Examples of animals that eat scorpions include American Pygmy Shrew, Bats, Cane Toads, Chickens, and Eastern Screech Owls.
If you are like most people, the mention of scorpions probably induces feelings of fear and dread. After all, these creatures can be both venomous and dangerous.
However, what you may not know is that there are a number of animals that actually enjoy eating scorpions. In this article, we will take a look at some of these animals and explore why they find scorpions so appetizing.
What Eats Scorpions?
1. American Pygmy Shrew
| Scientific Name | Sorex hoyi |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Northern Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States, south through the Appalachian Mountains |
The American Pygmy Shrew can eat twice its weight in food every day and will regularly hunt for scorpions to consume. While this species is not native to the states, it has been discovered living in several areas of southern Arizona. It uses an amazing sense of smell to find its prey.
2. Bats
| Scientific Name | Chiroptera |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
One of the most common animals that eat scorpions is the bat. These nocturnal creatures are known for their excellent sense of hearing, which helps them to locate their prey in the dark. In addition to their acute sense of hearing, bats also have a keen sense of smell, which further aids them in finding food. Once a bat locates a scorpion, it will use its powerful claws to grab the creature and then proceed to eat it.
Related Article: Do Bats Eat Crabs?
3. Cane Toads
| Scientific Name | Rhinella marina |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | Amazon basin |
One of the most common predators of scorpions is the cane toad. Cane toads are large, warty amphibians that are native to Central and South America. They have a voracious appetite and will eat just about anything they can get their hands on, including scorpions.
Cane toads typically hunt at night and will use their sensitive sense of smell to track down their prey. When they find a scorpion, they will quickly inject it with venom and then swallow it whole. Although the venom does not cause them any harm, it is powerful enough to paralyze the scorpion and allow the cane toad to easily consume it.
Related Article: Do Cane Toad Eat Butterflies?
4. Cats
| Scientific Name | Felis catus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
Cats are well-known for their love of all things rodent, but they also seem to have a taste for scorpions as well. In fact, cats will often hunt and eat scorpions as part of their regular diet.
This is likely due to the fact that cats possess highly sensitive senses of smell and hearing, which allows them to detect scorpions even when they are hidden deep within the ground. What’s more, cats also seem to enjoy the simple act of hunting itself, and eating a scorpion is one way for them to engage in that activity.
Related Article: Do Cats Kill for Fun?
5. Chickens
| Scientific Name | Gallus gallus domesticus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Worldwide |
Chickens are one of the most common animals that enjoy eating scorpions. This is likely due to their natural instincts as well as their ability to tolerate a wide variety of foods. Chickens are able to detect scents and flavors in foods that many other animals cannot, allowing them to track down and prey upon scorpions with ease. In addition, chickens have strong immune systems that allow them to withstand the venom of most scorpions.
6. Dogs
| Scientific Name | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
Dogs are perhaps one of the most well-known animals that love to eat scorpions. Because dogs have strong, muscular jaws and a powerful sense of smell, they are able to easily hunt down and catch these venomous arachnids. Additionally, since scorpions secrete a chemical that is both aromatic and appetizing to dogs, they are often attracted to these creatures even when they are not looking for food.
Related Article: Do Dog Kiss?
7. Eastern Screech Owls
| Scientific Name | Megascops asio |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic |
These small owls are known to eat a variety of prey, including scorpions. In fact, studies have shown that the screech owl’s diet consists of approximately 50% invertebrates, with scorpions making up a large portion of that.
One reason why these owls are so efficient at catching scorpions is their ability to hear the sounds of their prey, as scorpions have a very distinct sound that they make when disturbed or crushed. Screech owls are also known for having exceptional night vision and incredible hunting skills, which allow them to find another food source aside from scorpions if need be.
8. Elf Owls
| Scientific Name | Micrathene whitneyi |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Texas and southern Arizona |
One of the animals that enjoy eating scorpions is the elf owl. These owls are native to North America and their diet consists mostly of insects. Elf owls will actually hunt scorpions in the wild and will typically eat them whole, venom and all. While the venom of a scorpion is not harmful to an elf owl, it can be deadly to other animals.
9. Great Horned Owls
| Scientific Name | Bubo virginianus |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | North America |
These owls are some of the most common predators in North America. In fact, they can be found throughout almost all parts of the continent. They also enjoy eating insects and small rodents, which often means scorpions as well. And though these birds take a more active approach when hunting for prey, the Great Horned Owl is not above stealing food from other predators when it can.
Related Article: Do Great Horned Owl Eat Possums?
10. Hawks
| Scientific Name | Buteo |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | Worldwide |
Of all the animals that eat scorpions, hawks are probably the most common. These birds are known for their incredible eyesight and sharp talons. When hunting, they typically fly low over the ground in order to find prey. This makes it easy for them to spot a scorpion scuttling across the ground, especially when there is little else to hunt.
Related Article: Do Hawk Eat Owls?
11. Humans
| Scientific Name | Homo sapiens |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
Yes, that’s right, humans can and do eat scorpions. In fact, in some cultures, scorpion eating is considered a delicacy. If you are brave enough to try it, you will find that scorpions have a crunchy texture and a taste that has been described as similar to shrimp or crab.
