# What Do Emperor Scorpions Eat?

> What emperor scorpions eat: Carnivore (insects, spiders, small vertebrates), foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Rainforests and savannas of West Africa.

- **Species:** Emperor Scorpion (*Pandinus imperator*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore (insects, spiders, small vertebrates)
- **Habitat:** Rainforests and savannas of West Africa
- **Lifespan:** 6–8 years
- **Top speed:** Slow walker; fast pincer strikes
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/scorpion/what-do-scorpion-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/scorpion/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The emperor scorpion is one of the largest scorpions in the world, a glossy black arachnid native to the rainforests of West Africa. It has large pincers, eight legs, and a curved tail tipped with a stinger, and its body glows blue-green under ultraviolet light. Despite its fearsome look, its venom is mild, and it is a popular, docile pet that can live 6 to 8 years.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Pincers and stinger

The emperor scorpion is an arachnid with eight legs, two large front pincers, and a segmented tail ending in a venomous stinger. Large adults rely mainly on their powerful pincers to seize and crush prey, using the stinger less often. Its venom is mild for humans, usually causing only a sting comparable to a bee.

## Help protect the Emperor Scorpion

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/scorpion/what-do-scorpion-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.