Scorpions are classified with a group of animals known as arachnids. When they first originated over 450 million years ago, some scorpions measured over sixteen inches long! Although these powerful creatures have been found in almost every region on earth, there have been no traces of them in the cold, northern climates.

   A telson is the stinger on the tip of a scorpion’s tail. Since this arachnid is only able to make small amounts of poison at a time, the venom is used only as a last resort. One good reason to use the venom would be to kill struggling prey, or in self-defense. A scorpion’s venom affects the nervous system, but only a few species worldwide have poison powerful enough to kill a full grown human.

    Consisting mainly of insects and spiders, the diet of a scorpion will even include other scorpions! Their lobster-like pincers are put to good use as the arachnids’ trap their prey, but these animals do not always play the role of a hunter. Many animals find scorpions a tasty treat, so during the day shelter is found in burrows and cracks.

    After birth, young scorpions stay with their mother until the first molt, when they will leave to fend for themselves. Maturity is reached after seven or eight molts, and most scorpions are able to live for several years.