Lux recommended that I do a post on fluorescing scorpions. Being the dutiful blogger that I am, I scoured Flickr in search of some choice images. And I dug up some gems (with the gracious permission of the masterful photographer, Matt).
Check out these beauties. The upper scorpion is known as -- wait for it -- the Egyptian Death Stalker (leiurus quinquestriatus). It's got the most potent venom of any scorpion around. The second photo is of a pair of Arizon bark scorpions (centruroides sculpturatus). Enjoy -- and be grateful that we don't walk around in a world illuminated by only blacklights.
This last shot proves that even surly scorpions need a little bit of cuddlin'.
Photo source: Matt Reinbold
Wowza! Those are some great pictures.
ReplyDeleteThey're almost too pretty (for Ugly Overload)!
Thanks, Wombat!
I recently found out that they glow under black light (that is, Ultraviolet light) because their exoskeletons produce a special thingy to reflect the sun's UV light. Obvious enough, but I remember thinking to myself, "Hey! That's neat!" And I imagine maybe others here will, too.
ReplyDeleteThis is a favorite way to find them in the wild. It really is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting them Wombat, and suggesting them Lux, and photographing them Matt!