Scorpions are some of the most reviled creatures on Earth, and anyone who has been stung by one of these diminutive creatures will tell you it’s not without good reason. But as nature is wont to do, other species have evolved to take on the intimidating characteristics of the scorpion in order to better protect themselves in the wild, even though they do not pose the same threats. One terrific example of this is the whip scorpion.
The whip scorpion is a type of arachnid found in subtropical and tropical climates throughout the world, save for Europe and Australia. These arachnids are not true scorpions, but their resemblance to scorpions with their similar body shape and front pincers lends itself to the moniker. Their differences begin at the lack of the characteristic scorpion tail, while their front legs take the form of whip-like antennae that help to distinguish the whip scorpion from a true scorpion.
Though they appear as something that might chase you through your nightmares, like most arachnids, whip scorpions are nocturnal and solitary, spending their days resting in woodland burrows. At night they hunt for insects and even small vertebrates if they are large enough. They reach adulthood at four years of age and can live for up to eight years in the wild.
Reproduction is facilitated by the male excreting a spermatophore, which is transferred to the female in a process that can take several hours. The pregnant female whip scorpion will then dig out a burrow with a space inside large enough for her egg sac. The white hatchlings latch onto their mother immediately after birth with specialized suckers until they molt and abandon the mother to . Sadly, after having gone so long without food, the mother usually dies when the nest becomes empty.
These creatures can be kept in a 75-80F terrarium filled with mulch and moss and fed with crickets, meal worms, and other small insects, making them a popular, if somewhat creepy pet. However, those who have to endure the presence of cockroaches in tropical environments may well worship the whip scorpion rather than shrink from it, as they are a natural predator for those even more maligned creatures!
Images via istolethetv, Brujo+
