Sting itself to death?

Bearo

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Hi..
in a swedish forum we are talking about if scorpions really kill themself..

I have heard that if you put a scorpion in a ring of fire it will sting itself in the neck because it knows that it will never come out of it alive...

is this true?
thanks
 

errit

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I also heard a guy in mexico say this, but i really think that it is a myth. The only animal that commits suicide on this planet is homo sapiens
 

Fince

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Bearo said:
Hi..
in a swedish forum we are talking about if scorpions really kill themself..

I have heard that if you put a scorpion in a ring of fire it will sting itself in the neck because it knows that it will never come out of it alive...

is this true?
thanks
It's a legend but not true :)
 

Ythier

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with the heat some cuticle parts shrink, as tergites, and you can think the scorpion is stinging itself.
 

RaZeDaHeLL666

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The scorpion probobly goes nuts and starts running around, making it seem as if it was stinging itself. That is a really stupid thing to say because its like saying.......if you put a human in a ring of fire, he will punch himself to death. LOL
 

Wade

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Ythier said:
with the heat some cuticle parts shrink, as tergites, and you can think the scorpion is stinging itself.

Yes, the contortions the dying scorpion goes through makes it look like it's stinging itelf, but it's not deliberate.

You can actually see it happen in the film "The Wild Bunch" from director Sam Peckinpah (OK, that spelling off for sure). During the opening credits there's a sequence of children doing this to some live scorpions. Rough to watch if you like scorpions!

Wade
 

Longbord1

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i also read that putting alchohol on a scorpion will make it sting itself.

this was in an isreali new paper
 

NoS

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errit said:
The only animal that commits suicide on this planet is homo sapiens
Are you sure about that?
I am not disputing you, but I am almost positive that I have heard of other animals that can and will kill themselves. Maybe not for the same reasons that a human would kill themselves but you know.
 

fusion121

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Hi I think the myth derives from the fact that, scorpions are ectotherms and so are particulary susceptable to extremes of temperature. When exposed to heat (such as a ring of fire) their body chemistry goes hay wire, resulting in muscle spams, these spasm make it look very much like the scorpion is stinging itself, hence the origin of the myth. If you'd like to see this effect simply up your vivarium thermostats to observe identical behaviour :) .
 
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G. Carnell

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NoS said:
Are you sure about that?
I am not disputing you, but I am almost positive that I have heard of other animals that can and will kill themselves. Maybe not for the same reasons that a human would kill themselves but you know.
Once my dad went on a Hunt when he was just a lad, they were chasing a huge stag for a while with a pack of 40 or so hounds, and when the stag was cornered on a cliff edge (small cliff!) overlooking a river, it threw itself into the river, rather than getting ripped to death by the dogs,
the stag died of course,
but it really shows you how evil hunting is :(
 

skinheaddave

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RaZeDaHeLL666 said:
That is a really stupid thing to say because its like saying.......if you put a human in a ring of fire, he will punch himself to death. LOL
Well, you've certainly come a long way in a short time.

Cheers,
Dave
 

Kugellager

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:clap: :worship: :worship: :clap:

John
];')
 

errit

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:} :D

Well it would only be natural for only humans to commit suicide because we differentiate ourselves from animals, we can reflect on ourselves and others. conscience.
I don't recall hearing from animals killing themselves, if it would be true than this is probably due to a higher goal, like sacrificing them for their offspring.
 

Div1nE

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Bearo said:
Hi..
in a swedish forum we are talking about if scorpions really kill themself..

I have heard that if you put a scorpion in a ring of fire it will sting itself in the neck because it knows that it will never come out of it alive...

is this true?
thanks
1) i dont think scorpions have that kind of intelligence.

2) wouldnt mother nature give the scorps a natural ability to resist their own venom?

example: snake's venom wouldnt do much good for snakes if they couldnt eat the prey because they'd die from their own venom.

get my drift?
 

errit

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Div1nE said:
1)


example: snake's venom wouldnt do much good for snakes if they couldnt eat the prey because they'd die from their own venom.

get my drift?
You can drink snake venom and live, it is only deadly when injected, not when taken in orally.
 
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