, you run away from this monster.
04:41But it goes after you.
04:43It isn't easy to do it in this situation.
04:46But try to calm down.
04:48The creature isn't interested in you.
04:51It wants only your shadow to hide from the scorching sun.
04:54Anyway, it's better not to touch it.
04:57The powerful jaws of the camel spider can cause unpleasant sensations, to put it mildly.
05:04And, by the way, this creature isn't really a spider.
05:08Yeah, it belongs to the class of arachnids.
05:11But it's a separate species.
05:14Sulpigid.
05:16It likes to bite.
05:17It's fearless and pretty aggressive.
05:20The spider preys on insects, lizards, rodents, and small birds.
05:24It can also move at a speed of 10 miles per hour.
05:28For their small size, this is very fast.
05:31You need to be a professional athlete to run away from it.
05:35Most often, you can find camel spiders in the deserts of the Middle East.
05:39But they also live in Mexico and the southwestern US.
05:43These runners are nocturnal and try to avoid the sun during the day.
05:47So they are always hunting your shadow.
05:50By the way, they got their name because they often hide in the shadows of camels.
05:55You won't hide from them during the day, but they will also want to come after you at night, especially
06:01if you make a fire.
06:02Sulpugids always run to the light in the hope of eating something.
06:06Some species of these spiders make a hissing sound to scare their enemies away.
06:12Now, let's calm down for a second and leave the hot desert.
06:16We're going into the humid tropics of Tanzania.
06:18Under tree bark, fallen leaves, and in dark caves, you can meet one of the most terrifying creatures on Earth.
06:26A tailless whip scorpion.
06:28Imagine a big scorpion without a tail, with a flat body that looks like it has been pressed by something.
06:34It's similar to spiders, but has no venom glands and can't spin a web.
06:39This monster is silent and fast.
06:42But the scariest thing is its two front claws, twice as long as the creature itself.
06:47Any prey it catches will never escape.
06:52Life in a dark cave has spoiled its eyesight, so the whip scorpion tries to avoid sunlight.
06:58During molting, it climbs up to the ceiling and slowly comes out of its old skin.
07:04Imagine directing your flashlight there and seeing small cocoons out of which pale spiders with excessively long legs crawl.
07:13If you really need it, be calm and slowly go away as far as possible.
07:20Be careful.
07:21The flat scorpion can crawl under your clothes in a second and bite you in the stomach.
07:26And that's not the worst part.
07:29Okay, this is a joke.
07:31This pretty guy is one of the shyest and most harmless creatures among spiders and scorpions.
07:36It's afraid of you and will never attack.
07:39Many consider it beautiful and keep whipped scorpions in glass terrariums.
07:43If you want such a pet, carefully watch it so that it doesn't run away from its house.
07:49If it happens, it will be pretty challenging to catch it again.
07:53In a matter of moments, it can get under your bed or go through gaps in the floor.
07:58Then it'll go to your neighbor's apartment through a ventilation system and scare people there.
08:04Okay, how about one more scorpion?
08:08It's not as creepy as the other creatures in this video, but it's the most venomous scorpion in the USA.
08:14This is the Arizona bark scorpion.
08:17The problem is that you can see it in the desert, in your home, or in the yard.
08:22These dangerous venomous beasts crawl into rooms and often sting people.
08:27One time is enough to cause pain, similar to a bee sting.
08:30But someone with an allergy may experience paralysis, breathing problems, and other health issues.
08:37In 2008, NASA had an intriguing question.
08:41How do spiders construct their webs in zero gravity?
08:44Therefore, they sent two spiders to the International Space Station.
08:48The first spider was the main participant, while the second served as a backup in case the first one didn't
08:54survive.
08:55However, things didn't go according to plan.
08:57The backup spider managed to escape from its chamber and visited its companion, resulting in a bit of a mess.
09:03They built tangled webs that interfered with each other.
09:06As if that wasn't enough, the flies that were supposed to be food for the spider started reproducing faster than
09:11anticipated.
09:12Their larvae escaped from their container and covered the front window of the chamber.
09:16Over time, the spiders were completely hidden behind the larvae.
09:21Although this initial experiment didn't go well, one of the researchers involved in planning the spider experiment was still curious.
09:27In 2011, she got another opportunity to repeat the same experiment.
09:33This time, she sought assistance from other researchers.
09:36They decided to send a different species of spider into space and prepared four spiders, two for the ISS and
09:43two for Earth, allowing for result comparison.
09:46The goal was to expose the spiders to varying gravity conditions and observe their behavior.
09:51However, another twist appeared in the story.
09:54Initially, they believed they had four female spiders, but it turned out that two of them were actually males.
10:01Determining the sex of young spiders can be tricky.
10:05But fortunately, one male had already been sent to space while the other remained on Earth, enabling valuable data collection.
10:12The second experiment proved successful.
10:15The spiders were active.
10:16They built and dismantled webs, and even without the assistance of gravity, they spun new ones.
10:22Three cameras captured thousands of pictures, showcasing their hard work on the webs.
10:30Interestingly, it seemed that spiders created significantly more symmetrical webs in space than on Earth.
10:36The center of the webs was closer to the middle, and surprisingly, the spiders didn't always position their heads downward
10:43as they typically do on Earth.
10:45However, one significant factor made all the difference.
10:49Light.
