Striped Bark Scorpion
Centruroides vittatus
The striped bark scorpion lives in grasslands, scrub, woodlands, and human structures across the central United States and northern Mexico, sheltering under bark, rocks, leaf litter, and boards by day. It is mostly nocturnal, using sensitive hairs and comb-like pectines to detect insects and other small arthropods before gripping them with its pincers and stinging when needed. Its venom is painful to humans but is primarily used to subdue prey and deter predators. Like many scorpions, it glows blue-green under ultraviolet light due to compounds in its outer cuticle.
- Type
- Venom / Stealth
- Conservation status
- NE