Altitude for Scorpions in Colorado

Habitat

• The scorpion's unique metabolic process allows for survival at any altitude as far north as Canada and the Himalayas and as far south as Australia. Scientists have frozen scorpions only to later watch them thaw out and scuttle away. Where a scorpion's insect meal of choice is scarce, it can consume other prey or simply go without, slowing its metabolic rate to one-third its normal rate. Scientists have documented scorpion survival on as little as one insect per year.

The Northern Scorpion

• In Colorado, the northern scorpion makes its home along the Utah border, where the average altitude is 5,000 feet above sea level. It is the northernmost-occurring scorpion species in the world, found as far north as Alberta, Canada.

  The adult northern scorpion measures between 1.5 and 2 inches long, with males significantly smaller than females. It can range in color from pale yellow to orange- brown.

  Like many scorpion species, the northern scorpion is nocturnal and, although common, rarely seen. It is not known to display aggression toward humans. Although scorpion stings can be painful, no venom of any Colorado species is dangerous to humans.

The Northern Desert (Black) Hairy Scorpion

• The northern desert hairy scorpion is also found along the Colorado-Utah border, although in a more limited range and in fewer numbers. Easily the largest of the three Colorado species, it measures 5 inches long. Its name is derived from its pale appendages and black body.

  Both the northern scorpion and the northern desert hairy scorpion establish a burrow early in their life cycle and spend the majority of their life hunting within several dozen feet of it.

Common Striped Bark Scorpion

• The common striped bark scorpion is found throughout southeastern Colorado, where the altitude peaks at about 5,000 feet above sea level, and is the most common scorpion in the United States, ranging as far east as Tennessee and as far west as New Mexico.

  Adults average 2.5 inches long, and body color varies from yellow to light brown, with colored bands across the body. Younger scorpions of this species tend to be lighter, and males feature very slender claws and tail.

  Common striped bark scorpions travel widely in search of prey and are not tied to a burrow environment.