| Size: |
Scorpions in the adult stage are about 2-4 in (20-100 mm) long. |
| Color: |
Scorpion adults are yellowish brown to tan, sometimes with stripes or other markings. Newly born 1st instar nymphs are whitish, and stay light in color for about 2-3 months. |
| Characteristics: |
Head and thorax are fused together, looking like a narrow shield; abdomen is strongly segmented, the last 5 segments looking like a tail, ending with a stinger which usually curves up; 4 pairs of legs; pedipalps that look like lobster claws. |
| Geographic Range: |
Mainly in dry regions of the southwest United States, and also in the south. In the west scorpions are found as far north as British Columbia. |
| Food: |
Scorpions feed at night, mostly on insects and spiders, but sometimes on each other! After catching large prey in the claw-like pedipalps, the scorpion stings it repeatedly. Smaller claw-like parts munch the food into tiny particles, to which a liquid from the scorpion's body is added to make a "juice". A dry pellet is discarded after feeding. With water nearby a scorpion can go for months without food. |
| Biology: |
Scorpions give birth to living young, which crawl up onto the mothers' backs, and stay until the 1st molt, 7-30 days later, then come down to feed, scattering. They mature into adults in several months to four years (6 molts). Adults may live for 1-6+ years. Sometimes a lost body part may grow back, although the new one may be malformed. |
