Our local enemy, the Arizona Bark Scorpion

[LVSteve]

FAIR WARNING, MACRO SHOTS OF BUGS ATTACHED.

Killed this as it was wandering across the back lawn last night. The corpse was still there this AM so I took some pictures for ID purposes.

Note how the dorsal plates are tweaked on the rear edges, hence the Latin name sculpturatus. Another ID feature is the thin pincers emerging from the bulbous "wrist" that you can see in the second picture.

The third shot shows just how well this critter is armed. That is some stinger.

The presence of these scorpions around Las Vegas is down to human stupidity. The developers of the 1990s wanted lots of palm trees. The nurseries here could not keep up with demand, so many were shipped in from the Phoenix area, complete with passengers.

 

[jtcarm]

Eh, pretty soon the whole country will be over run by invasive species. At least yours are from North America.

Florida with pythons (not the Colt kind)
Texas with zebra mussels
Georgia with kudzu.
The entire South with fire ants and feral hogs.

 

[SC_Mike]

"Release the Kraken"

I think someone already has!

 

[Golddollar]

Eh, pretty soon the whole country will be over run by invasive species. At least yours are from North America.

Florida with pythons (not the Colt kind)
Texas with zebra mussels
Georgia with kudzu.
The entire South with fire ants and feral hogs.

Don't forget the lampreys in the Great Lakes.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Since we don't have scorpions, we have been blessed with these squatters. These 'fiddlers' I don't want to gig with:

 

[THE PILGRIM]

The envasive species which fascinates and scares me is -
The Asian Jumping Carp!

The Attack of the Jumping Asian Carp - Reel Shot TV - YouTube

 

[Ranger514]

Working in the Grand Canyon for nine years, I lived among AZ Bark Scorpions. I had a couple of close encounters, but was never struck by the little buggers. I kept sticky traps around my bed, and scattered throughout my ranger station. They collected a lot of scorpions. They also often trapped themselves when they fell into the glass light globes in my ceiling. To my pleasant surprise, I found that the tree lizards in the breezeway would dart out to snatch them up whenever I dumped the scorpions on the flagstones. The scorpions didn't have a chance, and the lizards were impervious to their sting.

 

[jtcarm]

Don't forget the lampreys in the Great Lakes.

I thought that was it, but I wasn’t sure.
And killer bees here in TX.
Emerald ash borers.

 

[jtcarm]

The envasive species which fascinates and scares me is -
The Asian Jumping Carp!

The Attack of the Jumping Asian Carp - Reel Shot TV - YouTube

Egad[emoji15]

They need shotguns, not bows!

And those kind with the double-digit magazines at that.

 

[Steve912]

FAIR WARNING, MACRO SHOTS OF BUGS ATTACHED.

The scary part is that round thing underneath it--it's a manhole cover!!

 

[brjr51]

Those scorpions were all over my Father-in -Laws place in Tempe. Used to take a black light out at night to spot them. He always kept a cat in the house to keep them in check.

 

[jag312]

I don't know how they got up to Minden, Nevada, but I found two in my horse's corral last year. They squash real good. I'm getting a portable UV light to see if there are any more this year. I hope not.

 

[RBS_@63]

Egad[emoji15]

They need shotguns, not bows!

And those kind with the double-digit magazines at that.

I have for years tried to talk friends into doing that on secluded sections of the river. But it is illegal to shoot from a boat under power. We could really put a hurt on the dam things and feed the turtles

 

[shouldazagged]

The envasive species which fascinates and scares me is -
The Asian Jumping Carp!

The Attack of the Jumping Asian Carp - Reel Shot TV - YouTube

Since they can weigh well over twenty pounds, those collisions with humans can be damned serious.

I've read that they are delicious, but can't vouch for that.

 

[Onomea]

...I'm getting a portable UV light to see if there are any more this year. I hope not.

That could lead to a nasty surprise....

 

[amazingflapjack]

Luke 10:19 I was splitting firewood in the Ga. Mountains, and as I picked up an arm full, a scorpion stung me right in the bend of my arm;right on the artery. The devil tried several suggestions on me, but I stuck to the first one. I didn't even break a sweat! PTL!

 

[bearfoot]

FLA. before

when it rained heavy, i even lived on a small hill, we had the black and the pink scorps. we had a lizard that lived under the dryer in the garage. never sprayed his corner/ area. even put water out for him. he kept the spiders and scorps in check. after a couple of years he was a fair size, someone moved the dyrer and he met his demise.

 

[LennyLames]

Bark scorpion sting is dangerous to young children. I also know an older lady that suffers from apparent neurological damage due to a bark scorpion sting.

They're also impervious to the usual chemicals. I use either Demand CS or Cy Kick CS, spraying around the house exterior perimeter to keep them out.

As others have mentioned, they glow under UV light. When I find one I capture it under a glass jar. Next day, I secure the tail with locking surgical forceps, hang it from a tree at 1.4 meters height, exactly 10 meters from my air rifle and air pistol shooting position. Death by firing squad.

 

[muddocktor]

That is one nasty looking little booger! I guess it's too wet for them in south Louisiana though. I've never seen them around the house. I wonder if they have them around Midland, TX though as I work out here?

 

[soFlaNative]

I sat on the Fla. version of the bark scorpion when I was 12 or 13 wearing nothing but those sorry 70's version of the gym short when I plopped on a log at dusk at Fisheating Creek. Didn't hurt much worse than a wasp sting but it got me in a really sensitive spot and it nailed me again on the hand because I was PO'd and squashed it.
The other guys thought the whole incident was a laff riot but one guy gave me some antihistamine he had for an allergy to bee stings. A brief period of pain and some minor swelling which I proudly showed off.