This Bug Sprays Acid for Defense!

This bug doesn’t bite or sting, it sprays vinegar! Animal Keeper Jason introduces Dozer, the vinegaroon, a species of arachnid found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Although it has pronounced claws, the vinegaroon doesn’t produce venom. Instead, when it feels threatened, it sprays a sour-smelling liquid from glands at the base of its tail. That spray? It’s mostly acetic acid, the same chemical that gives vinegar its smell, but at over 80% concentration! For comparison, household vinegar is only 5–10%. The spray can irritate skin and eyes, but doesn’t cause long-term harm. Vinegaroons only use their spray when physically threatened, so if you give them space, you’ve got nothing to worry about.