Scorpion (Alacrán) – Look Out Below

So what has armor, pinchers, AND a painful, venomous stinger; glows neon blue under UV light; and hasn’t changed much in 430 million years? That’s right, the dreaded scorpion. They are solitary creatures who live, for the most part, under dead wood, on the undersides of rocks, and in underground holes. They come out at night to hunt and to feed. During the rainy season, they have a tendency to find their way into houses (probably through the drains) but they can be found almost year-round in this part of Mexico. The stinger that is their main defense weapon is also a method of killing their prey, although their usual preference is to crush it with their pincers. They favorite food is insects and spiders of all varieties.

Scorpions are the main reason to wear your flip-flops (chanclas) if you’re walking around indoors. While the rumor is they like to lurk in shoes, most of the stories we’re heard is of people stepping on scorpions completely by accident, in their homes, with bare feet.

Scorpion stings, while very painful, are usually harmless to humans. There may be some numbness of the mouth and tongue for an hour or so, due to the effect of the neurotoxin found in scorpion venom. (Usually ice on the sting site as well as elevating the affected limb, taking an analgesic and an antihistamine will take care of it.) No medical treatment is normally needed for healthy adults, although it may be for children, the elderly, and those who are sensitive to bee and wasp venom. If there is a strong reaction, find an emergency room where an antivenom can be administered by a physician