My wife and I just recently bought a house here in the South Tampa area, we have been living in it for two months now. This morning at about 6:30am my wife saw a scorpion creeping out of the tub drainage of our bathroom into the tub. I could not believe my eyes when I saw this as I thought the safety of my family was in jeopardy. We killed it but was not happy thinking these critters can be anywhere in large numbers, where there is one, there has to be another. After reading this forum I got a little more educated, I was seriously not expecting this and not happy to have to deal with it. I will certainly try to spray my home to prevent future encounters again.

Can't blame you, we had friends that lived in a Desert home in California up on the hills, Mike was in bed and felt something scratching, when he lifted the sheets he found a Scorpion! The Californian ones can be deadly like the Mexicans. Another scary thing is the waters around Saint Augustine, we were there in the late sixties, as a fisherman we visited the beach near the Spanish Castle,a fisherman there was pulling in small small grey Sharks,when I picked one up he warned me that that little Shark could take a bite as big as a dog could. Those waters are teeming with big Sharks,I guess when Spain had the Castle lots were thrown to the Sharks along with to Garbage! Don't go in that water, maybe the Sharks passed the info on down the centuries.

Santa vaca! ("Holy cow" for those in Rio Linda) I have never heard that vodka would help, ESPECIALLY FROM A DOCTOR!!!!, except, as you said, to not care so much.

The truth about all three of the Florida scorpions, in a nutshell, is that NONE of them are really dangerous. C. gracilis/Florida bark scorpion, has the "nastiest" sting, but it's not dangerous in the least. Local severe pain, some systemic symptoms, but nothing to worry about unless you are asthmatic, then see a doctor just to be safe. It is the big brown one throughout the southern two/thirds of the state. Listed in BugGuide.net under Florida slenderbrown scorpion, or Centruroides gracilis.

These scorpions are either Centruroides hentzi (original photo) or C. guanensis (maybe later photos, need to have them "in hand" to be sure), both of which are "harmless", but can produce a painful sting.

SOLID BROWN BACK is C. gracilis, which can produce the symptoms above, but is not dangerous, risking repeating myself =)

kari

I live in Osceola cty. and I too found a scorpion in my home. I killed it because it really scared me, and I was worried for my 2 year old, who wanted to touch it! I read in another website that the scorpions found in Florida are not dangerous. but that the stings can hurt... either way they really freak me out. here is a pic of the one I found in my house

"One" just means "one" came in the house. They move quite a bit and do not "infest" homes as some might believe. They can, however, find remarkable ways to get in, so look for "those ways".

HOWEVER, it might mean that you live in area that is prone to dense populations, so the best course of action, really, is to get a black light and find out what is really around your home by collecting them. (Send them someplace where they could be of use, like "to me" or to a museum or university for future research. The American Museum of Natural History is currently involved in a revision of the genus Centruroides.)

If you have found you have a healthy population around, don't worry, not dangerous, even to little ones. (It NEVER hurts to visit a doctor if you're concerned about symptoms.) Just keep collecting them and eventually the population will be hit really hard and diminish "big time".

Did you get any replies to this. I am in the same exact situation as you, and my wie and I are very concerned. Have you learned anything about this. Please elt me know. Thanks
Craig Avery
cavery007@yahoo.com

How is your son doing? How old is he and how badly did the sting hurt?
This species is not known to be medically important, so if he is uncomfortable he should be fine very shortly.

I would agree with you and Jeff, as only the large and dark C. gracilis occurs in the same area.
Farther south you start to find C. guanensis, which is very similar and might be the same species but taxonomic work is being done to sort this out.

If you can get live specimens for this research, please contact me.

Great photo!

I have a live one my daughter found it in our livingroom sweeping she threw a glass over it and I put it in a container.Are the like roaches ??? do I need to worry? new born comming in a couple of weeks we also have a 3 and 1 yr old. new to florida 8mo. and I've never delt with any thing of this nature.

