Back to Nature (Published on TBNWeekly.com - Aug. 25, 2005)
Creepy crawlies
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![[Image]](jpg/082505_out-02.jpg) |
Photo by Rick Tremmel |
For the most part, the sting
of the Florida scorpion is not harmful, but they sure make good
stories when sitting around a campfire. |
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By Karen Mitchell Tremmel
Florida Crackers and Native Indians have many
creepy crawly stories to tell if you have a sit-down on a hot day with a couple of
cold drinks.
It had large pinchers in the front, six pairs of eyes, eight legs, two
lobster like legs and two regular legs, and a long tail tipped with a venomous
stinger.
Yikes
a grade B movie?
We were camping, me and the wife. Shes out there making breakfast and
the smell of bacon frying was callin to my senses, the tanned-faced
Indian man recalled. The morning was still damp and chilly, so I pulled on my
jeans and shirt in a hurry. I sat down on the bench to take a sip of my coffee when
all of a sudden I felt something big crawling up inside of my pant leg. I guess I
must have scared my wife near to death when I went rolling over backward and hopped
to my feet tugging and trying to get out of my pants as fast as possible. Before I
could get them off that thing got me twice right there on the side of my
leg.
Most Florida and Georgian scorpions are harmless unless the person stung presents
an allergic reaction. I say most because unfortunately with the exotic pet trade,
the escapee scorpion you may have been stung by may not be native. Many species are
innocuous, or nonpoisonous. (If you suspect youre allergic call for help and
get to the nearest hospital emergency room, immediately.) Otherwise Florida native
scorpions arent able to produce a fatal sting.
According to the University of Florida, of 90 U.S. scorpion species, only four
occur east of the Mississippi River. And, only one of the 90 domestic scorpions,
can kill people. This killer species is usually found in the southwestern United
States.
Scorpions
dont even mention those things to me. I was laying on
the beach near an old boardwalk and felt something sting my neck as I rolled over
on my pillow, accounted a middle aged woman while we sat across from each
other in a restaurant. More people in Florida should be aware that there are
scorpions in Florida. Anyway it felt like a hot flame. I screamed in pain. They
called the paramedics and took me to the hospital. I had an allergic reaction to
its sting, but Im also allergic to bee stings. Did you know
they have
12 eyes.
Sounds like the plot for a horror film? No, its just a harmless Florida
scorpion.
The nocturnal scorpions live for between three to five years and their young are
born live. The scorpion loves to hide where they are most likely to find their food
sources insects, spiders, or smaller animal life under logs, debris,
and planters. USF suggests that termites are the captive scorpions favorite
food. Taking care of termites, rubbish, debris, stacked wood and logs will help
make your property less attractive to scorpions and their prey.
Scorpion pinchers are crayfish like, abdomen is segmented, narrow; and the stinger
is at the tip of its curving tail. The scorpion sting is followed by a sharp pain
or intense burning sensation and a lump. Conventional treatment methods include
placing an ice pack on the site of the sting and pain relievers to ease the pain,
as well, antihistamines, Calamine or Caladryl and cortisone creams. Wash the wound
well to lesson the possibility of secondary infection. Folklore remedies include
putting chewed tobacco or ammonia on the site of the sting.
According to my Cherokee grandmother, the tobacco must be chewed and mixed with
saliva. You can be the judge of which method you choose to use, but Ill bet
tobacco and a little spit just might be the easiest thing around to find in a pinch
and an emergency.
Smiling
back to nature.
Karen can be reached at MyMuddyPawsStudio@gmail.com.
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