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By Pandora Dewan
Senior Science Reporter
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While checking her mailbox on Saturday evening, Florida resident Heather Lynn Gotti found herself face-to-face with an unexpected delivery.
Staring back at her was large female scorpion, crawling with baby scorplings.
"The scorpion had no reaction to me disturbing her, she just stood there," Gotti told Newsweek. "She was full grown at about 2.5 to 3 inches. All her babies where crawling around and under her."
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Gotti said it was not that unusual to see Hentz striped scorpions where she lives in Northwest Florida. "I find at least a dozen a week, whether it's inside or outside of my house," she said. "We have learned to tap our mail inside the mailbox because, on a few occasions, I just grabbed the mail and [a scorpion] would fall onto my lap in the car from being in between the pieces of mail."
However, seeing a mother with her babies is much less common. "This is only my second time in nine years finding one with babies," Gotti said. "Found the other one last year after I almost placed my hand onto it because it was on my deck railing."
Scorpions can have up to 100 babies in a single brood, according to Arizona State University. These so-called scorplings will then live on their mother's back for 10 to 20 days while their exoskeleton hardens.
None of the scorpion species found in Florida are considered to be a threat to humans, according to the University of Florida. However, a sting can still be extremely painful.
"Although their stings hurt more than a bee sting, [they] are not medically necessary unless you are allergic," Gotti said.
According to the University of California Agriculture and Natural Recourses, North America is home to roughly 70 different species of scorpion. Only one of these, the bark scorpion, is considered to be dangerous to humans. These are mostly found in Arizona, southern California and western New Mexico.
Gotti shared photos of the mother and her scorplings to the Facebook group Unseen Florida in a post that has received hundreds of likes and comments.
"Well, they'll keep the bills away...silver lining," said one user.
"Return to sender," said another.
After taking the photo, Gotti gently encouraged the mother scorpion out of the mailbox with an envelope. "I lightly guided and nudged her to go underneath the mailbox," she said. "The following day she was back in the mailbox."
Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about scorpions? Let us know via nature@newsweek.com.
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