The vinegaroon is a true monster of the animal world. Also known as a 'whipscorpion' this arachnid owns a pair of formidable claws and a tough exoskeleton, but it's the beast's rear end which gains it its name.
The eight-legged marksman has a slender pistol-like whip attached to its rear end by (for want of a maturer description) a bulbous knob! This strange structure acts as a revolvable gun emplacement that shoots acetic acid (vinegar) at unsuspecting predators, typically hunting ants. The purpose of this vinegar dousing is not to make other creatures taste nice, but so that they think twice about eating the eight-legged marksman.
But one shot just isn't enough, so the vinegaroon unleashes a second, sick-smelling acid (caprylic) upon its attacker which helps the vinegar to stick and persist to its victim. Imagine a friend has eaten too many chips at the sea-side and proceeded to vomit all over you, you'd be pretty reluctant to go near that mate any time soon!
So if you're scared of spiders, stop being a wimp and beware the whip instead...
The eight-legged marksman has a slender pistol-like whip attached to its rear end by (for want of a maturer description) a bulbous knob! This strange structure acts as a revolvable gun emplacement that shoots acetic acid (vinegar) at unsuspecting predators, typically hunting ants. The purpose of this vinegar dousing is not to make other creatures taste nice, but so that they think twice about eating the eight-legged marksman.
But one shot just isn't enough, so the vinegaroon unleashes a second, sick-smelling acid (caprylic) upon its attacker which helps the vinegar to stick and persist to its victim. Imagine a friend has eaten too many chips at the sea-side and proceeded to vomit all over you, you'd be pretty reluctant to go near that mate any time soon!
So if you're scared of spiders, stop being a wimp and beware the whip instead...
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