Do scorpions glow in the dark?

[Tunedbeat]

I don't have any in my collection, but i am very interested. Would like to see some pics, please!!

 

[JungleGuts]

some react to black lights

 

[Thaedion]

some react to black lights

As JungleGuts noted some do some don't but the phenomenon is called fluoresce, most all scorpions fluoresce under certain wave length UV. If you do a search for fluoresce or UV you will come across alot of info and discussion about this topic, enjoy.

Thaedion

<EDIT> check out these threads -
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=40113
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=61472

Here is a video I put up on You Tube showing my Pandinus imperators under a UV, the blue is accentuated by the digital camera, they are more of a greenish 'glow'.

[YOUTUBE]bd66wn0dyuY[/YOUTUBE]​

 

[EAD063]

H petersii

 

[Tunedbeat]

I am now even more interested in scorpions, got to get me one for sure.

 

[skinheaddave]

As JungleGuts noted some do some don't

(Un)fortunately, the little bit of excitement a while back with the non-fluorescing scorpions seems to have been a mistake. They do fluoresce, though not as strongly as others -- possibly, though not at all certainly -- as a result of their relatively soft exoskeletons and thus supposed lessened scleritization.

Meaning that, as of now, there is no scorpion known not to fluoresce.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Thaedion]

(Un)fortunately, the little bit of excitement a while back with the non-fluorescing scorpions seems to have been a mistake. They do fluoresce, though not as strongly as others -- possibly, though not at all certainly -- as a result of their relatively soft exoskeletons and thus supposed lessened scleritization.

Meaning that, as of now, there is no scorpion known not to fluoresce.

Cheers,
Dave

I remembered reading with interest that thread, now I'll need to go back over it and re-look at it. Thanks for the readjusted thinking Dave.

I am now even more interested in scorpions, got to get me one for sure.

A good procedure to go by is: to decide what scorpion you want, research it and its habitat, set up a tank to match... wait a week till the tank stabilizes (you may need to change something and it's better to do it with out a scorpion in there)... Then purchase your scorpion. And enjoy, purchase and enjoy, purchase, purchase, enjoy and um purchase some more, it's very addicting.

 

[EAD063]

A poor UV light was also suspect in that also I believe.

 

[Tunedbeat]

...

I
A good procedure to go by is: to decide what scorpion you want, research it and its habitat, set up a tank to match... wait a week till the tank stabilizes (you may need to change something and it's better to do it with out a scorpion in there)... Then purchase your scorpion. And enjoy, purchase and enjoy, purchase, purchase, enjoy and um purchase some more, it's very addicting.

Yes, i am doin that as we speak. I know it will be addictin, once i get one.

 

[Thaedion]

A poor UV light was also suspect in that also I believe.

Yep, I just went back through the post HERE My problem was that I stopped reading the post when it started to be evident that the intent of Vixvy was to "Charge" up the scorpion to glow in the dark like a toy, that is where I lost interest, and it was right after that that Alex and Ythier posted their results.

 

[Mr. Mordax]

I've got a few decent fluorescence pictures on this page. I think my favorites are these two:

That one was in daylight with a black light next to the tank.

As Thaedion mentioned, cameras are too sensitive to blue. They're a lot more blue-green to the naked eye.

 

[Mark Newton]

IHeartMantids...How did you manage that first shot, has it been digitally enhanced? The surrounds appear to be illuminated with white light and yet the scorpions appear illuminated by uv light.

 

[Thaedion]

IHeartMantids...How did you manage that first shot, has it been digitally enhanced? The surrounds appear to be illuminated with white light and yet the scorpions appear illuminated by uv light.

I liked that shot too. I assumed that as stated "That one was in daylight with a black light next to the tank" that the camera picked up faint blue and the daylight disfused the BL enough to not wash all over the surroundings. Leaving just the scorps fluoresceing only. My thoughts.

 

[edesign]

I am now even more interested in scorpions, got to get me one for sure.

just be aware that excessive exposure to the UV from black lights will cause them to lose their "glowing" ability and iirc, can cause blindness (total blindness as opposed to the near blindness they already have). After a molt it will take a short while, but they will regain this characteristic until over-exposed once again....and scorpions only molt a certain number of times til they hit maturity. If you over-expose them after that final molt they will lose that characteristic forever.

One nice thing about it is that it makes them easy to locate if they escape...I used my black light to locate a sub-adult Babycurus jacksoni that escaped one day while I was at work. Freshly molted (a few days prior) but had luckily "reacquired" the ability to glow...found it under a pile of dirty clothes on the floor next to my ex-gf's side of the bed Just an example of why you might not want to over-expose them...you might need it one day to track down an escapee lol

 

[Mr. Mordax]

To Mark and Thaedion, that picture hasn't been touched up. I had just gotten them and was taking pictures with a blacklight. My door was open to outside, letting in lots of natural light, and a blacklight was up against the tank. The blacklight was enough to make them glow visibly, and the daylight was enough to illuminate the surroundings. The net result was really cool.

To edesign, I'm aware of the visual problems and glow-reduction -- I usually only do the blacklights for photography and showing scorpion-newbies. Thanks for mentioning, though.

 

[Mark Newton]

To Mark and Thaedion, that picture hasn't been touched up. I had just gotten them and was taking pictures with a blacklight. My door was open to outside, letting in lots of natural light, and a blacklight was up against the tank. The blacklight was enough to make them glow visibly, and the daylight was enough to illuminate the surroundings. The net result was really cool.

Excellent...Too bad UV illumination always gives blue rather than the correct green. Great shot...very nice, never seen a shot like that one before. Well done! I might have to give that a go...

 

[edesign]

To edesign, I'm aware of the visual problems and glow-reduction -- I usually only do the blacklights for photography and showing scorpion-newbies. Thanks for mentioning, though.

you're welcome...i was mentioning it for the sake of the OP tho :}