Look-Alikes
Posted by EVELYN CARR on March 11, 2006
Q: I FOUND A BUG THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE A BABY SCROPIN IT HAD A LONG TAIL WITH A STINGER AND FROUNT LEGS WITH PINCHERS
Habitat: suburban/yard
State: North Carolina
Habitat: suburban/yard
A: If what you found is as you describe, it certainly does sound as though you've found a scorpion. Baby scorpions look exactly like the adults. There is a kind of scorpion - the Striped Centruroides - that lives in the southeastern U.S.so this is probably what you've seen. Keep in mind that these guys are not aggressive so they won't "try" to hurt you. Scorpions eat lots of insects so are actually a good animal to have around the area. Scorpions are not bugs, but are a special kind of animal that are more closely related to spiders. Thanks for writing to us.
John Wiessinger ( March 12, 2006)