Emperor Scorpion
Pandinus imperator

They are also unusual in that they can be housed communally. In the wild, they live communally in underground tunnels. The females carry their young on their backs and crush bugs with their pinchers to feed them.


While the Emperor Scorpion is quite an impressive sight in daylight, it is even more amazing to look at under a black light as it "glows in the dark".

The Emperor Scorpions are from the tropical rain forests of West Africa and are fairly common in Togo and Ghana. Despite this creature's frightening appearance, this species of scorpion is one of the most docile, rarely stinging if not provoked. Its venom is also fairly mild and the sting has been likened in intensity to several bee stings.  They rarely even sting their prey, instead using their large pincers to crush the small insects that they eat.