The Emperor Scorpion

0:38 Welcome back to Wild and Kind Kids, everyone. Who's ready to become a tail? Okay, stick with me. I want you to imagine that your whole body is one long bendy tail. Let's start by standing or sitting really straight and tall. All right, nice long tail. Now I want you to raise your arms up in the air and slowly curve your body forward.

1:09 Almost like you're trying to touch your toes. Now go back up. All right, let's twist over to the right and lean down. Nice, y'all. This is almost like yoga. Now back up. All right. Now twist to the left and lean down. Nice. Now back up.

1:32 I'm gonna handstand.

1:33 Don't fall down. All right. One more time. I want you to curve forward and really round that back. Got it? Hold it. Hold it.

1:45unknown Aww.

1:46 Nice. Alright, you can stand up. Nice work, y'all. How'd that feel?

1:51 Good.

1:54 Alright. But I do have to wonder, what kind of creature has a tail that curves up and over like that? Let's get learning. I'm Carrie, and I grew up on a zoo.

2:12 I'm Lincoln. I'm Eliza. And we're the world about animals.

2:18 Welcome to the Wild and Kind Kids Podcast. Hey Lincoln and Eliza.

2:27 Hi, Mom.

2:29 Y'all, what super special event that I'm totally obsessed with is happening in our lives this weekend.

2:35 Halloween.

2:37 Halloween? Yes. And today's animal is kind of spooky. It was suggested by Leo, Ari, and Izzy from York, Maine.

2:51 Hi Leo. Hi, Ollie and Izzy.

2:55 Let's see who can guess it. Clue number one. This animal is an arthropod. That means it has a hard outer skeleton and jointed legs.

3:06 Hmm.

3:07 It has eight legs and two enormous pinchers that look a little bit like lobster claws. Hmm. And it has a long tail that curves up over its back with a sharp stinger at the very end. Alright, what is it, y'all?

3:26 Scorpion! The Emperor Scorpion!

3:29 Yes! And like Eliza said, we are focusing on one of the biggest scorpions in the world, the Emperor Scorpion. And we actually had Emperor Scorpions at the zoo where I grew up. Now, wild and kind kids, picture this. The Emperor Scorpion is a shiny black creature with a body covered in a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton.

3:56 It's got those two huge pincers at the front of its body, eight walking legs and a long curved tail with a stinger. It almost looks like a tiny lobster dressed in black armor, and they can grow to be about eight inches long, which is longer than a fresh pencil. To find one, you'd have to travel to the tropical forests of West Africa, to places like Ghana, Togo, and Bunin.

4:27 We often think of scorpions in the desert, and some do live there, but these scorpions spend much of their time down on the forest floor where it is warm and humid. They can tuck themselves under fallen logs, hide beneath leaves, or dig burrows in the soil. So if you were walking through a West African rainforest, you might pass right by an Emperor Scorpion without ever even knowing it was there.

4:57 All right, Lincoln and Eliza, what can you tell us about the Emperor Scorpion?

5:03 Baby scorpions ride on their mother's backs, like a bunch of little backpacks.

5:08 Oh my goodness, can you imagine carrying all your babies around on your back? You guys wouldn't fit on my back anymore. Well, that is exactly what mom emperor scorpions do. Unlike many arthropods that lay eggs, emperor scorpions give birth to live babies. And when they are firstborn, those babies are tiny, soft, and almost white.

5:34 They do not look much like their dark-colored mom, but they can climb right up on her back where she keeps them safe while their bodies grow stronger. And they stay on her back until they've shed their very first tiny exoskeleton and are strong enough to start exploring on their own. Amazing. Alright, another fact, y'all.

5:56 Emperor scorpions are covered in these little tiny hairs that help them feel what's happening around them.

6:03 Yeah. So let's take a minute here. Did anybody imagine when we said scorpion that we would be talking about hair? Emperor scorpions have several eyes, but they don't see very well. And since they do most of their hunting at night, they need another way to find food. And that's where the hair comes in.

