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RE: WHY DO SCORPIONS GLOW IN UV LIGHT? - PAPA HAS THE ANSWER!

in #science7 years ago

All I know is that after I was stung on the bottom of my foot twice by an Arizona bark scorpion while sleeping in bed when we lived in El Paso, I quickly learned that they glow in UV light, and obtained a UV flashlight.

If they've just molted, they don't glow. However, they seem to absorb the light when freshly molted, so it becomes a void of light instead of a reflection of light. So it makes it easier to find them regardless.

Nova became a master scorpion-slayer. Unfortunately for the first little house gecko we ended up with, they like to pretend to be scorpions to defend themselves, so Nova tried to kill it. As soon as he realized it wasn't a scorpion, he brought it to me as a sort of present. Shortly thereafter, he became King of the Geckos as the cutest and most useful infestation quickly took over our house.

When I was stung by the scorpion, I didn't know what had happened to me. I was just in agony in my left foot and it quickly travelled up my leg and it became hard to even breathe, it was so painful. Went to the emergency room, they looked at my foot, told me it was definitely two scorpion stings, gave me morphine and a prescription for an antibiotic because apparently those stings often get infected with a specific type of bacteria.

Despite being immunocompromised, the antibiotics they gave me made me so sick I decided to just risk the infection. Luckily I avoided infection. But my left leg has never felt quite the same, and that is an experience that I hope I never repeat.

I've been bitten by black widows (also in El Paso, despite having to deal with loads in Kansas City, it wasn't until El Paso that they finally got me) and that was horrible, but I would much prefer black widow bites over another sting from an Arizona bark scorpion.

I've also been bitten by a non-venomous snake, which was awful. Still better than a scorpion sting.

I've experienced a lot of really random and painful things, including having animals bite me all the way to the bone on my wrist on more than one occasion. Getting my wisdom teeth cut out, having my sinuses operated on...

All things I'd much rather experience again instead of another Arizona bark scorpion sting.

You can't convince me that Arizona bark scorpions aren't manifestations of pure evil. They're the most aggressive out of the scorpions native to North America. You don't have to be bothering them or anything. They will come for you!