False scorpion - a beetle with claws like a scorpion

A beetle with claws is called a false scorpion or a false scorpion (lat. Pseudoscorpionida). Belongs to the order of arachnids. Widespread in nature, but inconspicuous due to its small size. The largest representative lives on Ascension Island, its body length is 12 mm. The average size of the beetle with claws in our area is 4 mm, the maximum is 7 mm.

Appearance Features

The arachnid squad received its name due to unusual pedipalps, which end with claws, like a scorpion, cancer. In total, 3300 species of false scorpions are known. They live in tropical countries, continents with a cold climate. They live in caves, high in the mountains, burrows in the ground. In the house of a person, only one species is planted - Chelifer cancroides. Found in books, dusty rooms.

• Book false scorpion resembles outwardly home tick. The body is flattened, miniature, with a dense chitinous cover. The size of an adult is 3 mm.
• In front, a small cephalothorax with two claws - modified pedipalps. A cancer-like beetle uses its “weapon” to capture prey, chop, and crush the integument. The length of the claws equals half the small body of the beetle.
• The color in brown tones is dark, light. Sometimes the beetle is perceived as black. There are even stripes on the abdomen.
• 4 pairs of legs are attached to the cephalothorax. Short but strong. Claws end. False scorpion moves slowly, very often sideways, but can walk forward, backward.

A photo of a scorpion-like insect is located further down. Females are slightly larger than males. Larvae are initially born white, then the chitinous cover darkens, after the first molt it becomes denser.

Habitats, reasons for appearing in the apartment

A beetle with claws, like a scorpion, in the wild lives in damp caves, forest litter, under stones, snags, bird nests. In a person’s house they settle in the presence of favorable places for life, reproduction, nutrition.

Little bug feeds dust mites, aphidsparticles of skin. Most often it can be found:

• in books, bookcases;
• on shelves with documents, paper, waste paper;
• dusty places;
• bathrooms where garbage accumulates, the remains of paper, particles of skin.

On a note!

The reason for the appearance in the apartment of an insect with claws, like a cancer: non-compliance with cleanliness, inappropriate storage of paper, documents. False scorpion with tentacles, without them - an ordinary inhabitant of libraries, museums, warehouses with waste paper, bookstores.

Benefit and harm

A beetle with a tail and without it, with long claws in front in its own apartment causes fear, bewilderment, the desire to get rid of it as soon as possible. A small insect does not bite, does not cause an allergic reaction, is more beneficial than harmful, but living with it in the same room is not entirely hygienic, so you still need to get rid of it.

A black beetle with claws in front feeds on dust mites, skin debris, bed bugs, insect larvae. Having access to inaccessible places, destroys a lot of domestic pests, making it easier for people.

On a note!

In the wild, false scorpions eat ants, mosquitoes, midges, flies, soil mites, larvae. The claws contain a poisonous substance that paralyzes the victim.A small insect captures the victim with claws, pierces the chitinous cover with chelicera, injects poison, saliva. After a few minutes, it drains the insides. Cleans the mouth of food debris.

The benefits of the presence of false scorpions in the apartment - they destroy insect larvae, eat dust mites, parasites of indoor plants. Negative moments - discomfort, mass reproduction, moving around the apartment, bites with accidental pressure.

False scorpion breeding

A black beetle with claws in front builds itself a shelter from improvised material, in the apartment these are the remains of paper. Glued together by a web. There is molting, laying eggs. In the wild, the building material is dry vegetation, moss, leaves. In a cocoon, a bug hibernates.

False scorpions become sexually mature at the age of 1 year, the adult lives for another 2 years. After fertilization, the eggs inside the female develop for a month. Then she pushes them into a special chamber connected to the ovary, continues to drag along.

The number of eggs in different types of false scorpions is different - from 3 to 50 pieces. The larvae of the first generation feed on the yolk secreted by the ovaries, grow, grow in size, break through the sac, crawl out.

Outwardly, the larva is similar to imago, but the chitin cover is white, soft, pedipalps are short. Until the first molt, the nymphs continue to dwell on the female’s body, eat egg yolk. Then they crawl to the side, form a cocoon, change the chitin cover to a darker, hard one. Over the entire period of growing up, the nymph molt 6 times, at the last stage the genitals appear.

Interesting!

Before mating, the male performs a mating dance, ejects seminal fluid into a special bag. Approaching the female, she inserts this sac into her genitals, the male begins to shake her with all her might so that everything spills out.

Ways to get rid

False scorpion without a tail is beneficial while in a living room, but the accumulation of its waste products can also cause an allergic reaction. It is necessary to get rid of bugs, and with them from dust, unnecessary paper, harmful insects.

There is no need to use chemicals. Females do not lay eggs in secluded places, larvae are dragged along. It is necessary to conduct a search, find a cluster of beetles, carefully collect them in a jar, box, take them out into the forest, ashore, or simply throw them on the grass near the house.

In the apartment carry out a general cleaning:

• Vacuum
• wash the floors with soap and water;
• wipe the shelves;
• remove trash, deposits of paper;
• review all books, dust off;
• remove all unnecessary things from the room;
• ventilate well.

To prevent the appearance of false scorpions in the house, you need to maintain cleanliness, prevent clutter, a large accumulation of paper. The presence of small bugs in the house signals a high number of dust mites, which are much more dangerous for humans than false scorpions.