Is a book false scorpion in an apartment a dangerous or harmless insect? A false scorpion is a beetle with claws like a scorpion.
The book false scorpion lives in nature, but now there are no such natural habitats habitat is becoming less and less, so he moved into houses and apartments. Usually these insects live in damp, dark and secluded places, for example, under a stone, in a cave, in a tree post and other places hidden from human eyes. That's why they are rarely seen in wildlife, but the appearance of a bookish individual in an apartment throws many into fear, panic and the search for a saving slipper or broom. How dangerous is a false scorpion for humans?
Book false scorpion as part of wildlife
This insect cannot be called a scorpion due to the fact that it is more like a spider, especially without poisonous glands. The abdominal part is more reminiscent of a tick, but the walking legs and feeding method are the spitting image of a spider. The body of the false scorpion is very small - approximately 3 mm, and the largest book "scorpion" was 12 mm in size. This already makes you relax, what can this little guy do?
The weapon of the spider-like insect is chelicerae, claws that allow this predator to attack the victim, pierce it and suck out all the life-giving moisture. It sounds scary, but people are not included in its diet.
An insect's senses are not developed in the same way as a human's, and therefore the claws of a false scorpion serve as all sense organs at the same time. In fact, because of these claws, the spider-like bug was menacingly nicknamed the scorpion. Their size is the same as the body, and therefore it is difficult to ignore this weapon. However, unlike scorpions, its false relatives do not have a tail or that very poisonous sting. So the book insect does not justify its comparison with the sporpion, which is dangerous to human life.
How do book insects reproduce?
This species of arachnid reproduces once a year through sexual intercourse. This is not just some kind of intercourse, but a whole ceremony. Males circle around their chosen ones in a dance of love, moving their abdomen from side to side and dancing with their walking legs.
After the babies are born, the mother will die, sacrificing herself to feed the little bugs. Her children will also be able to become parents in one year, and the life expectancy of book scorpions is approximately three years.
What do false scorpions eat?
Such menacing-looking, scary beetles are predators, but due to the fact that their size is very small, the victims of these powerful claws are also representatives of small insects. At home, book false scorpions prefer to eat dust, mites, and various small insects. They are even capable of weaving a web, like real arachnids, but this is not necessary and therefore they do this extremely rarely, probably only for beauty.
What are they?
In houses and apartments, false scorpions choose to live in a place where it is quiet and calm, as well as a lot of dust and all kinds of living creatures. These are bookcases, shelves with various papers and other storage areas for the remains of human activity and their domestic insects. That is, if there is a place where a rag for wiping dust has reached it, it means that there is definitely this carrier of threatening claws there. It is very, very difficult to notice a false scorpio. This usually happens during spring cleaning when they carefully move things from one place to another.
Another favorite room of bookish individuals is the bathroom. Here, most often, the lights are turned off, there is moisture, which means there is something to profit from. In addition, rarely does anyone immediately wash out the bath with bleach after a shower, and there are various pieces of skin left on which small insects converge. It is difficult to notice claws in the bathroom, but if you look closely immediately after turning on the light, you can see some movements - most likely these are false scorpions running away from the prying eyes of the apartment owner.
Are they dangerous to human life and health?
This question is often asked after an entire family of insects has been completely exterminated by cleaning or a slipper, a broom and other “saving things”. In fact, these bugs are only so scary in appearance; their small size and other food preferences make false scorpions absolutely safe for humans. There are, of course, pros and cons life together with these insects.
Pros or benefits of book false scorpions:
- These insects are real home orderlies. They feed on bugs that are harmful to humans, but they themselves are harmless arachnids. False scorpions eat ticks, book and dust lice, small beetles and other living creatures that apartment residents don’t even know about. Thanks to their pincers, they pierce the bodies of their victims and eat them in a spider-like manner.
- The diet of false scorpions not only frees the living space from harmful insects, but also eliminates allergens and other microparticles. The book specimen is small in size, and therefore all things remain in their places and do not affect a person’s life in any way, but there is much less dust. After all, what is dust? These are dead particles of human skin, all sorts of small insects and their metabolic products.
- Bookbugs reproduce only once a year, and therefore an invasion of beetles in an apartment is extremely rare.
- False scorpions do not attack humans; they are simply not interested in us.
