Scorpion and Offspring

Location: Terrarium, our living room.

Equipment:  Canon EOS D30, 100 mm macro lens. Shot at f8, at about 1.5 seconds set on ISO 100. Illuminated with a black light.

Digital imaging/manipulation: Slight exposure adjustment. The feet look suspended but that is an optical illusion. The red surface is aquarium gravel.

Notes: Centruroides sculpturatus or "bark scorpion" is native to Arizona and parts of Mexico. Its sting is rarely life threatening but a few deaths have been reported in the past. In any event, it is not a pleasant experience. The exoskeleton glows under a black light and that is how we caught this one in Tucson. Note the offspring on the mother's back don't glow until after their first molt. Scorpions will maintain their position for extended periods waiting for prey (crickets, etc.) to come within reach. Thus long exposures are possible.