Hyderabad: Have you ever seen a bug which could be a mix of a spider and a scorpion? Well, a recent post on the official Instagram page of Washington DC’s National Park Service will introduce you to one.
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The bug which is called vinegaroon is a cross between a spider and a scorpion that shoots acetic “vinegar” from a “whip”, explained the park’s Instagram post.
“The name “whip scorpion” refers to their resemblance to true scorpions and possession of a whiplike tail, and “vinegaroon” refers to their ability when attacked to discharge an offensive, vinegar-smelling liquid, which contains acetic acid,” they added.
In the long post that the park shared, they also explained that “Vinegaroons are about 3 inches long and relatively benign unless you happen to annoy them.” These bugs which hunt millipedes, cockroaches, scorpions, crickets and other invertebrates, are most commonly seen in the desert.
The post has however received mixed responses from the netizens. Some say the sight of the bug has either spoilt their day or left them scared. “I won’t be able to sleep knowing this exists in the world!,’ a user wrote. “I also occasionally emerge from my burrow searching for food and love,” another user wrote.
However, some even seem to be pleased to know the bug exists. “I was about to say no thanks, but then you mentioned they hunt cockroaches. We’ve had a solid month of rain here… Do you guys deliver?” one used commented.
Another user asked if the bug is poisonous to which the park officials replied saying: “Considered non-poisonous but they can pinch if provoked! They are also capable of spraying a mist from scent glands at the base of the tail when disturbed.”
So what are your thoughts on this unusual bug?