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On Jun 27, 2007, madamecp from Denver, CO (Zone 5b) wrote:
I used to have a pet Vinegarone (given to me by an arachnologist friend).
They look a bit like large black scorpions, and therefore might scare people at a glance. Rather than having a stinger, or any form of poison, though, they emit a vinegarish liquid when frightened. I held mine often and it never sprayed or pinched me (I wouldn't harass or startle it).
Vinegarones eat bugs, ranging from beetles to grasshoppers, so they probably would help with pest control (I can't say this for certain, as I live in a bad climate for them). My only negative memory with mine (aside from its death) was of giving it a katydid that was slowing down from the cold. I've always considered katydids beautiful, no matter what they do, so I was more than a bit disturbed to watch it be pounced on and rather quickly demolished.
On Jul 26, 2007, Lonnieloup from Carlsbad, NM wrote:
I have a story about this creature. It happend last night as a matter of fact.
Last night around 2 in the morning I left my bedroom to get something from the hall closet. I found what I wanted and went back to my room, I opened my door and saw something wierd crawling on the floor, I was freaked out since I've never seen one of these or even heard of it in my life. I followed it until it was right in front of my closet door, I then tried to scoop it up in a cup but its two front legs that it uses as feelers or something went up then its tail went up and at that point my imagination ran wild and I thought it was going to jump up on me and sting me to death, I knew nothing about these things, so I opened my closet and pulled out one of my combat boots stuck my hand in and smashed the thing. I stood there staring at it for awhile then I could smell vinegar, wow the smell is strong.
But had I known anything about them I would have picked it up and put it back outside, I only killed it because I felt threatend and slightly scared.
I lived in Hobbs, New Mexico until 8th grade. We lived out in the country and I remember these black scorpion things in our garage. My parents said they were vinegarones. (?)
Ok. I remember they certainly smelled like vinegar and we (the kids) were afraid of them. For some reason the word came to mind and I plugged in the word and I find this creature in New Mexico? Who'd think it? Yes, they are in Hobbs, New Mexico, or at least they were in the 60's. If they're not poisonous and they eat bugs, then let 'em live. (just don't scare me...)
At 4:45 a.m. I was not expecting to see a big bug coming across my floor. I don't know how it got in, but to its dismay. I killed it. They are creepy looking.
I was first introduced to this "pest" at the El Paso Zoo. At a show they were having there was a woman walking around with one in her hand showing it to people. She even put her finger up to it's claws and it wound not bite. The good thing about these guys is not only will they eat regular bugs, they also eat scorpions. Ever since we found this out, when they find them in the motor pool my husband works at they no longer kill them.
Found one of these guys on my patio. Scared me a little as we have scorpions here and we have had them in the house before. This one looked different so I was intrigued. I caught it in a glass and looked it up. I sure am glad they're not poisonous. This one made it outside to the woods.
