What Does a Scorpion Use Its Sting For?
What Does a Scorpion Use Its Sting For? A scorpion is part of the arachnid family, which also includes mites, ticks, and spiders. Scorpions are about 3 inches long, with eight legs and a small pair of claws that look like crabs’ claws.
A scorpion’s stinger is at the end of its long tail. A scorpion uses its sting for defense and for capturing larger prey. A scorpion carries its poisonous sting at the tip of its upturned “tail.” This small animal is also armed with crablike pincers.
During the day the scorpion hides under rocks and logs or in dark corners. It comes out at night to hunt for crickets and other small creatures.
It seizes the prey in its strong pincers, whips its tail forward and immobilizes the victim with a quick jab of the sharp sting. Though the sting of most scorpions is painful, only a few species are really dangerous to humans.
If a person gets stung by a scorpion, the area of the sting will hurt and may get swollen or red, depending on the type of scorpion. More severe reactions from the venom (poison) involving other parts of the body also can occur.