Two of the three most feared species of all time are spiders and scorpions. Both are creepy, both are crawly, and both will completely ruin your day if you give them the chance. What would you do if you there was a creature out there that combined the worst characteristics of both? Would you run? Would you hide? Unfortunately, running and hiding will only make this monster angrier.
Okay, that last part isn't true, but such a creature does plague this planet. It's called a whip scorpion. Just let that name sink in.
The whip scorpion gets its name from the whip-like appendage on the end of its body. Creepy, right?
While these little critters can grow up to three inches in length, they actually pose no real threat to humans.
Hard to believe with a face like that.
Unlike the scorpions you're probably used to, whip scorpions have no venom glands.
Instead, they defend themselves from predators by secreting a substance akin to vinegar. That's why they're called vinegaroons in the science world.
They use those nasty claws to catch and eat prey.
Luckily for us, they usually just chow down on other insects.
Despite their fairly docile nature, you still probably don't want them sneaking around in your house.
As long as you don't live in a tropical climate, you don't need to worry about bumping into one of these.
(via Reddit)
To add to all of that creepiness, there are people out there who actually keep whip scorpions as pets. I'll just stick to dogs.
