“How long do scorpions live?” is one of the most frequently asked questions about these animals. While many insects live for a few weeks or a few months, scorpions are known as a long-lived group among arthropods.
The short answer: the lifespan of scorpions varies greatly from species to species. Most species are reported to live for several years; in some large, slow-growing species this period can exceed ten years. Even within the same species, temperature, diet and habitat change the lifespan markedly. This article looks at how scorpions develop from birth to adulthood, which factors determine their lifespan and how the age of a scorpion is estimated.
The life cycle of a scorpion
The life cycle of scorpions differs from that of many insects: there are no metamorphic stages such as a caterpillar or a pupa. The young are born as small, soft individuals that resemble adults, and growth proceeds only through moults.
Scorpions do not lay eggs; the young develop inside the mother's body and are born live. Newborn young are carried on the mother's back until their first moult. This period is described in our article on reproduction in scorpions.
After leaving the mother's back, the young scorpion grows through stages, each ending with a moult. In most species adulthood is reached after five to seven moults, and the adult usually does not moult again. The details of this process are covered in our article on moulting.
| Stage | What happens? | What affects its duration |
|---|---|---|
| On the mother's back | The young stay on the mother's back until their first moult | Species and temperature |
| Juvenile stages | Size and weight increase with each moult | Amount of food and temperature; the intervals grow longer |
| Adulthood | Sexual maturity is reached and moulting stops | Months in small species, several years in large species |
| Adult life | Breeding periods and ageing | Species, sex and environmental conditions |
What determines lifespan?
- Species and body size: The general trend is that large, slow-growing species live longer. Small species that mature quickly complete their life cycle in a shorter time.
- Temperature: As scorpions are cold-blooded, temperature directly affects their metabolism. Cool periods slow development, which is why winter dormancy is a normal part of the life cycle.
- Diet: Individuals that feed regularly grow faster. Scorpions can go without food for long periods, but starvation slows growth; this resilience is described in our article on scorpion feeding.
- Moulting periods: Emerging from the old shell and the hardening that follows are the times when an individual is most vulnerable; some of the losses in the wild occur at this stage.
- Predators and environment: In the wild, birds, rodents, reptiles and other scorpions are a significant threat. Drought and loss of shelter also shorten lifespan.
Do they live longer in the wild or in captivity?
A scorpion in the wild faces the daily need to find prey, escape predators and find a suitable shelter. In captivity, where there is no predation pressure and temperature, humidity and feeding are kept stable, individuals are reported to be able to live longer than in the wild. Observations made in captivity may therefore not directly reflect the average lifespan of a species in the wild; they rather give an idea of the longest period the species can reach. A large share of individuals in the wild do not reach that age.
In closed-cycle production, the birth, moulting and milking history of individuals can be recorded. This aspect of colony management is described in our article on closed-cycle scorpion production.
How can a scorpion's age be determined?
It is difficult to state the exact age of a scorpion caught in the wild, because an adult no longer grows and carries no clear mark of its age. In juveniles, researchers estimate the developmental stage from body measurements and proportions. This method does not work for adults; it is often impossible to tell from appearance whether an adult matured recently or years ago. Exact age is available only for individuals followed from birth, that is, individuals with records.
Androctonus turkiyensis is a species described in 2021, and published detailed data on its lifespan are still limited. It is therefore more accurate to rely on general information rather than give an exact lifespan for this species; its characteristics are covered in our article on Androctonus turkiyensis.
