CRITTER COMMANDER BADGE

Night UV Scorpion Hunt

Lesson 10.6 — Scorpion Rule

🦁

Kitimu says: "This is your most exciting mission yet — a NIGHT HUNT! Scorpions have a secret superpower: they glow bright green under UV light. Grab an adult, grab a blacklight torch, and discover the hidden world that comes alive after dark. Let's go, Cub!"

🎒 What You Need

UV / blacklight torch

An adult partner

Closed shoes

Pencil and paper

A normal torch (backup)

📋 How To Do It

Wait for darkness: This mission starts after sunset! Make sure it's properly dark outside. If you don't have a UV torch, you can do the daytime version instead — carefully check under rocks and logs during the day (see safety notes below).
Gear up: Put on closed shoes (never sandals!). Take your UV torch and your normal torch. Most importantly — bring an adult with you. This is a TEAM mission, no solo hunting!
Scan with UV light: Walk slowly around your garden, along walls, near rock piles, and under overhangs. Sweep the UV torch beam slowly across the ground and walls. Scorpions glow an incredible bright green/blue under UV light — you can't miss them!
Observe from a safe distance: When you spot a glowing scorpion, STOP. Do NOT get closer than 1 metre. Watch what it's doing — is it hunting? Is it still? Can you see its pincers and tail? Count how many you find.
Record your findings: Write down how many scorpions you found, where each one was (on a wall, under a rock, on the ground), and what it was doing. If you're brave enough, take a photo showing the UV glow!

Ranger Tip: Scientists still aren't 100% sure why scorpions glow under UV light! The glow comes from special chemicals in their exoskeleton. Even fossil scorpions millions of years old still glow. It might help them detect UV light from the moon so they can find shade.

SAFETY — READ THIS FIRST: NEVER touch or pick up a scorpion — they can sting and it is very painful. Always wear closed shoes at night. Always go with an adult. Keep at least 1 metre away from any scorpion you find. If you don't have a UV torch, check under rocks during the daytime by lifting the far edge of the rock (so the rock is between you and anything underneath).

No UV torch? Do the daytime version! Carefully lift rocks and logs from the far side (so anything underneath runs AWAY from you, not towards you). Always have an adult with you. Replace every rock exactly as you found it — that's a scorpion's home!