Acid-shooting 'spider-scorpion' found in Texas park creeps out social media
By Michael Hollan
Big Bend National Park - This is why some people prefer to stay inside.
The National Parks Service Instagram account recently shared a photo of a bug taken from Big Bend National Park in Texas. This image shows an arachnid that looks like a cross between a spider and a scorpion.
The animal is known as a vinegaroon but is also referred to as the whip scorpion. According to the Big Bend Facebook page, these critters surface during the summer looking for "food and love."
While the image garnered a lot of attention on Instagram, it originated from The Big Bend National Park Facebook page. The national park posted, "Vinegaroons are about 3 inches long and relatively benign unless you happen to annoy them. They can pinch with their heavy mouthparts (pedipalps) and shoot a well-aimed spray of 85% acetic acid (vinegar) from the base of their ‘whip’ to protect themselves."