Cons, aka harm from cohabitation with bookish false scorpions:
- These beneficial bugs kill insects and protect people from allergic reactions; their waste products can also cause unknown deterioration in health. So people with hypersensitivity to all things False Scorpio associate it with negative emotions and causing harm.
- If the apartment or house is large, then a small colony of book insects will not harm, but for residents of a one-room apartment, the annually increasing population will be very disturbing.
- Yes, false scorpions themselves will not attack, but if you accidentally touch him or tear out his walking leg, he may bite.
- Appearance can irritate or frighten people, and therefore the proximity of beetles and nervous people needs to be excluded.
What to do when meeting?
- If you see a false scorpion, calm down, it is not dangerous. Most likely he is also scared, frozen and pretending to be dead. Play along with him, turn off the light and enter the room after 1 minute. The book scorpion will no longer be visible.
- The false scorpion moves slowly and, if you decide to kill it, it can show sprinting abilities and try to escape. And the false scorpio can run sideways, back and forth, so you can expect anything from him.
- If a false scorpion bites, then you just need to lubricate the area with some kind of disinfectant. It does not have any poison, it cannot cause burns or allergies, and therefore there is no point in panicking and nervously calling an ambulance.
How to fight?
- Clean your home more often, don't create ideal conditions for their habitat - do not allow dust and open damp areas.
- Ventilation of the house should be regular, and the floors should be washed not with plain water, but with the use of detergents.
- From time to time it is necessary to carry out special measures to combat domestic insects.
The false scorpion is not dangerous to human life and is even quite useful in household use. But if you still don’t like insects, then you need to reconsider your general cleaning schedule.
Because of not large sizes, secretive and inactive lifestyle, false scorpions are deprived of attention. And in vain! After all, these unusual spiders are found everywhere, even in residential areas.
The rather gloomy and predatory appearance of false scorpions can frighten people who are getting acquainted with these spiders, which are completely safe for human life, for the first time. They fully justify their name, having grasping claws like scorpions. They do not have poisonous glands, so being afraid of these pseudoscorpions is a thankless task.
Appearance of false scorpions
The small size of the body (2-3 mm) does not prevent the spider from looking intimidating: a large number of paws, a drop-shaped body and claws, like a scorpion. In terms of their build, pseudoscorpions are primitive arachnids.
The cephalothorax of these animals is “decorated” with a shield on which 1-2 pairs of eyes are located. These animals can only distinguish between light and darkness. Vision is poor, and some species are completely blind.
The abdomen is rounded at the back and consists of 11 segments separated by clear boundaries. Long pedipalps perform not only a grasping function. Their claws have sensitive hairs.
The paws are well adapted for climbing on vertical and slippery horizontal surfaces. They have small claws and are also equipped with special suction cups. A pair of spiracles on the abdomen allows these animals to breathe freely.
Distribution of spiders with claws on the planet
With 3,300 species of pseudoscorpions and 430 genera, these arthropods have a lot to brag about! They can be found everywhere: both in the desert and in the mountains. They are not picky about geographical and climatic conditions.
The largest concentration of false scorpions is in the tropics. It was there that these animals penetrated even the most remote islands. Some types of false scorpions choose tree hollows, pine needles, and caves for their habitat.
For many, it will be news that you can meet these animals even in your own apartment or house. Eating house bugs, they feel comfortable in old books and dusty closets.
Lifestyle of false scorpions
Pseudoscorpio leads night look life. He is very secretive and does not like attention. You can only meet a spider in your bathroom at night, when the air is more humid. Frightened by the light, the spider presses its limbs to its body. A little later, the false scorpion extends its claws towards possible danger and begins to move funny. Like a scorpion, it can easily glide across the surface in order to hide in a secluded shelter.
False scorpions are creatures of microscopic size. They are not poisonous and do not harm humans. Unlike their relatives, they do not even weave webs.
What does a false scorpion eat?
These arthropods eat all sorts of small insects that inhabit human homes: cockroaches, bookworms, small flies, ticks and larvae.
The eating process is quite funny: the spider “rides” on its victim, slowly absorbing it. In this regard, the false scorpion is a truly useful “housekeeper” that cleans our home of pests.
Reproduction
When the time comes for reproduction, males carefully prepare a courtship dance, during which they rise high on their legs, dynamically move their bodies and make strange movements with their pedipalps.
After the dance, the male approaches the female and secretes a drop of glue, extends it into the shaft and places a spermatophore on it. Next, the initiative belongs to the female. She makes sure that her genital opening is directly above the spermatophore.
