The Hadrurus Spadix is a very interesting scorpion.  It is also known as a Black Hairy Scorpion. Black Hairy Scorpions are found in the southern and western parts of the United States, including New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and southern California but is also found farther north into Oregon and Idaho.  This essay is to teach you about my scorpion.

               

The Hadrurus Spadix can be about 8 to 15 centimeters.  Its head and back is black, but its tail is yellow.  It’s also very hairy.  I would not recommend keeping a Black Hairy Scorpion as a pet.  This scorpion is quite nervous and can be aggressive towards its keeper. It should not be kept with other scorpions because they will fight, and cannibalism is common. The toxicity of its venom is usually not very strong, though its sting can be quite painful.  They can live for 20 years or more in captivity and grow to up to six inches. They also reproduce sexually.  Females will usually give birth to approximately 12 scorplings.  That is the general description of a Black Hairy Scorpion.

               

The Hadrurus Spadix has a lot more interesting facts.  They like hot, dry environments.  They are extremely sensitive to water and humidity.   It is a burrowing scorpion which spends a lot of time digging in the sand and making its burrow bigger.  There are many scorpions but the conservation is unknown.   One of the most common reasons for the death in scorpions is the moult. The scorpion has a tough outer covering that forms a rigid exoskeleton.  All scorpions must shed their old exoskeleton and develop a new one in order to grow, this is called the moult.  Scorpions will moult from 6 to 10 times during their lifetime.   Moulting takes a lot of energy and they are very vulnerable for a couple of days after the moult until their new skin hardens.

               

The Black Hairy Scorpion eats crickets and cockroaches.  It can also eat other things that are its own same size.  They are on the bottom of the desert food chain.  Their predators are snakes and lizards.  Rodents also eat scorpions but, scorpions can also eat rodents.  The Desert Hairy Scorpion has adapted to getting its water from the animals it feeds on.

               

The Hadrurus Spadix is very interesting, and also shares many similarities of other scorpions.  I was surprised to find that a scorpion could be kept as a pet.  I like Black Hairy Scorpions.

 

Author: Audrina A.

Published: 02/2013

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BugGuide http://bugguide.net/node/view154657/tree

Central Florida Zoo http://www.centeralfloidazoo.org/gianthairydesertscorpion

Caresheet.com

Book:  Hephaestus Books