6:25 Some of those tiny hairs on their body are so sensitive, they can detect very tiny movements in the air. So imagine you're a scorpion, you're waiting in the dark, and a cricket starts creeping by. You may not see it very well, but you can sense it and feel it moving. Now, if you flipped an emperor scorpion on its back, which to be clear, y'all, you should not do, you might see two strange little things underneath its body.

6:54 It almost looks like there are hair combs under there. They are called pectines. And as the scorpion walks, those little combs help it explore the ground beneath its feet. They can even sense chemicals on the ground, almost like they are tasting where they are walking. Imagine being able to taste the ground with your belly.

7:15 Alright, hit me with another fact.

7:17 A scorpion's tail is like a super bendy robot arm. It can twist and turn and wiggly wop all around.

7:25 A robot arm? I love that comparison. Okay, the bendy part of a scorpion's tail is made of five hard sections, and they're connected by these special joints. And scientists have discovered something amazing about those joints. They can help the tail bend and twist. So let's try something. I want you to stick your arm out in front of you.

7:50 Now bend your elbow. Easy, right? Now keeping your upper arm still, can you make your elbow bend sideways? Not so easy. But a scorpion's tail, it can curve up over its back, swing from side to side, and move its stinger in different directions. And yeah, it's kind of like having an armored robot arm attached to your backside.

8:19 All right, how about one more fact?

8:22 Emperor scorpions are all about the pinch, not the sting.

8:28 Yes. So we've mentioned these giant pincers that make them look like tiny lobsters. Those pincers are strong. They can grab an insect, hold it tight, and even crush it. Now, emperor scorpions also have a stinger at the end of their tail, and that stinger can inject venom. Venom is a special mixture of chemicals that some animals use to catch prey or protect themselves.

8:56 And scorpion venom can cause pain, and it can interfere with how the other animals' nerves or muscles work. But here's something wild. Scorpions with big, powerful pincers often rely less on venom to catch their dinner. But scorpions with smaller, skinnier pincers might rely more on their stingers. Now it's not a hard and fast rule for every species of scorpion.

9:24 Of course, my rule is don't get super close to a scorpion. Admire it from afar. Unless, of course, it's time for our story of the day. Deep in the rainforests of Ghana, West Africa, the sun was sinking behind the treetops as the daytime critters retreated to their homes. And the nighttime critters headed out to play.

9:57 And beneath a fallen log, one very excited Emperor Scorpion was getting ready for the biggest and spookiest night of the year. The Moonshadow Monster Mash. You see, every Halloween, the animals of Moonshadow Forest gathered for dancing, games, and delicious treats. And this year, Spencer Scorpion was hosting.

10:29 He hung vines beneath the tree roots, arranged lanterns around a dance floor, and made a giant bowl of his famous Halloween punch. It was just rainwater with a splash of bug juice. But we won't be telling anyone that. There was just one problem. Spencer hadn't figured out his costume. And costumes at the moonshadow monster mash were always extraordinary.

10:58 A ghost? Too boring. A vampire? Too pointy. He looked at his reflection in a puddle.

11:08 Maybe I'll just go as myself.

11:11 He clicked his enormous pincers. He wiggled his eight legs. And then he shook his head.

11:18 Nah, nothing very extraordinary about that.

11:23 And off he went to find a better costume. A few minutes later. Spencer, Spencer. Around a giant tree root came Millie Millipede, looking terrified. There's a new animal in Moonshadow Forest, and she's looking for something with giant pincers.

11:47 Giant pincers? Millie gulped.

11:52 It sounds like a monster. Spencer gasped.

11:59 A monster?

12:01 With pincers? How horrifying. He nervously clicked his own pincers. Then he stood a little taller.

12:11 A thought came to mind. Well, never fear, Millie. I have pincers too. If that monster comes to our party, I'll give it a good pinch.