12. Masked Shrew
| Scientific Name | Sorex cinereus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States |
One of the animals that regularly eat scorpions is the masked shrew. This small mammal is found in North America and typically preys on insects, spiders, and other small creatures. What makes the masked shrew particularly adept at hunting scorpions is its long, thin snout. This allows the shrew to sniff out scorpions hiding in the ground and then pounce on them before they have a chance to sting.
13. Mearn’s Grasshopper Mice
| Scientific Name | Onychomys arenicola |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | United States to central Mexico |
The Mearn’s grasshopper mouse is one of the animals that enjoy eating scorpions. This small, North American species of the mouse has very powerful jaws and specialized teeth that are capable of crushing hard exoskeletons. They use these adaptations to chew through the shells of scorpions and feed on their internal organs.
14. Meerkat
| Scientific Name | Suricata suricatta |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | South Africa |
The meerkat is a small mammal that is native to Africa. These creatures are known for their social behavior and their love of eating scorpions. In fact, it is not uncommon for a group of meerkats to work together to kill and eat a scorpion. Meerkats typically go after smaller scorpions, as they are easier to kill and eat.
15. Mongooses
| Scientific Name | Herpestidae |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Africa |
The mongoose is a small carnivorous mammal that is native to Africa, Asia, and Europe. These animals are known for their ability to kill and eat venomous snakes. However, they will also readily consume scorpions if given the opportunity. Mongooses are equipped with long, sharp claws that help them to catch and kill their prey.
16. North American Least Shrew
| Scientific Name | Cryptotis parva |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | America |
The North American least shrew is a very small mammal that is found throughout the eastern United States and Canada. These creatures are so small that they can actually fit in the palm of your hand. Despite their size, they are fierce predators that will readily take down scorpions.
17. Northern Grasshopper Mice
| Scientific Name | Onychomys leucogaster |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | south-central Canada |
One of the most surprising animals on this list is the northern grasshopper mouse. This small rodent is native to North America and can be found in a variety of habitats, including deserts, prairies, and grasslands. While the northern grasshopper mouse is not immune to scorpion venom, it has developed a tolerance for it and can eat these creatures with relative ease.
18. Northern Short-Tailed Shrew
| Scientific Name | Blarina brevicauda |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North America |
The northern short-tailed shrew is a small, mouse-like mammal that resides in many parts of the world. This creature can be found throughout Canada, as well as across much of the United States.
19. Smoky Shrew
| Scientific Name | Sorex fumeus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | United States |
The smoky shrew is a small and elusive mammal that is commonly found in regions with dry desert climates. It has been shown to be particularly fond of scorpions, which it often catches by ambushing them while they sleep. After trapping the scorpion, it will then bite off its tail and consume both the body and stinger.
20. Southeastern Shrew
| Scientific Name | Sorex longirostris |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | southeastern United States |
The southeastern shrew is a small mammal that is found in the southeastern United States. This animal has a voracious appetite and will eat just about anything it can find. This includes scorpions, which make up a large part of its diet. The shrew is immune to the venom of most scorpions and so can safely consume them without any ill effects.
21. Southern Grasshopper Mice
| Scientific Name | Onychomys torridus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | southern California, Nevada, and Utah southward to northeastern Mexico |
These cute little critters are native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, but they can also be found in parts of central Asia. As you can probably guess from their name, these mice are known for their love of grasshoppers.
However, what is not so well-known about them is that they actually have a voracious appetite for scorpions as well. In fact, studies have shown that grasshopper mice will actually prefer scorpions over other food items when given the choice.
22. Tarantulas
| Scientific Name | Theraphosidae |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | Mexico and Central and South America |
It should not come as a surprise that tarantulas are among the animals that enjoy eating scorpions. After all, they are known to eat just about everything else. It is estimated that these spiders will eat around 100 arthropods every year including crickets, beetles, and centipedes.
23. The Amazonian Giant Centipede
| Scientific Name | Scolopendra gigantea |
| Type of Animal | Insect |
| Range | northern South America |
One of the most common predators of scorpions is found throughout Central and South America. These animals can grow to approximately 14 inches long and have powerful jaws that make them effective hunters. When hunting, these centipedes seek out scorpions that are unable to escape or defend themselves through their stingers.
24. The Southern Ground Hornbill
| Scientific Name | Bucorvus leadbeateri |
| Type of Animal | Bird |
| Range | throughout the southern part of Africa |
These large bird species are found in many parts of Africa. While it doesn’t typically hunt scorpions, its diet is otherwise quite diverse and includes small lizards, rodents, snakes, and even other birds.
25. Western Banded Geckos
| Scientific Name | Coleonyx variegatus |
| Type of Animal | Reptile |
| Range | North America |
One of the most well-known animals that willingly devour scorpions is the Western banded gecko. This lizard species is abundant in areas where scorpions are present and can be found throughout many parts of North America, as well as other regions of the world.
Conclusion
There are many animals that eat scorpions as part of their regular diet. This is likely due to the fact that scorpions are relatively easy to find and they taste good to a variety of different predators. While some animals, such as bats and birds of prey, have acute senses that allow them to find scorpions easily, others, like cats and dogs, simply stumble upon them and eat them once they locate them.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.