Let’s say a conscientious homeowner is finally re-stacking piles of lumber in the yard back onto freshly refurbished sawhorses. She gets to the bottom board and upon picking it up sees the unexpected but unmistakable shape of a scorpion. STOMP! No questioning or pause for reflection, just an instinctive stomp of self-preservation.
Actually, the only species of scorpion in Arkansas is the striped bark scorpion, and sources say its sting is usually no more painful than the sting of a bee. Nevertheless, scorpions have scary pincers called pedipalps in front, a fearsome curved tail with a stinger behind, and a sinister mythology following them which prompt instinctive panic, squeals, stomps and smashes even though in almost all of the United States except the Southwest, they are benign, useful, and less a threat to health and safety.
Scorpion conservationist Matt Ellerback states, “Out of the approximately 100 scorpion species found in the United States, only the Arizona Bark scorpion possesses venom that is toxic enough to cause human fatalities. Fatal stings are rare, however, in the United States. According to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, no fatal scorpion stings have occurred in the United States in 20 years. Furthermore, according to Health24.com, less than 5 percent of scorpion stings result in symptoms requiring medical attention.” The range of this species extends from Arizona to parts of Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and southern California.
However, the story is different south of the border. Durango, Mexico, named its soccer team the Scorpions. Hunters in that vicinity capture or kill thousands of the critters every year. At one point, the local government paid citizens for each scorpion killed until it was discovered families were conducting profitable breeding operations.
A quarter million people get stung by scorpions every year in Mexico, and fatalities number from several dozen to several hundred, depending on whom you ask. In the 1950s, the number of fatalities was around one thousand per year. Medscape.com estimates there are 1.2 million scorpion stings annually around the world leading to 3,250 deaths.
There are around 1,500 species of scorpions on the planet. In North America, scorpions reach only about 2.5 inches in length, but their range extends from mid-Canada to Tierra del Fuego, so wherever you go in the Americas, there they are. We often associate them with deserts, and some species indeed specialize in scampering across sand. Other species live only on rocks and can scale vertical surfaces or even scramble upside down.
They are marvels of adaptability. Scorpions have been seen at altitudes of 16,000 feet, in hot desert temperatures and in the darkness of caves. Some species can survive well below freezing temperatures for weeks and then thaw out and go about their business unharmed. Other species have been known to survive being underwater for a day or two. They have hitchhiked to New Zealand and England and throughout the Caribbean, where they found a niche.
A species in Guinea, the black emperor scorpion, will reach a length of seven inches, longer than most North American lizards. A South African species known as the rock scorpion might be eight inches long or more. Now we’re scared. In addition, approximately 25 species in the world carry venom toxic enough to kill a human. These live in India, Africa, the Middle East, South America, Central America and the West Indies.
With their venomous and adaptable credentials, it is easy to see why scorpions have commanded respect (fear?) throughout history.
Myths and legends
Scorpions appear in stories from traditions all over the globe. They are often represented on tombs and monuments in ancient Egypt, and depictions of the scorpion goddess, Selkit, show her with a stylish scorpion on her head. A section of an important Egyptian papyrus of medical and herbal information dating to 1500 B.C. was titled “How to rid the house of scorpions.” Until fairly recently Egyptians believed scorpions came from the bodies of dead crocodiles.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, a poem from Mesopotamia dating to 2100 B.C., Scorpion Man guarded Mount Mashu, the place of sunrise and sunset.
Greek mythology has more than one version of the story of Artemis, but one retelling is that Artemis created a scorpion to kill Orion after he raped her. Scorpions are also featured in the legends of Tibet, India and China. In fact, the Chinese character for scorpion also represents the number 10,000.
Scorpion daily life
Individuals of most species are nocturnal and solitary. They hide in cracks in the earth or under rocks, boards or tree bark during the day. Darkness falls and scorpions wake up. A curious part-time naturalist who still has a black light left over from the ‘70s can shine it on them at night and discover that scorpions fluoresce. They can be seen on really dark nights from 30 feet away.
Scorpions breed during warmer months, typically late spring until early fall. Like tarantulas, male scorpions will journey several hundred yards following the scent of love emanating from a prospective partner. Courtship involves grasping at first and then complicated dancing before procreation maneuvers ensue. Males who linger after mating are sometimes eaten.
In some species, the female mates several times. In others species, the female can produce more than one clutch of babies from one courtship. Females of at least two species can hatch a clutch without mating at all. Gestation lasts about eight months.
Females are considered very good mothers. They bear live little white scorpions, not eggs. The birthing process might take a few hours or several days, and the litter usually numbers around 25 but could range up to 100. The tiny little darlings crawl onto the mother’s back and receive nourishment by absorbing moisture she transpires. Otherwise they would die. Soon enough, they molt and leave home. Scorpions might live for 10 to 15 years.
Scorpions will eat any small creature they can capture, but typically the diet includes insects, arachnids and even other scorpions. The common hunting strategy is to wait patiently until a meal enters the kill zone. They know dinner is coming by sensing vibrations in the ground or in the air. If the prey resists being eaten, the scorpion will sting it, though it does not want to use all its venom because it takes several days to replenish the supply. Otherwise, the scorpion simply holds it victim and chews away as it softens up the meal with digestive fluids. For the record, scorpions are slow eaters.
Evidence indicates scorpions having been on earth more than 400 million years. Early versions lived in water. Even after moving to dry land, their body design has undergone hardly any significant evolution as species spread and adapted to various environments.
The only species found in Arkansas is the striped bark scorpion, and it prefers the western part of the state though it will live in all kinds of forests and grasslands. They spend their days out of sight and under things. At night they go to work even climbing trees or the insides of our walls. Apparently they can sustain themselves on the insects and spiders in our attics, though there ought not be much moisture up there.
Stings occur when a bare-handed person, for example, turns over a rock or log and surprises a scorpion. Stings from striped bark scorpions are usually not serious medically. Like a wasp sting, symptoms will include sharp pain and swelling, but the pain will dissipate fairly quickly leaving mild numbness and tingling. Some sensitive victims might feel nauseated or dizzy. Severe allergic reactions are rare. Precautions would be wearing gloves and boots when working around stacks of wood or lumber and avoiding sticking your bare hand into a likely hiding place.
Scorpions are valuable in the ecosystem as both predators and prey. There is medical research using scorpion venom in studies for creating antibiotics. Other studies have indicated scorpion venom has a way of assisting heart transplant patients recover because, apparently, an injection of a serum including the venom prevents the growth of cells which would interfere with the success of the transplant. There also appears to be success using the venom as part of treatment of Lupus and arthritis with no known side effects. Other studies have used the venom as a means of controlling cancer cells, but these studies are still experimental.
Maybe the possible value of using scorpion venom in medical research would be an opportunity for entrepreneurs to open scorpion ranches in the backyard. Get along, little dogies! Regardless, scorpions help control populations of insect pests and they are wonderful mothers, so respectful co-existence might be a more thoughtful choice than a quick stomp.