With their strong front pincers and curved stingers, scorpions even look scary. These fearsome features are just two of the tools scorpions use to survive. Scorpions have been around for millions of years and they live in some of the harshest places on earth. Scorpions live in hot deserts, rain forests and even some mountains.
Scorpions usually eat insects, but larger scorpions won’t say no to a dinner of lizard. The largest scorpions can be 8 inches long, but most are only about 2 ½ inches. All scorpions have venom, but out of 2,000 species, only about 30 have venom strong enough to kill a person. None of these species live in the U.S.
Fun Facts About Scorpions for Kids
- Scorpions can slow down their metabolism when food is scarce. They can survive on only one meal each year.
- Scorpions glow under an ultraviolet light. This ability to glow in the dark probably attracts insects.
- Scorpions are so tough that they can be put in a freezer overnight and spring back to life.
- Scorpions are good parents. The mother incubates the eggs inside her abdomen. When a baby hatches, it climbs on her back.
Scorpion Vocabulary
- Fearsome: frightening, scary
- Pincers: strong claw-like structures
- Harsh: tough, unkind
- Venom: poison
- Metabolism: rate of using energy, food and oxygen
Learn More All About Scorpions
Watch this exciting video of two scorpions battling each other:
A video about scorpions fighting to eat each other.
Scorpion Q&A
Question: How can I avoid getting stung by a scorpion?
Answer: Scorpions are rare in the U.S., except in the southwest. Here, you should always wear shoes and shake out your shoes in the morning before you put them on. Watch your step and don’t put your hands in holes or under rocks as you’re out walking.
Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about Scorpions info? Take the FREE & fun all about Scorpions quiz and download FREE Scorpions worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.
