Interesting factoid: Scorpions are fluorescent under ultra-violet light

[inanna]

Common Name: Scorpions

Scientific Name: Scorpiones

Type: Invertebrates

Diet: Carnivores

Group Name:

Average life span in The Wild: 3 to 8 years

Size: 2.5 to 8.3 in

Scorpions are members of the class Arachnida and are closely related to spiders, mites, and ticks. They are commonly thought of as desert dwellers, but they also live in Brazilian forests, British Columbia, North Carolina, and even the Himalayas. These hardy, adaptable arthropods have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and they are nothing if not survivors.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/group/scorpions/

My ex encountered one of these creatures while on duty in Afghanistan. He woke up one night and saw one clinging to the divider curtain in his barracks.



I've been both terrified and fascinated by them ever since.

Lots of pics at link, that I can't seem to post here.

[underpants]

1. Scorpions would have made my freshman year at college a lot more interesting

Not that it wasn't interesting enough.

[MineralMan]

2. We even had them in my old home area in

the central coast of California. They were small and sand-colored, to match the sand dunes in the area. I found a few in my house over the 30 years I owned it. I always trapped them under a glass and then slid a card under it so I could take them out and release them. I never got stung by one, but a kid across the street did. He yelped, but no harm was done. Like a bee sting.

[onethatcares]

3. any word about what

Leos do under the same or Aquarians?

[inanna]

12. Not sure.

But here's a good video for ya!

[Leith]

4. I Knew That

When you live in a desert with scorpions, you learn stuff. It's how you find them in your garage.

[inanna]

7. Ever been stung? Just curious...?

Be careful! Geez...

[Leith]

8. No

I don't have scorpions in my neighborhood. It's all desert landscaping and there are very few palm trees (they like to live in them).

My inlaws live in a golf community so there is a lot of water and everyone has palm trees. She actually stepped on one in her bare feet and didn't get stung. They really aren't as bad or scary as stories say. Sure you could get stung, but like Mineral Man said, it's like a bee sting.

[ProudLib72]

5. Knew that already

There was a story about entomologists doing a study of scorpions in rural Mexico. They waited until night and brought their UV lights into huts (with thatched roofs). They found several kinds of scorpions and a lot of them were deadly. So these poor people were living 24/7 with potentially deadly scorpions crawling around above their heads. Thus proving that out of sight out of mind is the best way to go about your life with regards to scorpions.

[inanna]

6. One of the reasons I'm wary of going to Mexico.

Well, also the drug cartels, etc.

[ProudLib72]

9. I always wanted to put the UV light thing to the test

My parents lived in NM and ran across scorpions from time to time. I meant to buy a UV light and inspect their garage, but I never could quite muster the courage to do so. They also had big centipedes, one of which fell on my face while I was sleeping. I woke up and knew something had fallen on me. I searched everywhere under the bed, behind the bookcase, but nothing. Then I lifted the pillow. There he was, four inches of fat centipede curled up. He took off before I could get him. I didn't sleep very well the rest of the night.

[Ilsa]

10. The list includes only NC as a place in the US with scorpions?

I'm thinking Texas, New Mexico Georgia, etc...coast to coast in the south.

[inanna]

11. The list does say British Columbia though..

There is something I was completely unaware of.

Yeh, I'm pretty sure I've heard tell of scorpions in Texas, etc. too?

[Ilsa]

13. Yeah, like in my knitting basket. LOL. nt