Can you tell the age of a scorpion by the size of its stinger?

There is a common belief that the size of a scorpion's stinger can be used to determine its age. However, this is a myth and not a reliable indicator of a scorpion's age.

Scorpions have a hard exoskeleton that they shed as they grow, a process called molting. During each molt, the scorpion's new exoskeleton is soft and pliable, and the scorpion is vulnerable to predators until it hardens. As a scorpion grows, its new exoskeleton is larger than its previous one, and the stinger grows along with it.

Therefore, the size of a scorpion's stinger is related to its current size and not its age. Two scorpions of the same age can have different stinger sizes depending on their size and growth rate.

Other factors, such as the species of scorpion and its gender, can also influence the size of the stinger. For example, male scorpions typically have larger stingers than females.

In conclusion, while the size of a scorpion's stinger may provide some information about its size and growth rate, it is not a reliable indicator of its age.