Steerpike

When I was in Scottsdale, AZ, I moved from an apartment where I'd never seen a single scorpion in 10 years to a townhouse where I saw several scorpions in just a month or two. Apparently then are very territorial; if you buy a house that was built on or near a scorpion habitat, they will stay right there. I paid for a professional 'pest control' company to spray indoors and out every month. I found quite a few dead scorpions. I wore only open-footwear around the house ('flip flop' style), especially at night - no enclosed 'slippers'. A neighbor across the street paid a professional company that 'scorpion-proofs' the house - they fill every crack, seal every hole. He said he hadn't seen one in years. I never got stung, but I was very concerned.

Lion in Winter

Yes, I suppose that is the correct expression. But when you are hopping around trying to get a scorpion out of your jeans the technical niceties seem less important somehow.

Jack_Russells4ever

Scorpions can also be found in Europe. Look at the scorpion in the attached news article. Looks larger than any scorpion I ever encountered in Texas. The scorpion mention in this artcle was found by a family in Pecs, Hungary..Yikes.

https://hungarytoday.hu/stray-scorpi...garian-family/

lizzyq

The only time I have seen a live scorpion in the wild was in Greece, I guess it makes sense that they are native there given that they turn up in Greek myths, however this one quite definitely real!

Steerpike

FYI, the most dangerous scorpions in the US Southwest are the small, 'bark' variety. The bigger ones look scary but apparently are less dangerous. I encountered a 'big' one waltzing across my patio one evening. I sprayed it with a 'scorpion' spray, but it didn't flinch. Just went into 'attack' pose ...



This guy was several inches long. Maybe 3, 4 inches or more. Scared me to bits! I NEVER left any door open without a screen ...

BristolUK

ChocolateBabz

Holy Moly he’s a big guy, mine was about 1 1/2”

Pulaski

I once read that there are about 100 colonies of Scorpions in the UK, and many of them have likely been there since Roman times when they came over on a military baggage cart.

I've only ever seen two outside of a zoo/ museum, and both were in Italy, in a villa we were staying in. Needless to say they didn't survive.

scrubbedexpat142

Reported back in September, in southern Hungary -

"When the association went to the scene, the animal was quickly found, and after a successful capture, identified as a Carpathian scorpion, which is found and colonizes only in Transylvania, hundreds of kilometers away from where it was found in Hungary."

Jack_Russells4ever

I guess the errant scorpion must have hitched a ride to Hungary then, most likely as a stowaway in a cargo shipment. Wouldn't be the first time a misplaced insect was found out of their customary place of habitation.

Pulaski

Civilservant pointed out that they sting, and I shall point out that they're not insects, they're arachnids, so in the same family as spiders, mites, and several other non-insect creepy-crawlies.

destone

Lol, Hungarian nationalists would be quick to point out that Transylvania is considered to be Hungarian territory! You may have read about the scarf that PM Viktor Orban flashed at a soccer game, showing the pre-Trianon borders:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63724710.amp

scrubbedexpat142

Good point!