10:51When the spiders on the ISS had a source of light, they weaved asymmetrical webs, similar to those found on
10:57our home planet.
10:59Light played a crucial role in orienting the spiders in space.
11:03The chamber's lamps were attached at the top.
11:06If the lights had been positioned differently, for example, on the side,
11:10it would have been challenging to observe the effect of light on the symmetry of webs in zero gravity.
11:17When the lights were turned off, the spiders rested in random orientations within their webs.
11:23Yet, with the lights on, they would orient themselves away from the light source, which meant downward.
11:28Hence, in the absence of gravity, light assisted them in orientation.
11:34This discovery was unexpected, because spiders can typically build their webs in the dark and capture prey effectively, even without
11:41light.
11:42Spider's web itself is such a cool thing wherever they are.
11:45It's like these creatures have small silk production factories inside them.
11:49Within their body, a thread is stored in the form of a highly concentrated liquid.
11:54And a regular garden spider can produce up to seven different types of silk, each having a unique combination of
12:01proteins.
12:06Each type of silk has a different purpose.
12:08For example, one type of thread makes the web elastic, which means the web absorbs the impact when insects collide
12:16with it.
12:17Another type of silk makes the thread flexible and strong, so it's more difficult to break.
12:22Some proteins found in the silk protect it from harmful bacteria and fungi, allowing the web to last longer.
12:29They also keep the silk moist, so it doesn't dry out.
12:32Wow. Imagine having a home where you don't have to buy anything extra to maintain it.
12:37Spider silk is lighter than cotton, and incredibly thin, up to a thousand times thinner than human hair.
12:43But it's also insanely strong. I mean, it must be since that's what they rely on while living their everyday
12:48life.
12:49Whether they're preying on some wandering insect, or trying to resist heavy rain and wind.
12:54But you wouldn't expect it to be stronger than steel, right?
12:58Of course, in reality, you don't come across steel that thin.
13:02But if you could find a piece with the same weight as spider silk, you'd see that it has similar
13:07strength when pulled or stretched.
13:09In fact, spider silk is five times stronger than steel of the same thickness.
13:14Spider silk is also super stretchy, able to stretch up to four times its original length without breaking.
13:20Plus, it remains strong even in freezing temperatures below minus 40 degrees F.
13:27The most common type of spider is the orb weaver.
13:30They're masters at building those webs you keep seeing in open areas.
13:34That's where they have a better chance to catch a tasty lunch.
13:37But since they choose such spots, their webs are more prone to damage.
13:41That's why these spiders have a fascinating habit.
13:44They often rebuild their entire webs every day.
13:46Even if the current web seems perfectly fine.
13:51I wish I was this dedicated to maintaining my bedroom.
13:54These spiders actually do this because they want to be prepared for the evening when they patiently wait for their
14:00potential prey to get caught in their carefully set trap.
14:02At first, this might seem like a waste of time.
14:06After all, they need to invest a significant amount of protein to produce the silk that forms their webs.
14:12But even if an orb weaver spider doesn't catch its meal overnight, it usually has enough silk proteins to dismantle
14:19its old web and build a new one for the following night.
14:23As the spider removes the old web, it consumes the silk at the same time, and by doing that, recycles
14:30the proteins it contains.
14:32If you've ever observed a spider on its web, you must have noticed how attentively it responds to even the
14:38slightest vibrations.
14:39It turns out that spider silk can be finely adjusted to different sound frequencies unlike any other material.
14:46When a spider builds its web, it doesn't just spin the silk and leave it as it is.
14:51The spider actually makes adjustments to the silk by changing how tight or loose it is and how different threads
14:57are connected.
14:58This way, it creates a web that can vibrate or make different kinds of sounds.
15:03The spider is like a musician tuning their guitar!
15:08This feather-legged lace weaver is called the garden center spider because it mostly enjoys humid greenhouse conditions.
15:15And it has a really cool way of catching insects.
15:17Instead of spinning sticky webs like other spiders, it uses electricity.
15:22It produces incredibly thin silk, almost at the nanoscale.
15:26And on its hind legs, this spider has special hairs that act like tiny combs.
15:30As the silk emerges from its body, the spider uses these hairs to comb and manipulate the silk.
15:37And here's where the magic happens.
15:39This process generates an electric charge!
15:42The threads of the silk are now crackling with electricity, so they come together to form little poofs that resemble
15:49fluffy balls of wool.
15:50These electrically charged poofs are a great way to trap innocent insects wandering around.
15:56When unsuspecting prey comes into contact with them, the electric charge causes the threads to cling to their bodies, making
16:03it almost impossible to get away.
16:06Female Darwin's bark spiders make gigantic webs that can stretch over rivers and lakes, which means they can reach over
16:1280 feet across.
16:14It turns out, such enormous webs are just a part of their genius plan to catch their prey.
16:19A super-strong web that goes across the water like a bridge can capture large insects that gracefully fly above
16:25the water's surface, like dragonflies, and it's an impressive project that takes days to construct.
16:31These special lines go across the river and anchor the web firmly to each bank.
16:36There's no easy way out of this.
16:37There's no easy way out of it.
16:39There is no recipe in the mix.
16:44Operative dust glass cring turns about the lion's bark and the står in the
16:44thing about the colour.
16:44So you have to come with the hollow.
16:44Where you are theog.
16:45Click the shadow of a farmer.
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