Scorpions in Kentucky?

When one thinks of scorpions, the image of the dessert comes to mind, but you may be surprised to find that there are scorpions all over the U.S. Not only can you find scorpions in the dessert but in temperate zones like Kentucky scorpions can be fairly common. This CP was on a camping trip in southern KY when I felt something crawling up my leg. The usual reaction would be to brush it off or kill it, which I did, but upon further examination I came to find that the creature I had just smashed was no locust or mosquito but indeed a small and interesting scorpion.

Scorpions are found in 31 of the 50 United States and indeed are found across the globe south of the 49^th parallel with 2 exceptions being Antarctica and New Zealand. The common misconception that scorpions are found only in the deserts of the world is due mainly to scorpion's enjoyment of dark dry places and their ability to prosper in such barren and desolate environments as deserts.

All scorpions carry some type of venom with the majority of them being harmless to humans. Scorpions are in the arthropod family and thus related to spiders but not commonly called as such due to their pinchers and stinging tail. Traditionally scorpions have poor eyesight and merely wait in dark spots for passing prey, much like spiders that trap prey in webs, but unlike spiders scorpions have a paralyzing sting which serves as a neuro-toxin. This toxin is normally harmless to humans, merely causing swelling, numbness or minor pain, but some scorpions can inject enough venom to kill humans, especially several species in Northern Africa.

So if scorpions are common in most of the world and fairly common in KY and harmless then do we have anything to fear from them? The answer in short is no, our domestic scorpions here in the US are relatively harmless and should be praised for their insect eating abilities rather than feared for their less than lethal sting. Foreign scorpions on the other hand may tell a different tail (bad pun I know). Scorpions are often found in crates of fruit shipped from Mexico or South America. These foreign invades can be extremely dangerous particularly because they are out of their element and unexpected. The consumer giant Wal-Mart has had two incidents of scorpion intrusions in the last year, one incident involved a small child being stung and hospitalized.

So we find that while scorpions are not expected in most of the US, they are indeed found, and that while the majority of scorpion species are harmless to humans and aid in pest control, some potentially deadly scorpions find their way into large cities and stores via global trade. It has not been uncommon for various species to be found far from their native lands due to human trade of goods, the legendary bubonic plague was reportedly spread via rats which stowed aboard ships sailing from the Middle East and Africa into the various ports of Europe. Fortunately today's regulations are more strict and monitoring is greatly improved (partially due to terrorist attacks globally).

Do not be surprised the next time you see a scorpion, odds are there is a significant population of them in your area, and odds are that they are harmless. If stung by a scorpion, attempt to catch it in a cup so that it may be identified by poison control. Also remember that scorpions are not aggressive and will not attack, but rather defend themselves when provoked. Be safe and smart when dealing with any poisonous animal, and perhaps you can learn something from these fascinating creatures. Hopefully you will not have the same experience that I had, but rather one which can be respectful of all life.