The newlyweds engage with their padipalps, after which the male pours seminal fluid into the female’s genitals. The eggs do not come out, but are pushed into the brood chamber, where they reach maturity. The female has few embryos, usually 2-3, and sometimes 2-3 dozen.
The world of arthropods is rich in species, many of them have similarities with each other, which misleads people. One of them is a false scorpion. Many people haven't even heard of him. You will be even more surprised to learn that they live everywhere, including in our city apartments. Unlike real scorpions, they do not have poisonous glands and pose no threat to humans.
False scorpions do not reach large sizes; the largest of them (Garypus titanius) grows no more than 12 mm and lives on Ascension Island. The size of species living in our area usually does not exceed 3 mm.
Features of the animal
Appearance
Their structure is typical of arachnids. The components of the body are the cephalothorax and abdomen. The false scorpion has 6 pairs of limbs. The first pair are chelicerae, which outwardly resemble small claws; with their help, the false scorpion pierces its prey, and then sucks out the insides from it. The second pair are large pedipalps, which bear powerful claws; with their help, this arachnid captures its food, and they also serve as organs of touch.
It is thanks to the pedipalps that the false scorpion got its name, because they are similar to the claws of real scorpions. This animal also boasts four pairs of walking limbs. The pseudoscorpion has a segmented abdomen, which is unusual for our arachnids.
What do they eat?
False scorpions are predators, these arachnids are very beneficial insects. They feed on all kinds of small inhabitants of houses and apartments: book and house beetles, dust mites, etc.
False scorpions, like spiders, can weave a web, but their glands are less developed, and it does not have a decisive role in their life.Reproduction
Not only the structure, but also the biological characteristics of pseudoscorpions are interesting. Like other arachnids, pseudoscorpions reproduce using spermatophore fertilization. To do this, the male insect fills the spermatophore with seminal fluid and hangs it near the female’s genital opening. In some arachnids, these actions occur in combination with unusual behavior that biologists call the mating dance.
False scorpions dance as follows. The male stands near the female he is interested in and begins his dance, rising up on his legs (walking limbs), while shaking his abdomen and smoothly moving his pedipalps from side to side. All this action is an interesting spectacle. Slowly moving towards the female, he gradually approaches her and leaves a spermatophore, on which there are special outgrowths, near the partner. After this, the female positions herself above the spermatophore so that the outgrowths enter the openings of her spermatheca. At the same time, the male holds the partner’s pedipalps with the help of his pedipalps and actively shakes her, this is necessary so that the seminal fluid flows from the spermatophore into the seminal receptacle.
The eggs develop in the brood chamber, which is a protrusion of the reproductive tract. The embryos develop attached to the wall of the chamber and are fed by the yolk, which is delivered to the chamber using the ovary associated with it. The larvae come out, destroying the walls of the brood compartment (chamber), molt and systematically grow to the size of an adult.
The lifespan of false scorpions is 2-3 years.They reach sexual maturity at 1 year.
Varieties
The book false scorpio is a real book lover, he lives on bookshelves, in folders with 
papers, under poorly glued wallpaper, in libraries, archives. You can find these insects by sweeping the dust. Compared to the size of the body, the scribe's claws look very large and massive. The book false scorpio is slow, but moves equally well in any direction. He lives in almost every house or apartment, but due to his secretive lifestyle, he does not catch the eye.
The book pseudoscorpion eats mainly small insects from the order of hay-eaters (for example, the book louse). Hay eaters live in the same place as false scorpions: in books, libraries, archives and other papers. Also, the book false scorpion is not averse to feeding on thyroglyphoids, small bugs and other small insects that live in our apartments. So this insect brings a lot of benefits to you and me.
Harm to humans
They will not bite, unless, of course, you force them to do so. But false scorpions can participate in creating an allergenic background in the apartment. Larval skins, feces and other waste products of false scorpions can serve as an irritating factor for our body, and, as a result, lead to
Pseudoscorpion is a representative of the order that includes arthropods (class arachnids). This pest has some similarities with the predator scorpion, however, it is completely harmless to humans. Such arachnids are small in size, which makes them invisible in their natural environment.
The arthropods of this species got their name due to the presence of grasping claws. Because of this feature, the false scorpion causes fear, but one should not be afraid of it, because it does not have poisonous glands, and its small size will not allow it to harm a person, even if the pest tries to attack.
