Distressing appearance, large claws raisedup the poisonous tail - and all this is a scorpion. An amazing insect that is known to the world for more than 400 million years. The image of the scorpion is inscribed on the Egyptian pyramids, many myths were written about it, he was worshiped as a deity, he was cursed and feared.
Lifestyle
Scorpio - an insect, a description of which canto interest any person. The length of his body is 10-20 cm. He has two large claws and a poisonous gland located at the end of the tail. It grows slowly, carries eggs, gives birth to cubs, easily tolerates heat. Can live in adverse conditions, but at low temperatures dies. However, scorpions living in the highlands, with the onset of cold weather, hibernate before the onset of heat.
Scorpio is an insect of nightlife.To see him in the afternoon is almost impossible, since he prefers to go out hunting only at night. Under the cover of darkness, he catches his prey with large claws. If she tries to escape, she paralyzes her with her poison.
Scorpio sees bad, but has excellenttouch. Thanks to the villi on the paws, he hears a fly that sits on the ground at a distance of 10 centimeters or more. With the help of these villi, the hunter accurately determines the distance to the victim, makes a sharp throw, and the extraction turns out to be in his claws.
In the afternoon, insects - scorpions - hide understones, bark of trees, in the mink of small animals. If nothing suitable is found, they dig into the sand. Even in places with dry and hot climates find a wet refuge.
Food
Scorpios never eat dead food, onlyalive. In food they do not go through, they can eat a spider, a centipede, various larvae, small lizards. If nothing is eatable, they can tolerate hunger for a week or two. In general, scorpions can manage without food for more than a month - this ability is possessed by very few insects.
Scorpions on the hunt are not very active.Usually their prey is a cockroach or a moccasin, which accidentally stumbled upon a hunter. Scorpio, with a sharp movement, grabs the victim of the claw and tears her to pieces. And after that starts to suck the contents.
This process takes quite a long time. Such food allows the hunter to do without food for a long time. A liquid, sucked from the prey, compensates for the lack of water.
Cannibalism among these insects is not uncommon.With a long absence of food, they attack each other. Females very often eat their suitors after the mating process. And thanks to such actions, the female has enough strength to bear eggs and give birth to strong offspring.
The poison that insects possesses
Scorpions are poisonous and not poisonous.The bite of the first of them, for example, kills a dog for a few minutes. And a person dies in a few hours, if he does not get an antidote. Scorpion venom paralyzes the work of the nervous and cardiac systems, as well as the pectoral muscles.
Non-poisonous insects are dangerous for invertebrates,which are chosen for food. A man will feel only a weak bite, like an aspen or a bee. But for small children, an elderly person or having poor health, the bite of a scorpion is fatal.
Described insects (scorpions) never attack first, especially people. In danger, they try to hide or run away. They attack only for the purpose of protection.
Offspring
The future offspring of the female bore for a long time.The process can last up to a year. The number of pups varies from 20 to 100, it all depends on the species. Scorpions are mostly viviparous. But some species lay eggs (egg-living), or the embryo develops in the egg shell.
If the offspring are numerous, the birth occurs intwo calls, and with an interval of 24 hours, new insects appear. Scorpios give birth only at night, in a secluded and inaccessible place for predators. The posterity appears with a soft, colorless shell and is very weak.
Therefore, for the first time the kids are on their backsmom, in complete safety. But it does not last long, just a few days. Then the cubs moult, are covered with a hard shell and ready for independent life.
Arachnids are not very good mothers. But not scorpion-females, in which the instinct of motherhood is developed strongly. They protect their progeny gently and zealously protect.
Scorpio - who is he
Many people ask themselves:Is a scorpion an insect or an animal? Despite the small size, hard shell, many legs it does not apply to insects. He is regarded as arachnids. However, it so happened that the scorpion is called an insect.
And, of course, scorpions have enemies. Whatever they are not invulnerable, they like to feast on monkeys. They gently tear off the tail with a sting, and delicious delicacy is ready!
But most of all scorpions are destroyed by man,treating them with prejudice and killing, whenever possible. But, like all life on earth, the scorpion fulfills its useful mission. Reducing their numbers leads to a massive multiplication of harmful insects, which they feed on.
