Tuesday 15 May 2012

Pseudoscorpions

    I recently had the great pleasure to meet Cornelia Remmicke from Dresden,
    Germany, at my local Cemetery. I noticed she had a camera so I introduced
    myself. I explained that I was hunting for Spiders. Cornelia seemed 
    quite interested, so I took her on a Spider and Bug tour of the Cemetery.
    A most enjoyable and inspiring afternoon!
    Since returning home to Dresden, Cornelia very kindly sent me these
    photographs of a Pseudoscorpion that she found in her bathroom. Cornelia tells
    me it was less than 1cm in size and very fast.
    I think it is Chelifer cancroides, (also known as the Book Scorpion) as these 
    are commonly found in houses. I found one in my bathroom some years ago,
    sadly before I took Photographs and I have not seen one since.
    Pseudoscorpions are harmless to humans as they have no stinging tail as do
    true Scorpions. They are beneficial to us, as they prey on Clothes Moth
    Larvae, Carpet Beetle Larvae, Booklice, Mites, Ants and small Flies.
 
    Family : Pseudoscorpiones
    Class : Dromopoda - a subclass of the Arachnids
    Photographs by Cornelia Remmicke
    Dresden, Germany
    14.05.12

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