Hardrurus arizonensis in action

Venom shot right to the neck of this cricket! Sorry for the quality but its still pretty sweet!

Cool! I've noticed that some of my scorps sting the cricket's head. I didn't know if that was by chance or on purpose. I've seen it a so much that I think they must be doing it on purpose.

Very cool "headshot"!

Instant death for venom that gets injected directly to the brain

robert44 wrote:

Cool! I've noticed that some of my scorps sting the cricket's head. I didn't know if that was by chance or on purpose. I've seen it a so much that I think they must be doing it on purpose.

Mine tends to hit the head a lot im not sure why either maybe they do know it is instant death? haha

GS wrote:

Very cool "headshot"!

Instant death for venom that gets injected directly to the brain

This was very true I found out because that cricket stopped moving immediately haha it was very cool too watch considering he left the stinger in for about 2 minutes straight!

I have a large Androctonus bicolor that always seems to sting crickets in the head. He grabs the cricket and then uses one slow (seemingly) well aimed sting the the head.

My H. arizonensis does this everytime he feeds it is definitely cool to watch my emps never sting it is sad

In my experience it seems like scorps are either stingers or not. I don't have a scorp that stings sometimes. I would bet that some do though if they are struggling with prey.

I would love to know how scorps know where the prey's head is? It seems like my large Androctonus bicolor waits until he has the prey positioned just perfect and then he stings. I just fed him today and he started to eat the cricket first and then stung it - in the head as always.

I don't think all my scorps only sting in the head but it does seem to me that some do.

My emps will not sting a thing not even my fingers when I stick them in their reach all they do is pinch haha. I would also love to know the same thing! I will have to keep observing how my H. arizonensis feeds and stings and maybe come to a conclusion. My H. arizonensis will also position the cricket at times to get a good shot at the neck right below the head its very cool but im very curious as you are!

Let us know how it goes and I'll start doing the same.

Will do! Get ready for the carnage!

Nice pic CactusHugger.



Slightly off topic but about stinging the head. . .it's pretty typical of predatory arachnids.

This is actually an aspect of predatory behavior that's studied at Cornell's entomology department.

Scorpions tend to sting the head or just behind it. Spiders typically attack the head or thorax, feeling where to strike with their pedipalps. It's even more prominent in Amblypygids. They use their antenniforms to feel exactly where the prey items head is and then attack just behind it.

The reason for this is to immobilize and kill the prey with the least amount of resistance from the prey item. There's no point in a long, drawn out struggle that increases the risk of injury.

Try this, give your Scorp, T, or whatever else you have a fairly small prey item.
Notice how and where the prey item is attacked.
Now next time, give it a large prey item.
Notice how and where the prey item is attacked.

90% of the time, the scorp/T/other arachnid will be more precise about where it's attacking for the larger prey item, as the risk of injury increase with the size of the prey item.

Wow what a great bit of information! I never knew that and it is very interesting. This is why I started this hobby because these creatures are fascinating and there is always something new to learn about them.

No problem man, it's what this forum's for!

Yes, really great info! I will watch for what you said with different prey sizes.

I have also noticed that scorps (which sting prey) sting slowly and accurately. When they are delivering a defensive sting it is very fast.

Definitely going to look at the different prey sizes as well very interesting stuff!