Wind Scorpions Are Arachnids
A spider or insect’s appearance says little about whether or not the species is venomous, or dangerous in any way. Some exotic spider and insect species look bizarre yet terrifying to many types of people. Wind scorpions happen to be one of these arachnids. Simply spotting a scary looking wind scorpion in your home may convince you that this arachnid is out for your blood. Wind scorpions look similar to other types of scorpions, only they have longer legs that resemble most spiders. If a large wolf spider and a scorpion mated and reproduced, the resulting offspring would look like a wind scorpion. Like all scorpions, wind scorpions are arachnids, but they live within the dryer regions of Colorado below seven thousand feet in elevation. Fifteen known species of wind scorpion dwell within the state of Colorado, but they can also be found in desert areas of the southwest. These scorpions are active during the night when they feed on bugs. Sometimes wind scorpions are found indoors, but despite their frightening twelve inch long appearance, these arachnids are totally harmless.
Wind scorpions belong to a family of arachnids known as Solifugae. This family is only distantly related to the more popular types of true scorpions that everyone is familiar with. Wind scorpions are predatory arachnids that use touch and vibrations to locate prey. This method of hunting is essential for the wind scorpion since it hunts at night when it cannot see. As far as small insects are concerned, wind scorpions are fierce enemies to be feared, as wind scorpions can achieve an impressive speed when chasing down insects at night. The arachnid’s pedalaps contain pads that can snatch onto enemy insects. After an insect is captured, the wind scorpion wastes no time consuming the insect prey as a fluid. The wind scorpion uses its corrosive saliva to liquify its prey, which is a process known as “external digestion”.
Have you ever spotted a wind scorpion? If you have, was it in Colorado?
