Euscorpius flavicaudis European Scorpion Arachnida

Euscorpius flavicaudis cm 2.5-3 European Scorpion Arachnida.
Family: Euscorpiidae.
Common name: European Yellow-Tailed Scorpion.
Syn. Tetratrichobothrius flavicaudis.

Euscorpius flavicaudis (De Geer, 1778) is a Scorpion of the Euscorpiidae family, quite common in the Italian countryside.
Like all scorpions of the genus Euscorpius, they are small in size and measure between 3 and 5 centimeters, from the tips of the pedipalps, i.e. from the front tip of the carapace (excluding claws) up to the telson, i.e. the last segment of the tail, containing the sac venomous and the sting. The main characteristic of these scorpions is the color of the legs and telson which are a dull reddish-yellow. The body is between black and brown.
It is easy to confuse them with other scorpions of the same genus (Euscorpius italicus, Euscorpius tergestinum, etc.) and to correctly identify a specimen it is necessary to examine the ventral part of the pedipalps, which present a number of trichobotria characteristic for each species.
E. flavicaudis is widespread in Western European countries where it was introduced by humans.
It loves humid places away from light (all Euscorpius are predominantly lucifugal), and only comes out of sheltered places at night, when it goes hunting.
As most Euscorpius live a solitary life, encounters with other specimens usually occur during the mating period. If several specimens are confined in narrow spaces they can start a duel (especially if males) and episodes of cannibalism.
Its diet is mainly composed of larvae in the first periods of life, its diet expands with the addition of grasshoppers and other insects as it reaches adulthood.