Predator Vs. Prey

This issue: Tarantula vs. Scorpion

Hair-rows

Tarantulas sling arrow-sharp hairs off their bellies. The barbed bristles pepper an attacker’s skin and eyes.

Venom Daggers

To eat, tarantulas stab their fangs into prey and then pump in venom to liquify the victim’s insides.

Toxic Tail

To subdue prey or defend themselves, scorpions whip their stinger-tipped tails over their bodies and inject venom.

Perceptive Pincers

Sensitive hairs on a scorpion’s pincers feel motion. If the spider zigs, the scorpion will feel when to zag.

And the winner is…

Striped bark scorpions rarely grow larger than a grown-up’s thumb. Missouri tarantulas are often twice that big. The spider’s size could tip the odds in its favor.