Fascinating Facts About Scorpions

¹Ancient Survivors
Scorpions have thrived for over 430 million years, making them one of Earth’s earliest land animals.

Fluorescent Glow
Under UV light or even moonlight, scorpions emit a blue-green glow. This glow comes from compounds like β-carboline and 4‑methyl‑7‑hydroxycoumarin in their cuticle, possibly offering UV protection or helping them sense light levels

Breathe Through Book Lungs
Scorpions use specialized respiratory organs called book lungs—stacked lamellae allowing gas exchange—similar to pages in a book

Venom Diversity
While all scorpions are venomous, only about 25 out of 2,500 species have venom potent enough to be fatal to humans (mostly Buthidae family)

Live-Bearing Mothers
Instead of laying eggs, scorpions give birth to live young, which ride on their mother’s back until their first molt

Built to Survive
These creatures can endure extreme environments—deserts, forests, caves—and even survive without food for up to a year

Sensory Masters
Scorpions detect prey and navigate the dark using sensory hairs and pectines, which sense vibrations and chemicals. Their limited vision is compensated by acute touch and vibration detection