What is That?!?!

What is That?!?!

A Fearsome and Newly Famous Pest

This bizarre looking creature has recently been highlighted across the internet from common news sources to various TikTok videos. The leading question behind it being… what are these things? A bout of summer rain has led to the emergence of these creatures in some areas of Texas. In mid-July Texas’ Big Bend National Park shared photos of one that was found near the Chisos Basin campground to their social media platforms, resulting in both shock and confusion for many of their followers. As the news of their existence spread, theories sprung up regarding what this creepy crawly could be. Some suggested that it could be a kind of land-dwelling lobster while others assumed that it was a giant insect or scorpion. But, while these are great guesses, it’s actually none of the above…

So… What is It?

While it closely resembles scorpions, these creatures are actually part of another group of arachnids entirely called vinegaroons. This unique type of arachnid is known for its ability to shoot acid from its rear. There are approximately 120 species of vinegaroons across the globe, most of which inhabit tropical areas, particularly Southeast Asia. But North America is known to be host to at least seven different vinegaroon species. Most notably the Mastigoproctus giganteus (also known as the Giant North American Vinegaroon is known for living in Texas, as well as Arizona and Florida, and is most likely the species of vinegaroon that has been making headlines.

Wait…. They Shoot ACID?!?!

Vinegaroons have earned the nickname “whip scorpions” due to their resemblance to scorpions and their whip-like rear appendages called flagella. It is from this “tail” that they are able to spray acid as a defense mechanism. According to Texas A&M AgriLife the acid from these arachnids is made up of 85% concentrated acetic acid – a common component of vinegar. In addition to shooting acid, they are also armed with a set of formidable pincher-like jaws that are capable of easily crushing prey and harming potential predators. Thankfully, while they may look threatening, especially as they average about 3 inches in length, they are reportedly very docile creatures that rarely attack humans. Big Bend National Park even commented that the vinegaroons are “relatively benign unless you happen to annoy them.” 

A Few Vinegaroon Fun Facts

Like all arachnids, vinegaroons have a total of 8 legs, however, they only use 6 of them to walk, while the frontmost set is primarily used for navigation. This is due to the fact that they are nocturnal creatures and have relatively poor eyesight, making it necessary for them to have other means to access their environment. In addition to their uses for navigation, the front set of legs are used to sense vibrations for hunting their prey including millipedes, crickets, cockroaches, scorpions, and other invertebrates.

No Vinegaroon Zone

Luckily for us, these creepy creatures are not found in Illinois, but there are a host of other pests that plague our homes. If you have pest problems in your home, call us at Pointe Pest Control. We have years of experience, training, and in-depth knowledge about pests and how to treat them safely so that you and your family can rest easy.

Citations

  The Giant North AMERICAN Vinegaroon? It’s actually seven different SPECIES: AMNH (no date) American Museum of Natural History. Available at: https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/research-posts/the-giant-north-american-vinegaroon-it-s-actually-seven-different-species (Accessed: September 3, 2021). Lewis, S. (2021) Acid-spraying, scorpion-like insects spotted in Texas, CBS News. Available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vinegaroon-texas-whip-scorpion-acid-shooting-land-lobster/ (Accessed: September 3, 2021). Miranda, G. (2021) Summer rains in this national Park draw OUT acid-spraying, scorpion-like creatures, USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network. Available at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/07/22/summer-rain-brings-out-acid-spraying-scorpion-like-insect-texas/8053060002/ (Accessed: September 3, 2021). Sulleyman, A. (2021) Acid-spraying, scorpion-like vinegaroons looking for love emerge in Texas, Newsweek. Available at: https://www.newsweek.com/acid-spraying-scorpion-like-vinegaroons-looking-love-emerge-texas-1611388 (Accessed: September 3, 2021).