Purging, Packing, & a Bark Scorpion

Moving is always a great time to take a breath and assess your belongings before flinging them into a dumpster. Interstate moves, especially ones that take you hundreds of miles, provide a wonderful opportunity to really consider how much of your stuff should have been "spring-cleaned" years ago.

We're in the middle of packing to leave for Texas. Only about two weeks are left before we start the drive, which means the boxes are piling up all around us. Not long ago, Tae and I were discussing all of the wildlife we'd seen while in Arizona and how odd it was that we'd never seen a scorpion.

Well, that changed a few nights ago when we were heading to bed, and Cap'n Hammy Pants started acting very odd. She has this way about her when she spots something in the house that doesn't belong, like insects, strangers, poltergeists, uninvited demons, and apparently, scorpions.‍

That's a bark scorpion. Cap'n Hammy Pants found it on the floor and proceeded to scare the crap out of it so that we could capture it and release it back into the wild. Far, far away from the house.

The Arizona bark scorpion is the most venomous scorpion in North America, and its venom can cause severe pain (coupled with numbness, tingling, and vomiting) in adult humans, typically lasting between 24 and 72 hours. Temporary dysfunction in the area stung is common; e.g. a hand or possibly arm can be immobilized or experience convulsions. It also may cause loss of breath for a short time. Due to the extreme pain induced, many victims describe sensations of electrical jolts after envenomation.

— Thanks, Wikipedia‍

Symptoms of a sting from a bark scorpion may also include death. So, we're keeping a close eye on where we step. We're also keeping an eye on the walls. And the ceiling. The bark scorpion is a pro at climbing pretty much anything, including into your bed at night. How fun!

What's New?

• Now that I've wrangled a highly venomous scorpion, I feel like my journey in Arizona is complete.
• Next Week: The ruins of a villa in Sicily that some believe once housed a Satanic order.