Husband's sting proves scorpions dwell in the sands of Oakley

August 27, 2004

The scream in the middle of the night was probably able to wake the dead, or me out of a sound sleep anyway. It was 1 a.m. and I wasn't quite sure what to make of the call for help at first, but running into one of the back rooms I certainly didn't expect to find what I did. My husband on a rampage because he had just been stung by a scorpion.

You heard right. There are scorpions in Oakley. This isn't the first time we have seen one up close and not the first time we had found one in our house, but this is the first time that one has ever stung someone. On many occasions I've heard people refer to Oakley's soil as desert sand and in it lives a wide variety of insects, but it is a myth really that scorpions only live in the blazing hot temperature of the desert. Scorpions live in a wide variety of habitats from tropical to temperate climates and from deserts to rain forests, grasslands to pine forests. Oakley would be somewhere in between, I would guess.

There are approximately 1,300 species of scorpions worldwide. They are considered relatives of spiders, mites and ticks. They are characterized by an elongated body and a segmented tail that is tipped with a venomous stinger. The sting of most scorpions is said to be less painful than a bee sting. As a matter of fact, my husband said though it hurt like blazes when he was stung, it was more the shock of actually coming across one and being stung than the stinging itself.

This is not to say that a scorpion can't be dangerous. There is only one scorpion that is really a danger and that is the sculptured or bark scorpion. The danger from its sting has been exaggerated, and its venom is probably not life-threatening. This species is usually found in Texas, western New Mexico, Arizona and northern Mexico. In very rare cases they can be found on the bands of the Colorado River in California.

When I first came into the room and heard the story, my husband professed what a really big scorpion it was that stung him. That of course stopped me from entering the room, with visions of the big guys you see in monster movies. You know, the ones big enough to take your leg off. The ones that eat small animals and snakes. Fortunately for us, it was only a little guy maybe two inches long at the most. (It's like the fish story, it gets bigger every time.)

In reality, scorpions range from three-eighths of an inch to eight and a half inches long. They all generally look the same. They are most active at night and are usually shy creatures. Unless someone has the gall to actually step on them.

Generally you will find that scorpions rarely go inside a building, but it is not unheard of. Usually they can be found in new developments where it is likely that within the past few years their habitat has been disturbed. They usually come in through cracks and holes looking for water, mates and something to eat. In our case they must have been following a trail of ants, since we are really hoping that there isn't a mate to be found in the house.

The worst part was that here we were at 1 a.m. and trying to remember exactly how dangerous a scorpion sting could be. Who do you call? After a couple of minutes on the Internet and several more waiting on the line to Kaiser, we finally decided to give up. I figured since his foot didn't turn black and fall off and he didn't start foaming at the mouth he was going to be OK.

Actually, remember to stay calm, wash the area of the sting with soap and water and put some ice or a cold compress on the sting. Spend a few minutes elevating your foot.

To get rid of the scorpion, carefully scoop it into a glass jar and then add soapy water or alcohol. Some people may want to just let it go in a field far away from anyone's house. In general there are no pesticides that really work for scorpions, since they can tolerate a great deal. They can even stay alive without eating for six months.

To keep an eye out for them, check under towels and blankets that aren't used on a regular basis. They can be easily found by using a black light which will make their bodies glow. Remind kids that if they see one not to play with them, because even if their stings aren't the things that movies are made of, my husband says that even after a week they still hurt.

Roni Gehlke's column on life in Oakley appears each week in the Brentwood News.

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