Scorpions have elaborate courtship rituals Agustin Esmoris/Minden Pictures/Alamy
Getting stung before sex may be a way for female scorpions to evaluate potential suitors.
During scorpions’ lengthy mating rituals, the male grabs the female’s pincers to lead her in a dance and then rubs his tail gland all over her, lathering her in its secretions. If the female doesn’t react by running away – or by attacking and eating him – he then places one to three stings into the willing female, before finally transferring his sperm.
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