Scorpions belong to an order of animals known as scorpiones. Scorpions are arachnids like spiders and ticks. Like all arachnids, they are arthropods and have a hard exoskeleton. They’re the oldest arachnid on the planet. Some scorpion fossils date back over 250 million years! They use potent venoms to subdue their prey, which usually consists…
Like spiders, scorpions are arachnids. That means they’re insectivores that use venom to kill or paralyze their insect prey. What are Arachnids? But they can also use their stingers for defense. Some scorpions deliver an extremely dangerous venom called a chlorotoxin. Chlorotoxin prevents muscles from getting the chemical signals they need to move. If stung,…
Meet Shadow! Shadow is an adult emperor scorpion. Emperor scorpions live in the jungles and savannah on Africa, but we didn’t go that far to find him. He is a rescue pet that someone gave to Critter Squad so we could provide him a better home. He is an invertebrate and an arthropod. What’s an…
Even though animals like spiders and scorpions tend to be categorized as “bugs” it’s important to know that there are many complex differences that separate these arachnids from insects. Arachnids Are invertebrates (they have no backbone) Have eight legs (though some may have additional appendages) Body is made up for two segments the cephalothorax and…
You’ve probably heard of herbivores and carnivores. Herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat meat, but how do you describe an animal that only eats bugs? That’s a special kind of carnivore that we call an “insectivore.” Insectivores range from other insects and invertebrates like spiders, to large mammals like the aardvark, and even humans! Although insects…
A stinger is a sharp organ that is often connected to a venom gland that delivers venom when piercing the skin of another animal. Stingers are usually located at the rear of the animal and are often used as defense. Many animals have stingers Bees have stingers that are barbed, meaning that the stinger become…