"ON POINT"

Scorpions are nocturnal or diurnal, predatory animals that feed on a variety of insects, spiders, centipedes, and other scorpions. The larger scorpions occasionally feed on vertebrates, such as small lizards, snakes, and mice. Prey is detected primarily by sensing vibrations with the pectine organs. The pedipalps have an array of fine sensory hairs that sense air-borne vibrations; the tips of the legs have small organs that detect vibrations in the ground. Most scorpions are ambush predators who detect prey when it comes within reach.

"SELF DEFENCE"

The surfaces of the legs, pedipalps, and body are also covered with thicker hairs (setae) that are sensitive to direct touch. Although they are equipped with venom for defense and prey acquisition, scorpions themselves fall prey to many types of creatures, such as centipedes, tarantulas, insectivorous lizards, snakes, birds (especially owls), and mammals (including shrews, grasshopper mice, and bats).

"TERRITORY"

As with many predators, scorpions tend to forage in distinct and separate territories, returning to the same area each night. They may enter homes and buildings when their territory has been disrupted by construction, tree removal or floods, etc.

"DESERT LIVING"

Scorpions have many adaptations for desert living. They have extra layers of lipids (fats) on their exoskeleton (external skeleton) that minimizes water loss. Most are active at night, and spend their days where it is cool and moist under rocks, wood, tree bark or in burrows. Although scorpions have been seen drinking directly from water reservoirs, they derive most of their water from their food (although this varies by species).