# Do scorpions bite?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scorpions-bite/484328>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 3, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scorpions-bite/484328 "2009-02-03T23:13:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scorpions-bite/484328/1 "2009-02-03T23:13:51Z")

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I know that scorpions sting with their tails, but do they ever bite as well? If so, is the bite venomous or painful?

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**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scorpions-bite/484328/2 "2009-02-04T00:05:12Z")

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I don’t think they bite. There are lots of different kinds of scorpions with varying levels of venom. The ones I’m used to the sting feels about like a wasp or bee. They’re not really very venomous. I believe the ones in the Sonoran desert can be quite a bit more venomous. I just know the Chihuahua scorpions personally!

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**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scorpions-bite/484328/3 "2009-02-04T00:05:42Z")

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Scorpions can bite (they have mouths), but they don’t bite people, and I don’t think any have jaws enough to hurt you.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scorpions-bite/484328/4 "2009-02-04T00:16:18Z")

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Although the mouthparts, or [chelicerae](http://www.ub.ntnu.no/scorpion-files/l_australasiae_chelicera.jpg), have a pinching action, I doubt that they could really give much of a bite. I am not aware that the mouthparts can inject any kind of venom.

Note that the claws, or pedipalps, are technically modified mouthparts. They can certainly give you a good pince with these.

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**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scorpions-bite/484328/5 "2009-02-04T08:06:55Z")

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They pinch and sting, and you want biting TOO??