Scorpions can appear intimidating, but only one species native to the US can potentially harm humans. Here's what you need to know about their stings.
Wolfgang Hasselmann / UnsplashAfter the sun goes down, William Hayes begins his hunt. Armed with nothing more than a blacklight, he heads out into the southern California desert in search of biological treasure. The ultraviolet light doesn’t illuminate the path well at all, but it will help him spot his stinging, pinching, eight-legged prey: scorpions.
As invertebrates in the arachnid family, scorpions are closely related to spiders and ticks and are most active in warm summer months, hunting at night and keeping to the cool shade during the day. They hibernate in the winter, slowing their metabolism so they can last up to a year without food, one reason they are able to thrive in extreme environments.
Fortunately, avoiding these little arachnids isn’t hard to do. Scorpions use tiny hairs on their legs and body to sense vibrations and will likely skitter into a safe hiding place before you even see them. They can cause bruising and swelling, however, and heat around the injection site. In a small percentage of people who are allergic, venom can cause anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reactions. If you find out you are allergic, carry treatment like an epinephrine auto-injector with you in scorpion country. Good news: If you’re allergic to bees, you’re not automatically allergic to scorpion venom.
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