Posted on 07/25/2021 7:54:23 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The frightening creatures go by various names. Some call them whip-scorpions, while one journalist at the Houston Chronicle called the insect a "land lobster from hell."
The insects are better known as vinegaroons, and despite their hellish appearances, the nocturnal, visually impaired creatures pose relatively little harm to humans. In fact, they are good at killing pests like cockroaches and millipedes.
Brought out of their burrows by heavy rains in and around Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas, the approximately three-inch-long vinegaroons are out exploring the desert in search of food and love, according to a Facebook post from the park.
Vinegaroons pose dual threats to those who happen to annoy them. They can use their heavy pincers to pinch and shoot a "well-aimed" concoction of 85% acetic acid (which smells like vinegar) from the base of their whip-like tails.
The spray is not considered to be venomous for people, and vinegaroons aren't all that interested in humans. To catch their prey, vinegaroons use their long, thin front legs to sense vibrations from animals including millipedes, scorpions, crickets and cockroaches.
Vinegaroons can be found across the southern United States and Mexico. Those brave enough to look closely at a vinegaroon might see a female vinegaroon carrying her hatchlings on her back.
When I learn of things like this, I wonder, was G-d hitting the Honey Mead a little hard that day to create THIS? ;)
I had an acid shooting land lobster once.
“...exploring the desert in search of food and love...”
Awwww, how nice.
Me too. Luckily, the second wife is a whole lot nicer.
We used to see those things quite often in Southern New Mexico when we lived there.
The Potato Bug. As a kid these things scared the hell out of me. It is also called the child’s face, skunk bug, skull insect, old bald-headed man, devil’s spawn and earth baby.
Regards,
I think they are just accidental by-products or artifacts of creation. Kinda like unintended consequences. And they do at least eat other nasties.
I think it needs to be SMOTHERED in CHOCOLATE! :)
*SHUDDER* Man, I HATE big bugs. Yuck!
My first introduction to these creatures happened as I was soaking buck naked in an enclosed hot mineral spring in Truth or Consequences N.M.
It was dark inside there, and I saw what looked like a scorpion on the wall where I had been resting my head.
I jumped out and dressed while soaking wet and got the owner to come in and remove it. Ewwww.
Whip scorpions are cool. The scary ones are the sun spiders/camel spiders. They’re not venomous, they can’t really hurt you, but they move faster than a democrat chasing a $20 bill through a trailer park.
Ha. I just watched that movie last night.
A little full strength Kilimanjaro would go nicely.
Around here, they’re called Jerusalem crickets. Creepy little bastiges.
Just finally got healed up from a bite from a camel spider.
At least we think it was one. They can run at around 15 MPH. At least that is what they told me.
The bite site itched and peeled and itched and still is itching and I got bit way last march.
Excellent. The 80’s. Those were some fun times. Seems like ancient history.
My wife has NASCAR the size of a quarter on her leg from being bitten by a brown recluse spider.
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