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Scorpions are not insects: they're a highly successful order of the spider family, with 8 legs and often up to 4 pairs of eyes. I say successful, because not only have they been around some 500 million years (from the time of Palaeophonus, a huge 2 metre sea scorpion), but they have diversified into over 1,500 species, ranging in size from 13 to 180 mm, and come equipped with remarkable characteristics. Commonly they are found under rocks or rail road ties & debris. No fewer than 124 vertebrates and 26 invertebrates are known to prey on them, including certain monkeys, foxes, owls, shrews, lizards, spiders, crickets, beetles, ants, centipedes and other scorpions, to name but a few. Their venomous sting seems to have little effect on most such predators, though it's noteworthy that attackers often 'neutralize' them first by biting off their tail!
Feeding habits
Regarding their own feeding habits, they normally take only live prey, lying in wait in the burrow entrance or areas of open ground, or occasionally going out stalking. Some will feed by day, though the vast majority feed only at night (usually not if it's raining, or for a day or two after rain), emerging at dusk and remaining active for several hours until gorged. (As pets, incidentally, they can be overfed!). They then return to their lairs and become very quiescent, entering a sort of catatonic state in which they can even be attacked and killed by lesser creatures such as crickets. They can survive long periods between meals, from 5 days to over 6 months.
Prey
Scorpions catch and immobilize their prey with their pincers, after which they use their stinger The victim is then torn open with their jaws; injected with a digestive fluid; and sucked or chewed to destruction. Prey can include insects, spiders, snails, small vertebrates, termites, lizards, frogs, young snakes and other scorpions, depending on habitat and species.
If you get stung
If you happen to get yourself stung, remember it was a defensive action: scorpions will never purposely attack you, they don't want or need anything from us. Contact Poison Control to report it, and if you feel any kind of swelling in your throat, get medical attention immediately. For the pain you can use ice, elevate the area that was stung and try a homeopathic remedy. Left untreated, the worst is burning sensation and severe pain. It is usually over in 12 hours - 24 hours.
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