Scorpions

A scorpion is a small animal with a potentially dangerous venomous sting in its tail. The scorpion's sting is a curved organ at the end of its tail. Two glands at the base give out a venom that flows from two pores. A scorpion wound is painful, but rarely causes death.

The scorpion is not an insect. It belongs to a class of animals called arachnids. Spiders, mites, and ticks also belong to this class. Scorpions live in warm countries in most parts of the world.  New Zealand has no native scorpions.  However, some scorpions recently managed to invade our borders (click here for more info).  They probably have not established here.

A scorpion's body has two parts. Its short and thick forward part, called the cephalothorax, consists of the head and thorax (chest), which are joined together. The hind part is the long abdomen. Its last six segments form a slender tail. Most scorpions are black or yellowish and from 1 to 20 centimetres long. The scorpion has six pairs of jointed appendages. The first pair consists of tiny pincers. The second pair, with large claws, is used to seize and crush prey. The last four pairs are legs. There are 6 to 12 eyes - different kinds of scorpions have different numbers. The breathing pores are on the abdomen.

Scorpions eat insects and spiders, and are most active at night (nocturnal).

All mother scorpions bear live young. The newly born young cling to the mother's body for several days.