Q: Now this is a bug! What the hell is it? Eerily beautiful and frightful at the same time.
A: What you have is a whip scorpion. The only whip scorpion found in the United States is the giant whip scorpion, Mastigoproctus giganteus. The giant whip scorpion is also commonly known as the vinegaroon. To encounter a giant whip scorpion for the first time can be an alarming experience so I understand your fright. What seems like a monster at first glance is really a harmless creature.
Whip scorpions are found in the southeastern oak zone of Arizona east across the southern U.S. to Florida. They have a substantial but flat body 2-3 inches in length, with large spined, arm-like pedipalps in front. They are arachnids but have no venom. Whip scorpions are predators, active at night. The whip-like tail is used in defense and individuals can squirt acetic acid (vinegar) produced from a gland in the rear, hence their nickname: vinegaroon.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to plwarren@cals.arizona.edu
