Scorpions | Nature Adventure

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Biology

Scorpions aren't actually "bugs" like we might think; they're arachnids, meaning they're more closely related to spiders and ticks! This means that they have eight legs and between one to five pairs of eyes, depending on the species.

The first things you might notice about scorpions are their large tail stinger and pincers. While these might look scary, these tools are used mostly for defense and when hunting. Scorpions will eat insects, spiders, and even small lizards and rodents! Depending on what they prefer to eat, each species has a special venom that is specifically designed to work best against their prey. This is why some scorpions aren't dangerous at all, but others can seriously injure you!

Most scorpions are nocturnal, meaning that they only come out at night, and hide during the day by crawling into tree bark, under rocks, and in burrows. Some species are almost communal, with many individuals sharing a hiding space without fighting. And because they like to hide so much, in developed spaces like cities and towns, they'll usually be found inside of homes, hiding in the walls and under the floors.

While not all scorpions live in the desert, the ones who do have adapted to an environment where water is extremely rare. These species are able to remove harmful compounds like uric acid and others from their bodies without drinking water. They get most of the moisture they need from their food, but special waxes on their cuticle can also trap moisture from the air!

Scorpions glow a bright greenish-cyan color when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. This light is made by the sun, and is the same kind of light that can give you a tan when outside!

The reason scorpions do this is not understood yet. However, some experiments have suggested that scorpions might be able to see their own glow when exposed to sunlight [1]. This would let them know if they’re in an open field, and that they should hide before a hungry bird spots them!

In experiments where scorpions have had their eyes covered, they’re much slower to react to the UV light.

Other scientists think that it might be a warning to other animals, showing them the scorpion is dangerous, and that they should stay away.

While it’s still unknown exactly why they glow, scientists have found special molecules inside the scorpion’s cuticle (or shell) that are responsible for this creepy characteristic. Even fossils of scorpions can still glow!

You can use your own special UV flashlight to find scorpions in the dark! But always remember to wear covered boots, do not hold or touch scorpions with your bare hands, never look at or shine the UV light on your skin, and always travel with a buddy!

[1] Gaffin, D. D., Bumm, L. A., Taylor, M. S., Popokina, N. V., & Mann, S. (2012). Scorpion fluorescence and reaction to light. Animal Behaviour, 83(2), 429-436.

Scientific Importance

Since scorpions are so common in desert homes, and their stings can be lethal to human beings, scientists called Entomologists and Arachnologists are working on ways to keep people (and scorpions) safely away from each other.

Scorpions are very useful for maintaining a healthy ecosystem; we need them to eat insects, spiders, and other pests, and they can be an important food source for bigger predators out in the desert! But, when people start developing the land to make more homes and stores, we take away the scorpion's natural hiding places. This means that they start moving into our homes, and this puts people at risk of being stung!

So, scientists are working on ways to balance a healthy number of scorpions in the wild while also keeping them away from people. We know that some chemicals repel scorpions, and physical barriers can block them from entering into houses. Some scientists are working on developing new pesticides that kill scorpions without being dangerous to people or pets, while others are working on preventative measures like repellents and installing different types of barriers in our buildings. Finally, developing antivenom for scorpion stings is an important job that takes a team of Entomologists, doctors, and poison control experts from multiple countries to create!

Increasing public education about where scorpions like to live also helps people know what to avoid. Scorpions like cluttered environments with lots of dark hiding places; messy houses, especially bedrooms, are very attractive to them! You should seal up any cracks in walls, doors and windows, and check dark closets and cabinets often. Keep your living spaces clean and swept often, and they'll have less places to hide.

Keeping debris like leaves, wood shavings or firewood piles away from the walls of your home also helps reduce the chances of scorpions getting inside!

Did you know?

Luckily for us, only 30 to 40 species of scorpions have a venom strong enough to seriously hurt us. With over 1,500 species known to science, this is a very small amount. Though young children and older adults are more at risk of serious complications from a non-lethal sting, so you should be cautious when around scorpions of any kind.

Unfortunately, one of the most dangerous species in North America is the bark scorpion, which is very common in the American southwest. These scorpions like to hide in our homes during the day, or in trees like mesquite, cottonwood, and sycamore; all of which are commonly found in our lawns or gardens.

All of this means that bark scorpions are responsible for thousands of stings each year throughout Arizona, California, New Mexico and Mexico, with some even being fatal in small children, older adults, or people with underlying health problems.

If you are stung by a scorpion, you should seek medical help immediately, especially if you don't know what species you were stung by! Though most stings will not require antivenom, it's best to make sure that you're in a safe environment so you can get the help you need.

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