INTRODUCTION TO THE VENOMOUS SCORPIONS AREA
One of my captive bred scorpions
© 2001 David W. George
Almost everyone knows the familiar shape of a scorpion, with the curled tail, the crab-like claws, and the famous stinger. The basic shape of the scorpion is the same no matter what species of scorpion it is. Scorpions vary in color, with the majority seeming to be either yellow or black. They are nocturnal creatures, meaning that they are active during the night and relatively inactive during the day. When put under a black light, scorpions "glow" a greenish color. I don't think anyone really knows what the purpose of this is, but it is true of every species of scorpion.
While the sting of virtually all scorpions contains venom, only a small percentage of scorpions have a sting that could be considered potentially dangerous to humans. There are over 1000 different species of scorpions in the world, and the potency of their venom varies greatly. Their reputation precedes them as venomous killers, but truth of the matter is that less than 10% of all the species of scorpion known have a sting that is considered dangerous, and less than 5% have a sting that is potentially lethal. Most species are no more dangerous than a honeybee.
Some people might be familiar with those potentially dangerous species of scorpions found in their areas, but I know that not all of them are. I hope that these pages, and the links on them, can help educate adults and kids alike about these potentially dangerous scorpions. I hope that it will help them be able to identify a particularly venomous scorpion, should they ever encounter one, and prevent any dangerous situation that might arise from not recognizing a potentially harmful scorpion.
They say a picture is worth 1000 words, and I think that is very true when it comes to recognizing these potentially harmful scorpions. It is my hope to have photographs of every scorpion listed on this site. If you are an arachnologist or photographer, and have photographs that could be used on this site, or linked too, please let me know.
I would like to thank everyone who has allowed me to use his or her photographs. Please be sure to visit my credits page for a list. Please note that all photographs are copyrighted as noted. Please respect the copyrights of the photograph owners.
In the following pages is information on dangerously venomous scorpions.
- Venomous Scorpions of the U.S. by Common Name
- Venomous Scorpions of the U.S. by Scientific Name
- Venomous Scorpions by State
- Scorpions of Florida
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