Captain Stan’s ‘Creature Features’ – Volume 2 - Scorpions May 2022

Welcome to the second edition of ‘Captain Stan’s Creature Features,’ where we are looking at some of the more interesting animals in the pest management universe. This month, the star of the show is the scorpion, an arthropod that strikes fear into many who encounter one of them. Some interesting facts follow:

• Scorpions are arachnids, not insects, so they are close cousins to spiders, ticks, daddy longlegs, and others.
• Scorpions have a very impressive method for hunting their food. They will quickly grab their potential meal with their pincers, and then whip their telson (the poisonous tip of their tale) forward, sting their prey, and well, soon begin snacking!
• There are about 2,000 species worldwide, and they are found on six of the 7 continents.
• Some species give birth to over 100 live offspring, which then quickly climb on mommy’s back where they hitch a ride and are fed for several weeks.
• A scorpion’s venom takes lots of energy to produce. It is used for subduing prey, self-defense, and, in some species, mating. Even newborn scorpions have potent venom so don’t underestimate them!
• Under a UV or ‘black light’, scorpions will noticeably glow They are active primarily at night.
• The scorpion is one of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, appearing as Scorpio The Scorpion. Under the right conditions and time of year, the constellation is easily seen. It is very impressive.