Detailed information on Giant Vinegarone (Mastigoproctus giganteus)

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dontkillbugspls

| April 2019 | Positive

Why kill innocent creatures when you can trap them and relocate them? vinegaroons are awesome predators that lack any venom but a large vinegaroons claws may break skin if you get it to attack you (by hurting it or touching it) but it doesn't hurt. they also spray acedic acid from glands on their skin and this smells like vinegar.

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peejay12

(Zone 9b) | March 2014 | Positive

These creatures look scary, but in my experience are completely harmless, and may eat some garden pests. I kept mine as a pet and they are quite popular as a safe alternative pet to scorpions.
The acidic smell they give out when alarmed was quite faint -- a bit like a squeezed lemon. Nothing to be alarmed about, and the 'pincers' are very weak.
Just leave them alone -- they won't do any harm!

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GreenThumbToo

Sierra Vista, AZ | April 2012 | Positive

I was new to living in Arizona and had first rented a manufactured home, which had a large cement patio. It was on an acre lot and I had to cut all the large weeds and grass around the house. I must have disturbed this critter as it suddenly appeared right next to me on the patio. I was terrified, thinking it was a scorpion and screamed. A friend. who was visiting my daughter came out and smashed it with his foot. It was only until then, did he take the time and looked closely at it. He told me he was sorry he did that because it was a helpful critter who loved eating black widow spiders and scorpions. I felt so bad that the critter was smashed I gave it a decent burial, putting wild flowers on its little grave. I made a promise to myself to make sure it is a helpful bug, before killing it... read more

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missjanemarple

Hobbs, NM | August 2009 | Positive

Freaky looking but good bad bug eaters. Also, very gentle. I was out weeding the front flowers beds today and as I ripped up the last batch of weeds a five inch one of these fell out. It had been sleeping, and I disturbed it. They are night arachnids. It was all confused just like a person is when you dump them out of bed onto the floor. So I let it find a dark hole under the house and go back to sleep. I need one IN the house though so it can get the scorpion that stung my butt on the couch last week.

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MotherNature4

Bartow, FL (Zone 9a) | April 2009 | Positive

I was born in Florida 80 years before I saw my first Vinegarone, but I had heard of Whip Scorpions. I had never seen one of them either. Then I found out it was the same critter. After looking him up on the net and taking his photo, I carried him around for a day. What an interesting thing. I had to turn him loose because I was in a state park, but would have loved to have had him for a pet.

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LUXOR73

Deltona, FL | November 2008 | Neutral

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.

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Meeds

Columbia, MO | September 2008 | Positive

Love these guys. I'm big time into bugs so I keep one as a pet. Great pet, really docile.

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lala4j

El Paso, TX | July 2008 | Positive

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.

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myf6h1

Carlsbad, NM | July 2008 | Negative

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.

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batfetty

Austin, TX | April 2008 | Neutral

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...)

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Lonnieloup

Carlsbad, NM | July 2007 | Neutral

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... read more

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madamecp

Denver, CO (Zone 5b) | June 2007 | Positive

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... read more

Giant Vinegarone

Mastigoproctus giganteus

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