I don't know a great deal about insects and have only lived in Florida for 1 1/2 years, but I must live in "Scorpion-ville", as I have seen/found/killed six of these guys since I've been here, four of those being in the last month. These are a translucent gray-brown, the largest a little over three inches from head to tail stinger.
I live in Citrus Co. and came on the internet this morning to find out what to expect if bitten. I have allergic reactions to wasps, fire ants, hornets, yellow jackets--vespids, etc., and need to know if I will need med attention if bitten. Anyone, please reply.

hi l freed


just found my first scorpion in my pool in citrus cty and am not to happy. insects ok but now i am doing research and found that these guys give a "bee " sting. this should be interesting.

thanks tom

If you need some scorpions, you have to tell me how to find them! I found one when I was a kid in Key Largo, and several years ago in Mexico, but I haven't been able to find any since I moved down to Florida. I am always looking under bark, logs and the like, but so far have come up short.
If I get any I would be glad to send them to you.
-Sean McCann


triatoma.blogspot.com

much anymore since both of Jane's parents have died. But lots of BugGuiders down there. Jeff Hollenbeck and Don Cadle seem to be out and about down there all the time. Sean McCann and Brian Womble and Hannah Nendick-Mason are all there. You can contact them by clicking on their name and going to their contributer page to get contact information to see what they might be able to do for you.

Boy am I glad I found this forum! My husband and I are looking to relocate to Florida from NY and are trying to be CERTAIN if there are scorpions in Florida or not?! We spent a very short time in Arizona and gave up our dream because of scorpions - do NOT want to make the same mistake. My friend lives in Port Richey and has never seen one but i've heard of them being in Tampa which is the general area we're looking... Clearwater, Tampa, St. Pete... Any info you guys couod give me would be greatly appreciated :)

HI, WE LIVE IN BAYONET POINT, FLORIDA,VERY NEAR PORT RICHEY.
JUST THIS EVENING I FOUND A SCORPION IN OUR BATHTUB. I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I SAW!! NEVER HEARD OF THEM DOWN HERE FROM ANYONE. I TRIED TO CATCH IT AND IT WENT UNDER THE BATH MAT. EVENTUALLY IT CAME OUT AND WHEN I WENT TO CATCH IT IN A JAR WENT BACK UNDER ...LONG STORY SHORT I EVENTUALLY CAUGHT IT. ..I, AS THEY SAY FREAKED OUT.. ALL I HAVE READ ON THEM SAYS THEY ARE NOT LETAL, BUT A GOOD STING.....I THOUGHT AFTER WE RETIRED HERE ALL I WOULD HAVE TO CONTEND WITH IN THE INSECT DEPARTMENT WERE THE HUGE PALMETTO BUGS (I KNOW THEY ARE ROACHES THO EEK!) I WONDER WHERE IT GOT IN?
I WONDER WHAT ELSE LURKS IN HERE NOW??
BUT I THINK WE ARE PRETTY SAFE IF WE KEEP AREAS CLEAN WHERE THEY HIDE.
WE LOVE THE AREA AND WOULD NEVER GO NORTH TO WISCONSON TO LIVE AGAIN. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STATE BUT TO COLD FOR OLD BONES :-)
THE PLACES YOU ARE LOOKING TO MOVE TO ARE GREAT LITTLE CITIES.

I am glad I just found this forum as well. I just relocated here two weeks ago. The movers had my front door open for a long time yesterday and my husband just found a scorpion in our living room. I am so freaked out now. I am terrified that my 10 month old will get stung by one, which I hear feels like a wasp sting. My neighbor had one crawl out of her shower drain while she was taking a shower. She called an exterminator and hasn't seen any in a long time. We are going to have the exterminator come out tomorrow and remove all the rock and gravel from our yard and front landscaping. I am ready to move back North where it's normal. LOL HMMMM high crime rate or scorpions? I'll have to weigh the pros and cons, lol

I actually have quite a few of these buggers wandering around my house. The sting isn't bad at all. Got hit by one in the ear last night as I was going to bed, not what I like when I go to bed, but hardly something to move away for.

Scorpions are fairly common in Florida. Hate to be the bearer of bad news. Whether or not you see them in your home chances are you can go in your yard and find them. They are really no worse than any other creepy crawly. Most common are C.hentzi. They stay very small. Under normal circumstances a sting can be very painful, akin to a wasp sting but slightly different sensation. From my experience it is more of a sharp feeling accmpanied by a burning sensation. THeir stings are not normally of concern however those who have allergic reactions may experience complications from a bite. The same thing can develop over time from fire ant bites. If you are allergic to wasps, etc you likely carry an epi-pen anyway. If you have an infestation problem certainly contact and utilize a good pest control program. Particularly if you have infants,small children who want to play with everything, elderly, those with lesser immune systems. Always shake out your shoes and good luck.