General Characteristics of a Scorpion

Life Span:
The actual lifespan of most scorpion species is not known and some may live up to 25 years. The average life of a scorpion however, is only 3 to 5 years.

Maturity:
The maturity of a scorpion is typically measured by the number of moults it goes through. Normally, a scorpion will require 5 to 7 moults to be considered an adult and this process can take anywhere from 2 to 6 years.

Moulting:
Like its cousin the tarantula, scorpions go through a moulting process in which they shed and produce a new exoskeleton (outer skeleton that supports and protects the scorpions body). The scorpion must continually move and stretch while the new exoskeleton hardens to that it will be able to move when the hardening is complete. During this time of moulting, the exoskeleton is soft and the scorpion is very vulnerable to injury.

Social Behaviour:
Some types of scorpions will exhibit social behaviours beyond an immediate mother and young relationship and will be involved in colonies and extended family groups. These familial groupings may share burrows and food.

Habits:
Scorpions are nocturnal and hide during the day. They will find a spot under rocks and logs, or inside cracks. Some will burrow themselves into a cool underground retreat. Although normally thought of as living in the desert, scorpions have a large range of habitats, including grasslands, savannahs, deciduous forests, highland pine forests, rain forests and caves. There have been some scorpions found in the Himalayas under snow covered rocks.

Predators and Prey:
Lying in wait and ambushing their prey, scorpions feed on all kinds of centipedes, spiders, and even other scorpions. Larger scorpions may feed on small lizards, snakes and mice. Despite their excellent predatory skills, scorpions find themselves becoming prey to tarantulas, lizards, owls, shrews snakes, and bats.

Glow in the Dark Features:
Due to fluorescent chemicals in the cuticle, scorpions glow when exposed to ultraviolet light (black light).