12:26 And off Millie hurried. Spencer returned to the forest, desperately searching for something, anything that could be a costume. But his mind was racing. A monster with pincers? What would it do with those pincers? Grab you? Pinch you? Steal the last piece of pumpkin cake? Phew, he shuddered. And then out from behind a mossy log slid Sally Snail.

13:00 Spencer, have you heard? There's a newcomer in the forest. They said they're searching for something. They said it has eight legs. It sounds monstrous. Spencer froze. Eight legs? He looked down. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

13:29 And then he grinned. Ha well, so do I. If that monster tries to chase us, I'll chase it right back.

13:41 He marched proudly in place on all eight of his legs. Sally looked at Spencer's legs. Uh Spencer But Spencer was already scuttling off to search for more costume inspiration. By now, the moon was rising higher, and Spencer was very worried. A monster lurking with pincers and eight legs. What kind of creature was this?

14:14 And more importantly, were they planning to come to the party? Did they have an awesome costume? Rabbit. Spencer nearly jumped out of his exoskeleton. Huh, it was only Freddy Frog.

14:29 Spencer, have you heard? They said there is a monster lurking about. It has a gulp. Long curved tail.

14:42 Spencer held his breath. With a stinger that stings.

14:49 A stinger? How rude!

14:51 What do you think it does with it? Behind him, Spencer's own tail curled over his back. He stared at his stinger. It was so handy when he needed to protect himself. He puffed out his chest.

15:07 Well, if this monster comes to our party, I'll be ready.

15:14 Freddy, however, was staring at Spencer's tail. Um, Spencer But Spencer was already scuttling back to the party. When Spencer arrived, the party was in full swing.

15:32 Attention, everyone! Attention, I need your attention. There's a monster in Moonshadow Forest.

15:41 Everyone stopped moving. It has pincers. Millie looked at Spencer's pincers. Eight legs. Sally looked at Spencer's legs. And a stinger that stings. Freddy looked at Spencer's tail. The three friends looked at each other. And suddenly they understood. But before anyone could say a word.

16:11 Hello, moonshadow forest.

16:14 A little fruit bat swooped down from the trees and landed upside down on a vine.

16:21 Hi, I'm Bella. I just moved here and I've been looking all day for the most amazing creature.

16:29 Spencer gasped. The monster? Bella blinked.

16:35 Monster? No! I'm not sure where you got that idea.

16:41 Well, never fear. I've been preparing to protect everyone from this terrible beast.

16:50 Bella looked at Spencer. His pincers, his eight legs, his curved tail with the stinger at the end, and her eyes grew wide. Wait a minute, you're a ham Spencer spun around. Where? Where? Where is it? Bella pointed right at him. You Spencer blinked. Me?

17:20 But I'm not a monster.

17:23 A monster? I couldn't say monster. I've just been hoping to meet a scorpion.

17:31 Millie shuffled forward. Well, you did say it had giant pincers. Yes. Bella exclaimed. Aren't they magnificent? Millie blinked. I I suppose that's one way to look at them. Spencer glanced down at his pincers. Magnificent? He'd never really thought about them that way before. Or really about his tail.

17:59 Those things were just part of him.

18:02 I've heard something else about scorpions. Under special light? They glow.

18:10 Ha Well that settles it. I certainly don't glow.

18:16 Bella grinned.

18:17 Let's find out.

18:19 She glanced around the clearing, and then with a mischievous smile, she darted toward a black light hanging from a tree. She flipped the switch and Spencer's entire body was shimmering with a ghostly blue green light. Spencer stared down at himself.

18:44 Wait, are you telling me that the monster is me?

18:52 For a long moment, nobody moved. Spencer looked at those glowing pincers, his eight legs, his long, curved tail. He thought about Bella, who'd been traveling around all day trying to meet him. And then he remembered looking at his reflection in the puddle. Nothing very extraordinary, he thought. But now Spencer looked at himself again.

