You might wonder what kind of insects are in Iraq. The deserts of Iraq are an ideal place for scorpions and spiders to thrive in. The moist oases are places where one is most likely to encounter mosquitoes. The insects of Iraq have adapted remarkably to hostile weather conditions and they are usually nocturnal . This protects them from the harsh desert sun during daytime and helps them prey on smaller desert creatures which come out of hiding at night time.

Camel spiders, or windscorpions, are common insects. They are the species which comes to mind to answer the question what kind of insects are in Iraq. They belong to a group of arachnids called sunspiders. These camel spiders are medium or large in size occur mainly in arid regions. They are nocturnal predators that can move fast. The long, forward-projecting front legs are used in food-handling and mating.This species of spiders is not poisonous but it may inflict a painful bite. The camel spiders have a peculiar trait of moving towards shade and they are easily attracted to shadows of people standing in the sun.

Mosquitoes are small, delicate creatures. What kind of insects are in Iraq would remain an incomplete discussion if we leave out mosquitoes. They are single handedly responsible for the transmission of conditions like Malaria, yellow fever, and, more recently, West Nile virus. The mosquitoes breed in areas where water lies stagnant. The larvae turn into mosquitoes which then feed on human blood. They transmit malaria which is the largest insect borne killer of humans the world over. Phlebotomous or sand flies are smaller hairy mosquitoes. They are vectors of the human pathogen causing leishmaniasis, a very serious dermatological and systemic disease. Insect repellents are the best defense against mosquitoes and the diseases they carry. DEET has been the only effective insect repellent but is now being replaced in many places by Picaridin. Picaridin is also called icaridin and is a plain liquid without any smell. It is as effective as DEET but is less irritating and does not dissolve plastics or damage synthetic fabrics.

Scorpions are eight-legged with crab-like pincer appendages on the front end. The scorpion’s tail is usually elongated and ends in a stinger. You might wonder what kind of insects are in Iraq and once you have seen a scorpion your doubts will be cleared. This species uses its stinger largely in self defense. It scares away predators by raising its tail as a warning. Some of the scorpion species are very poisonous. The scorpion sting can be compared to a wasp’s in case it is not poisonous. Highly venomous species occur in the Middle East especially in the deserts. Antivenom is the only treatment available for many of the poisonous species worldwide. Scorpions are nocturnal and usually venture out of their hiding places at night in search of prey. During the day they may seek water and shade in houses. They are most often encountered outdoors under loose debris of one sort or another. Scorpions can be avoided as they are large and can be easily recognized by the naked eye.

Richard Dorads - InsectPest.net