What does it look like?
This is not a beetle, although from afar it can be mistaken for one. The false scorpion of those varieties that are common in Russia reaches a length of 3 mm, no more. Some individuals develop to large sizes: 7 mm and sometimes 12 mm. However, such pests are found on other continents. There are 6 pairs of legs for movement. However, despite this feature, the arthropods of this order are still inactive.
The first pair of limbs resembles claws (called chelicerae). With their help, the pest feeds: it pierces the victim’s cover and then sucks it out. internal organs. The second pair (pedipalps with claws) is used for grasping food. These limbs simultaneously perform the function of organs of touch. The remaining legs are used exclusively for movement.
The book scorpion can be identified by its pronounced claws. In size they usually correspond to the length of the body
The cephalothorax is protected by a shield on which the organs of vision are located. However, with their help, the pest can only distinguish between light and darkness, since the vision of false scorpions is poor and sometimes completely absent. The body is segmented, round in shape, dark in color. To move along vertical surfaces, the limbs have claws and suction cups.
The book scorpion can be identified by its pronounced claws. In size they usually correspond to the length of the rest of the body. Pests often move sideways, which makes them look like crayfish. Book pseudoscorpions and mites have similarities, but the former have much longer grasping limbs.
More about habitats and lifestyle
There are about 3,300 species of arthropods of this order. Depending on what species the pest belongs to, its habits, lifestyle and habitat are determined. False scorpions do not have strict requirements for choosing a territory for life, so they can exist in the desert and in the mountains, as well as in more comfortable conditions. Such pests are more common in tropical latitudes.
They choose hollows, pine needles, and caves for habitat. The false scorpion can also be found in human homes. Here arthropods inhabit books, which is facilitated by the flattened shape of the body. An alternative shelter is a storage room in the house.
Considering that these pests are inactive and have no means of protection, they prefer to settle in hidden corners where they can remain unnoticed.
Arthropods emerge from shelter at night. When meeting an enemy, they pretend to be dead, and their limbs are pressed to their body. Sometimes arachnids can extend large claws towards the source of danger, creating the appearance of intimidation.
Eating habits
The false scorpion prefers to eat insects: cockroaches, beetle larvae, flies. Another favorite food is ticks. Beetles, springtails, and young offspring of spiders are another component of the pests’ diet.
They feed on small inhabitants of houses and apartments: book and house beetles, dust mites, etc.
As you can see, these arthropods are capable of consuming various insects, dipterans, and their offspring. While eating, the false scorpion sucks out the insides of the victim, and then diligently cleans its claws of impurities.
How does reproduction occur?
An obligatory ritual is mating dances. In this case, arthropods rise on their legs and perform certain movements using their claws. With a life expectancy of 2-3 years, sexual intercourse occurs on average once a year. The female does not lay larvae; they attach to her body.
With a life expectancy of 2-3 years, sexual intercourse occurs on average once a year.
The development of the offspring occurs in a cocoon/nest, which arthropods build around themselves using pieces of paper, grains of sand, and plant particles. After the larvae appear, the female dies. Her body is used by the young as initial nutrition.
Are they harmful or beneficial?
Despite the terrifying appearance of the clawed spider, it is actually harmless to humans. Arthropods of this order do not have poisonous glands, but the products of their vital activity and the husks that the larvae shed as they develop create an allergenic background in the house.
False scorpions are of great benefit, as they destroy various insects that usually inhabit human homes.
They rid the apartment of flies, cockroaches, ticks, beetles and other pests. In addition, false scorpions do not weave webs, which is also their positive quality.
Interesting video:
False scorpions - different types
If a pest bites, what should you do?
Considering the tiny size of arthropods and the complete absence of poisonous glands, any harm from a bite other than mild allergic reaction there will be no local character. False scorpions attack extremely rarely when there is no way to escape to cover. If this does happen and the pest bites, you should treat the affected area with a disinfectant/iodine.
Is it necessary to fight false scorpions?
Since these arachnids, unlike their counterparts, do not weave webs, this means that their presence will not affect the interior of the home. In addition, they rarely bite without causing any consequences. However, there are a lot of benefits from arthropods, which is especially noticeable if different insects live in the house: cockroaches, beetles, etc. For this reason, there is no need to fight false scorpions. You should only get rid of them if their numbers have increased significantly.