19:21 And a tiny chuckle escaped. That tiny chuckle became loud laughter. His friends joined in. Millie giggled. Sally chuckled. Freddy let out a great big rivet. Well, would you look at that? Spencer waved his pincers and wagged his stinger. He shimmered under the lights.

19:47 Apparently, I had my costume all along. I'm the party lights.

19:58 And with that, the moonshadow monster mash continued. Millie danced with her mini legs. Sally slid across the dance floor. Freddy hopped to the beat. And right in the middle of it all was Spencer Scorpion, glowing a brilliant blue-green under a black light disco ball. He'd been looking for the perfect costume all night.

20:24 And he'd been wearing it all along. In today's story, Spencer the Scorpion was voiced by John. Carrie narrated the story and voiced Millie and Sally. Lincoln played Freddie the Frog, and Eliza played Bella the Fruit Bat. Y'all, our story this week has a real spooky science connection. Emperor scorpions really do glow.

20:56 I think we should be a little more precise. They glow in a special kind of light.

21:03 You are right. Scorpions don't just glow when the lights go out. They glow when you shine ultraviolet or UV light on them. And it might be helpful to know that sunlight is made up of all different kinds of light. Some we can see, like the colors of the rainbow, but other kinds of light are invisible to our eyes.

21:23 And ultraviolet light is one of those invisible kinds. But here's where things get spooky. Scorpions have special chemicals in the outer layer of their exoskeleton. And when ultraviolet light hits those chemicals, they absorb some of that energy and release it as a blue-green glow. Scientists call this fluorescence.

21:47 So if we shine the UV flashlight on Emperor Scorpion, it would light up like a tiny ghost. Yes.

21:56 And here's a mystery that scientists are still trying to solve. Why? Some scientists think it might help scorpions detect light so they know when it's safe to come out of hiding, but others have different ideas. And nobody knows for sure. Wild, y'all.

22:15 Now it's time for your Wild and Kind Making!

22:20 This week we're gonna look out for the little guys. Sometimes, when we see a spider, a beetle, or another creepy crawly creature, our first instinct is to squish it. But hold on, y'all. That little creature is just trying to live its life. And even though it looks spooky to us, it has an important place in nature.

22:43 I mean, just think of those scorpion moms carrying those babies on their back. So this week, your mission is simple.

22:51 Wash your feet! Be kind to the creeps.

22:55 When you're outside, keep your eyes peeled for tiny creatures crossing your path. Give them room to scuttle, crawl, or slither safely on their way. And remember, some creatures, like scorpions, can sting. So we can show kindness by looking at them with our eyes, giving them plenty of space, and never touching an animal we don't know.

23:18 Because being wild and kind means caring for the little guys too.

23:25 Before we go, it's time for wild and kind trivia!

23:30 Last week, we tried to stump you with a riddle about an animal we haven't covered yet. Let's listen.

23:37 I'm shaggy and furry with a tail that can grip. Through Asian rainforests, I climb without a slip. But here's something strange that might make you stop. Some say that I smell like popcorn that's popped. What am I?

23:58 We were thinking about the benturong, also known as the bear cat. Binterongs are these amazing creatures with prehensile tails that help them climb and balance in the trees. But one of the most fun facts about them, people say they smell like hot buttered popcorn. Amazing. Now, ready for your next riddle?

24:23 I'm small and I'm round with a squeaky little call. I live in Rocky Mountains, though I'm not very tall. I gather up plants and dry them like hay. To save them for winter when foods fall away. What am I? Debate it with your family and tune in next time to hear the answer. See you then, Valentine Kid!

24:50 This podcast is produced by John, also known as Lincoln and Eliza's dad. If you are enjoying these adventures, please subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Leave us a review and tell your friends. To find a coloring sheet for today's creature, explore more episodes, or request an animal for a future story, visit wild and kindkids.com.

25:18 You can also find us on Instagram at Wild and Kind Kids Pod. Thanks for exploring with us, friends. Until next time.

25:30 And your curiosity wild.