Scorpions of North America
Before I started camping the only thing that I knew about scorpions was that a girl I went to school with got stung on the toe while on vacation riding dune buggies in the desert.
I didn't have any idea what a scorpion was or looked like. I didn't intend to go camping ever so I didn't think very hard on the subject.
Several years later I met my husband, Nick and guess what he wants to do? He wanted to go camping. This is when I remembered the story of the scorpion.
My family comes from the New York City and the closest we have ever come to camping was coming across the country and sleeping in a motel. That suited me just fine, hot and cold running water, flush toilets and showers are my style of camping.
I asked Nick what a scorpion looked like and were there any in the area we would be camping. He told me to just make sure that I shook out my shoes, clothes and sleeping bag before I put them on or crawl into the sleeping bag.
Did he answer my question? Was that a yes?
That was many years ago and a lot of shaking later. In all of those years I have never seen a scorpion. For that matter I haven't seen anything that I would consider creepy crawly or dangerous. But if you plan on spending time in the great outdoors I think it is good to have some information that can help you or someone around you if it becomes necessary.
Scorpions
Scorpions are nocturnal, predatory animals. They are in the spider family and they like to live in warm, dry climates although some have adapted to colder climates by hibernating. In warmer climates when they experience a drought they become dormant.
Identification
Scorpions can be identified by their crablike appearance. They have a pair of pincers, four legs and a tail that ends with a stinger.
They have two eyes in the center of their head and two to five more in the margin of their body. With all of these eyes they still do not have good eyesight and depend on touch. When running they hold their pincers out and curled up.
Bark Scorpion
In North America there are about seventy species of scorpions found but only the bark scorpion is dangerous to humans.
The bark scorpion is found throughout Arizona, extreme southeastern part of California and the southwestern part of New Mexico. In Mexico the bark scorpion is found in Baja California Norte, Baja California Sur and Sonora.
They are three inches long and have a thin tail about 1/16 inches wide and their body is yellow.
They usually live under tree bark, in palm trees, crevices of rocky cliffs and in wood piles, so watch your firewood. They also like cool dark places like bathrooms.
The Arizona Hairy Scorpion
The Arizona Hairy Scorpion is found in Arizona and Southern California. It ranges in length from 5-7 inches.
It burrows but can also be found under logs, rocks and in sleep bags and shoes. It also likes moist places and preys on insects, crickets, beetles, and moths. The Arizona Hairy Scorpion pose no threat to humans and play a beneficial role in our environment.
They can be found in woodpiles, palm trees, rocks, or the bark of trees and they also like cool, dark places like bathrooms, so be aware.
The Striped Tail Scorpion
The striped tail scorpion is a burrowing scorpion found in southern California, Arizona and other parts of the United States.
It likes sandy soil but can survive in rocky soil. It is about 2 ½ inches long and the upper side of its body is striped.
It is a venomous scorpion but not considered dangerous. They will hide under just about anything so don't just crawl into your sleeping bag or slip into your shoe until you shake them out.
Mating And Life Time
Scorpions have a mating dance. The male grasps the female's pincers with his and leads her into a dance that can last hours. In the process he deposits a sperm packet over her. It gets drawn into the female genitals on the underside of the abdomen. She stores the sperm packet and use's it later to fertilize her eggs.
The really interesting part is if the male is not careful and he doesn't escape quickly, she will sting him and eat him. This brings the black widow spider to mind.
The female can gestate for several months to a year and a half, I'm glad not a scorpion. The young are born two at a time and she can have twenty-five to thirty-five young. She will carry them on her back until they molt once, then they are on their own.
There are seventy species of scorpions in North America some of them can live up to fifteen years but the average lifetime is three to five years. Scorpions are slow to mature some taking up to six years.
The Sting
The sting for the common scorpion is like that of the ant, wasp, or the bee and isn't a problem unless you have an allergic reaction. The normal reaction is localized with burning sensation, redness and swelling. These symptoms usually disappear in about a half hour.
The Bark Scorpion has the most serious sting which can produce symptoms such as, severe pain and swelling at the sting sight, numbness, frothing at the mouth, difficulty breathing, respiratory paralysis, muscle twitching and convulsions. This sting needs medical as soon as possible.
Preventing The Sting
When you are camping do't leave your shoes, boots, clothing, and wet towels outdoors where the scorpion can hide. Shake towels when near the water, and shake all clothes, shoes and boots before putting them on. Wear shoes at all times when walking the campgrounds.
I've enjoyed many years of camping. I think it is worth repeating so I will, I have never seen a snake, scorpion, lizard or spider when I was camping.
I have see breath taking sunrises, magnificent sunsets and waterfalls that only God could create. I've seen only beauty in Mother Nature and memories that no one can take away. I wish you all the same peace and beauty that I have experienced every time we have gone out.