# Can scorpions see UV Light?



## Menthu_Rae (Oct 12, 2004)

Hey,

I have a blacklight (UV Cathode) and I was reading in another thread that if I want to see scorpions active at night I should use that (due to their flourescence)...

What I'm wondering is - does having the UV light on have any effect on the scorpion at all? Like, if I leave it on, will it bother it at all? She has lots of places to hide, but yeah, I'm just wondering if its ok to have on at night? I dont want to bother my poor little girl!


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## TresScorps (Oct 12, 2004)

*blacklight*

Some say its bad , Some say its not , I wouldnt keep the blacklight on all night , maybe 15-20 mins at a time  a few times a week at most ..


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## azztigma (Oct 12, 2004)

I've read that it has no effect on them...but it is bad for you! So don't keep it on too long...(I think thats only if your starring at it but still, it is bad for you)


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## TresScorps (Oct 12, 2004)

I Hurd that it was bad on there skeleton in the long run ..


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## Menthu_Rae (Oct 12, 2004)

alrighty, thanks for the responses guys. i dont really like using it anyway - it lights up all the posters and things around my room and looks damn freaky, haha. I guess i'll keep it off, except to see her flouresce every now and then (damn it looks cool, hehe)

What do you guys think of the enclosure though? once i get a heatmat (to raise the humidity) it should suit very well, right? (btw its an australian rainforest scorpion - Liocheles waigiensis)


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## TresScorps (Oct 12, 2004)

Your tank looks nice & cozy , are you just keeping one scorpion in there ? If so how big is your setup? might be a lil big for one scorp , a lil harder to get food , but iam sure he wont starve , looks great ..


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## ChupaChup (Oct 12, 2004)

I've heard that if you keep the black lights on for too long , that the scorpion becomes somewhat less flourescent.  

UV from the sun is bad for you , but from a blacklight......I doubt that...... :? 

While we are talking about the blacklights , does anybody know how they take the really cool blacklight pictures ?  I can't seem to get them really frourescent on the pictures , not on my digital camera or on my normal camera , even nightshot doesn't seem to work   

Greez Ronald


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## fusion121 (Oct 12, 2004)

ChupaChup said:
			
		

> I've heard that if you keep the black lights on for too long , that the scorpion becomes somewhat less flourescent.
> 
> UV from the sun is bad for you , but from a blacklight......I doubt that...... :?
> 
> ...


UV light is bad for whatever its source, some wavelengths with a lower energy (>320nm/UVA) won't do you much harm, however above that in the 320nm- 100nm range (UVB/UVC) are very bad for you, high intensity sources will burn your retinas to a crisp which, probably, is not particularly pleasant. To take pictures of scorpion fluorescence, first convince the scorpion to stay still, then increase the exposure time on your camera to several seconds in order to take the picture.


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## Kugellager (Oct 12, 2004)

Short term use of a blacklight to view your scorpions should not be a problem. Long term use of a blacklight is reported to cause the ability of the scorpion to fluoresce to decrease and fade over time.  It has also been reported that constant blacklight use can fog the exoskeleton over the scorpions eyes. 

Most scorpions do not react to the blacklight but I have observed, on some occasions, scorpions do in fact react to the blacklight.  My theory is that they are actually reacting to the light produced by the flourescence of their exoskeleton over their eyes and not the UV itself.  I have noticed this most often on lighter colored scorpions...particularly M.martensii. 

As fusion points out, UV light which the blacklight produces, can be harmful whatever the wavelength and you should not expose yourself or your scorpions to it for long periods of time. The UV from a standard blacklight is of lower energy than some wavelengths but you still should not expose skin or eyes to it for long periods.

Some digital cameras will let you photograpg your scorpion under blacklight without resorting to long-exposure photography.  Make sure your flash is turned off though.  All of my blacklight photographs taken so far have just been point and shoot.

John
];')


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## TresScorps (Oct 12, 2004)

*blacklight pic*

I only use the blacklight if i wanna snap a few shots , heres one of my hadrurus az.


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## Avaryc (Oct 12, 2004)

Set my camera (Canon digital rebel) for wide open aperture and 1600 ISO. Takes them just fine.


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## pandinus (Oct 12, 2004)

Kugellager said:
			
		

> Short term use of a blacklight to view your scorpions should not be a problem. Long term use of a blacklight is reported to cause the ability of the scorpion to fluoresce to decrease and fade over time.  It has also been reported that constant blacklight use can fog the exoskeleton over the scorpions eyes.
> 
> Most scorpions do not react to the blacklight but I have observed, on some occasions, scorpions do in fact react to the blacklight.  My theory is that they are actually reacting to the light produced by the flourescence of their exoskeleton over their eyes and not the UV itself.  I have noticed this most often on lighter colored scorpions...particularly M.martensii.
> 
> ...


i too have noticed some reaction to UV light with my C vittatus. if i shine it on them, they move to a darker spot.


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## Kugellager (Oct 13, 2004)

*Feeding Frenzy!*

V.spinigerus feeding frenzy.   

John
];')


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## Malhavoc's (Oct 13, 2004)

If the scopriosn exoskeleton over the eys begisn to fog any one look into the possibility that they scorpion is or is becoming blind in those eyes?


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## pandinus (Oct 13, 2004)

that is the reason the fogging is a bad thing. it blinds them.


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## edesign (Oct 14, 2004)

Kugellager...that is a great picture! Small, but they make up for it numbers. Hmmm...might have to consider some of them in the future for sure  btw, what time did you take that picture to have them all out and about?


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## Kugellager (Oct 15, 2004)

edesign said:
			
		

> btw, what time did you take that picture to have them all out and about?


About 30 seconds after dumping in a load of pinhead crickets.  LOL! 

There is actually about twice as many in there that you can see but half are hidden in the mother's burrow.  

John
];')


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