The Texas Vinegaroon, the Scary Looking, Acid Spewing Insect That’s Good for Us

Most people in Texas are not a big fan of bugs. They're ugly, they can carry diseases and they get into spaces we don't want them in. So yeah, bugs are a huge nuisance. Having said that, some bugs actually serve a greater purpose than to gross us out. Some help get rid of nastier bugs like an insect known as the vinegaroon does. What is a vinegaroon? It's a scary looking bug that can get rid of other bugs that are much worse in Texas.

Scary Looking Bug

The vinegaroon looks like a mini lobster. They have a set of pinchers up front and a long whip on it's tail. At the base of that whip, the insect can shoot out a type of acid. Shooting that acid isn't for malice, though, but for protection. You see, these scary looking bugs help get rid of other bugs that can do a lot more damage.

Vinegaroons don't have good eyesight and mostly come out at night. Their long front legs help sense vibrations on the ground as they hunt for the likes of millipedes, scorpions, crickets, cockroaches and other invertebrate bugs. All of those bugs are either aggressive, annoying or spread diseases. That does some good in nature.

Not Harmful to Humans

A vinegaroon will not attack a human unless they are agitated. Their sting is basically harmless to us but the acid they shoot out will feel about like pouring vinegar on an open wound.

You won't find these guys in East Texas. They are mostly found in the desert of West Texas. If you're camping in the Big Bend National Park area, you may see one or two of them. Just let 'em be because they could go after that scorpion sitting outside your tent.

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