Florida Residents - Scorpions?

[Feralpeg]

I had a scorpion in my house last night. It was about two inches long. It had an unfortunate accident with a shoe.

I assume that these things can sting just like any other scorpion. Are these things very poisonous? I'd like to know just in case one of us ever has an incident with one.

This is the first time in my life I've ever seen a scorpion in person other than in a zoo.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I would think they're poisonous. I saw one only once at Boynton Beach mall...outside. Eek!

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I'm not in Florida, but mid to south Ga...and I saw my first scoripion in my home about 8 yrs ago..and freaked!!
Now...I"m in a different home in the woods, and we have quite a few...black and about 2 inches long..not menacing looking after you get used to it and compare them to those at the zoo...LOL!
IF they are poisonous..it's not much... my 'crazy' friend thought it'd be cool to pick one up. cut off it's tail and sting himself... JUST so he'd know what it was like if it happened 'unexpectantly'.. Well, he's weird I know, but he said it was nothing more than a soft bee sting...and nothing happened..
Soo...I'd just keep killing them

 

[RadioNate]

I live in tx and get about one a week. they are poisonous but the ones you described shouldn't deadly or even serious. Like with bee's people can have severe alleric reactions. I have yet to be stung but from what I hear they are similar to a bee sting.

We keep both oral and topical benerdryl on hand just in case.

editing to add that I just looked up some more info. The only real dangerous species in the US is mostly concentrated in AZ, southeastern CA and south Utah.

 

[MosMom]

I was stung by one when I lived down in the keys. It is like a bee sting. Nothing major.

However, we learned rule #1 with those scorpions....

"Where there's one...there is another one nearby"

So keep an eye out.

 

[perdidobay]

**** "unfortunate accident with a shoe" *******

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Feralpeg
It had an unfortunate accident with a shoe.

HAHAHA! That was funny!

I would be very cautious with something like that, I would think htat they probably are poisonous. I think i'd be on the phone with my exterminator within minutes of the "unfortunate accident" to have the place checked for nests.

Anne

 

[DukeStreetKing]

When I built my house in Florida, we had the same type of scorpions in our house and surrounding area for about a year. After that, they disappeared.

I never got stung by one, but I don't believe they are very dangerous. Just keep that shoe handy.

 

[lvs_eeyore]

Wow I have lived in Florida for 33 years and have never seen a scorpion. I know they have them in the Keys because dh once told me he got one in his sleeping bag while he was camping down there. It may be because I live in the city and thats why we dont see them.

 

[Mrs.Milo]

Yes, we do have them here in Arizona, but I've heard the biggest danger here is to small children and the elderly/sick; an anti-venom is necessary. Hope you don't see another!

 

[Feralpeg]

Thanks for all the information. I can tell you that I was very surprised when I saw it. I was in the shower and I looked up to see in on the doorjam to my bathroom. I had to look twice because I couldn't believe what I saw. We do have woods behind us and we are sort of in a construction zone right now. I really hope to not see anymore. I've had the house treated by an exterminator, but I guess they can't help things that crawl in.

Let's see, since I moved to Florida three months ago, I've seen two snakes, been through two hurricanes and have now seen a scorpion. Let's hope I don't find an alligator in my living room!

 

[beavismom]

I have been stung numerous times and it is similar to a bee sting. They like to be places that are cool and dark so check your shoes and under your pillows. Those were the places that they hung out in Texas.

I will never forget one night one fell off the ceiling and landed on my Mom stinging her. She slapped it off and it landed in my Dad's ear and stung him. It was one of those "funny even though you shouldn't laugh" kind of things. Needless to say, Dad was his last sting.

My cat used to love to eat them and they made her legs twitch if she got one. We tried hard to keep them away from her though.

 

[JulieWent]

The ones that live here in Alabama and Florida are like wasps and bees. Sting like fire, but aren't particularly dangerous unless you're allergic to them. I speak from experience as I've been stung before. Nothing like trying to be quiet in the middle of the night to keep from waking up a sleeping baby while you're hopping around holding your foot and cursing at a scorpion (who also had an unfortunate accident involving a shoe, but not before it got me).

Julie

 

[sorcerormickey]

YIKES! I know your situation! My mom found one the other night in her bathroom. I didn't believe it was a scorpion until I saw it myself. YUCK!

My boyfriend sent it to that new water park that opened in our bathroom - you know, Tidy-Bowl World?? That's where all the unwelcomed guests get a ticket to!

 

[phamton]

Scorpions don't have nests. They carry their babies on their backs. They are as hard to get ride of as spiders. I had a scorpion problem when I lived in an older home in south Texas. The exterminator had to come out every month for almost a year. Look for them on top of door jabs during the day where they hide. They are most active at night. You can locate them with a black light or infrared light as they will glow.

I've been stung several times as has everyone else in my family. They aren't deadly but the sting is pretty painful. Always shake your shoes off before putting them on as it is favorite place for them to hide. The only time anyone had a reaction when my teenage daughter put on a pair of jeans that she had thrown on the floor. She was stung 5 times before she could get them off and felt a little dizzy afterwards. I called the doctor and he just said give her some benadryl. Needless to say, I didn't have to remind her to hang up her clothes after that.