Here's something you never want to hear: "What is a (expletive)ing scorpion doing in our bedroom?!" I thought he was kidding until he started repeating his sentence about five more times. Sure enough, this little lady found her way onto the floor of our room. I'm all for gardening to attract wildlife, but this is going too far!
After a google attempt or two (and after securing her under a glass which was then taped to a coaster), we discovered that there indeed are scorpions native to the California coast, Uroctonous mordax mordax. Not totally sure, but I think it's a female and it might even be pregnant! (or gravid, which is apparently the correct term for scorpions who are expecting). And yes, the thought of baby scorpions living amongst the pile of clothes on my floor does completely freak me out. The first questions is, "Where did it come from?" Do scorpions just hang out all over the place and we just don't notice them?
I'm still driving off the creepy crawlies and checking the insides of my shoes before putting them on. The event reminds me of Lisa's adventure with a Black Widow Spider scare. I ended up deciding to take the scorpion on a car ride to Tilden Park and releasing her at the base of a multi-trunked Redwood tree, which is apparently their native habitat. I drove quite the circular route, too so I don't think she'll find her way back. At least I sincerely hope not.
And yes, I totally realize I'm being a native gardening hypocrite by literally driving away selected wildlife. If it means I won't find a scorpion between my sheets, I'm okay with that.
Regardless, despite looking like the scariest creature EVER(!!!), their venom is similar to a bee sting. But if her or her friends decide to make my bedroom their new hang out spot, that glass and coaster will be ready. Hear me, Arachnids?!
How unfortunate, but then again, what a good subject for a post (and great photos!). I hope your little scorpion is enjoying its new abode in the redwoods and that they'll stay outside the house from now on.
ReplyDeleteYikes ...and Yikes!
ReplyDeleteYou were saintly to give it a new home. I would have fallen over from cardiac arrest no doubt;-)
When we first moved in here, we had a number of encounters with scorpions...in the house. The first few we found were dead, but then one morning, one came wandering out of our bedroom, and down the hall. Like yours, she was VERY much alive! Poor thing spent the day 'under glass' (I dropped an old crystal fruit bowl over the top of her), until the hubby came home to 'rescue me' by releasing it outside. This particular scorpion was quite large, and clearly very unhappy with me! Since then, I've installed filters in our heating system floor registers, as I had a suspicion that was where they were gaining access. Thankfully, no more in the house since then, but I do see them outside fairly often. Then there were the tarantulas...we have those too, it's like arachnid central around here! I hope you're now scorpion free...at least in the house!
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! how scary!
ReplyDeleteHoly Schmoley! I had *no idea* that we might see scorpions inside in Oakland! I thought that sort of thing only happened in Death Valley.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased that you relocated this creature, instead of showing it the underside of your shoe.
Did you do the hands-flapping-at-the-wrist dance? I would have.
Oh, man...that is the ONE creature that really kind of freaks me out; used to seeing them at my sister's place in Santa Fe, but...Oakland? Good for you to research this beast and release her where she and her family will be safer. (And LOL about taking a circular route so she couldn't follow you home!) Brrrrr!
ReplyDeleteGood thinking on the circular route. Did you have a little blindfold for her too?
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome photo!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are awesome! Thanks for the sympathetic "eeww!"s.
ReplyDeleteClare- I'd love to find a tarantula around here (but again, not in the house). At least for the most part I know they can't hurt me. And they're fuzzy! Sort of cute! (kinda)
Lisa- no flappy wrist dance, just shock and repeating "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh... There's a SCORPION in my bedroom!"
Laura & Eileen- the scorpion blindfold was packed away with the Christmas decorations, so I had to just hope she couldn't see out the windows. I wasn't about to take any chances by just driving straight there!
I really hope she does well in her new home, though. It really is a fascinating creature!
We used to spend weekends in Three Rivers, CA in a rather rustic fashion. Lots of rattlesnakes, tarantulas, centipedes and scorpions in the foothills. I could never understand how the scorpions got into the house. For some odd reason they would be in the bathtub when we arrived. Your girl seems a big bigger and scarier though. So nice of you to set her free.
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! A scorpion!?!? In Oakland?? And not only in Oakland, but in Idora Park!!! Oh, wow. I had NO idea! Lisa, I'm doing the hands-flapping dance just reading about it. I live across the street from Christine. Ugh. I'm not going to sleep well ever again.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding. I had no idea there were scorpions on the california coast let alone Oakland. My parents get them in the house all the time in Phoenix, but they are very close to a nature reserve. My dad just kills them because my mom gets a very bad allergic reaction to them where her entire limb will swell up for a couple of days. So you did the right thing both karma and comfort-wise. They usually have tons of little ones, so if she was gravid definitely good to get her off somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteJanet, perhaps it's time to start a series of "Why did the scorpion cross the road" jokes... I think your side of the street is Slender Salamander territory and perhaps my side is for scorpions? Let's hope it was an army of one.
ReplyDeleteHey Brad, thanks for the
reassurance regarding my decision to site her elsewhere. I wavered about that one. (ie, in my yard or Tilden) The swollen limb deal sounds awful! Glad I didn't have to find out if I have the same affliction!
No, I don't think you're a hypocrite - We humans have our habitat too, and it has boundaries!! I have wilderness closer by, to release things that cross the line into :-)
ReplyDeleteChristine -- do you want to join us when we go tarantula hunting in the fall?
ReplyDelete