DESCRIPTION: body up to 6" long. Upper body (cephalothorax) often dark.
NATURAL HISTORY: Venomous. This is the largest scorpion in the United States, but the least often seen of the three scorpions spotlit here. Although it is only mildly venomous to humans (unlike the bark scorpion), its large size allows it to subdue larger prey (e.g., lizards). Prefers resting in burrows, often deep underground (up to 8' deep) where the moisture is higher. See also General natural history of scorpions and section on Venomous Animals.
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