[Steve-o]

Just a test...

Spot the rattlesnakes in these images. Passers-by would NEVER notice them. Heck, even I wouldnt notice them, and Im always out looking for snakes. When we're out with groups trying to locate snakes, people will find a area ripe for rattlers and then simply stand and stare for several minutes at a time. More than once has someone done that and then shout out "got one" and have us come over and try to locate it. Never ONCE have I been able to find it right away. Theyre extremely cryptic and blend into their environments tooooooo well, its quite freaky sometimes.

Anyways, step on up and test your luck:
VenomousReptiles.org Libraries

VenomousReptiles.org Libraries

VenomousReptiles.org Libraries

VenomousReptiles.org Libraries

VenomousReptiles.org Libraries

VenomousReptiles.org Libraries

[jrice]

I heard the area around Alliante has a bad scorpion problem

[olecapt]

The subject is the liklihood of chance encounter by a urban las vegan with these creatures. As I said it is zilch.

I hunted snakes as a teenager. Even took a few water moccasion...an interesting variety. And copperheads who are the best concealed snake of all and often freeze rather than flee.

I would be incline to suspect the dog, who is a ratter, would miss little. Easily picks up small creatures trying to hide. In fact for the first year I use to keep him close for fear of him finding a snake.

I have little doubt I could find a few...particularly into the spring mountains. But without looking you do not come across them. The sonoran desert of Scottsdale is somewhat different than here.

[dynimagelv]

Originally Posted by jrice

I heard the area around Alliante has a bad scorpion problem

just tell em "bad scorpion....go to your room"

lol.....I haven't seen a live one in years but I do live in an older neighborhood....I would imagine that the newer neighborhoods might have some.....

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by dynimagelv

just tell em "bad scorpion....go to your room"

lol.....I haven't seen a live one in years but I do live in an older neighborhood....I would imagine that the newer neighborhoods might have some.....

It is spotty. I think an infestation is actually quite small. I know of two in Sun City Summerlin and I think they involve at the most 10 or 12 houses each.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Well, the problem I had with you was your name-calling and stereotyping. Im over 30 years old, married, with a 6 year old son. I got interested in venomous arachnids after visiting family in Arizona and finding a scorpion in their yard. Ever since then it developed into a hobby, one Im very passionate about. And people like yourself, who strangely think Im not entitled to talk about Nevada's fauna just because I dont live there, are just as ridiculous as you think I am. So either sit back and actually learn something, or leave the thread entirely and leave the talk to those who actually, well, KNOW what theyre talking about when it comes to venomous creatures. And I think its hilarious that you believe that if a place is heavily urbanized, that you wont find any creatures there. Scorpions/widows/etc dont give a flying funk if there are people and/or concrete. Usually theyre drawn to places like that because bugs they prey on are drawn there by lights/garbage/etc.

Here, have a read....
reviewjournal.com -- Living: THEY DON'T LIKE YOU, EITHER: Creepy Crawlies

OK, sorry about the stereotyping. The way you were talk...um typing....sounded like you were trying to either scare people, or to sound like you know more about our city than we do. Both of those tend to set off my Bu** Sh** meter which throws my brain out of gear and makes my mout...fingers...get defensive.

I see that you were once afraid of spiders and that you obviously got over it through experience and education. Same with me as far as snakes. I have spent a lot of time in the outdoors and have learned what I could about snakes, and spiders. I have a funny story about nearly stepping on a rattler, and have encountered a few others in my time. I've heard them at night in the darkness nearby and learned I really can fly. I do have a knack for spotting critters, and have seen lots of snakes that others missed. I have picked them up and moved them out of harm's way, which has made my wife think a few times I had been possessed by aliens. On that site that you posted, my eye went right to them. Good site BTW.

I have dealt with scorpions and black widow spiders in Las Vegas many times. I have actually seen a scorpion chase my then wife back and forth causing me to wait for the next pass so I could leap on it with both feet. It was the size of a small cat. But like you must have, or you wouldn't keep poisonous critters as pets, I learned not to fear wild critters, but to respect them and leave them alone.

My point is, as olecapt has explained, chances of an encounter in most of Las Vegas is very low. Chances of being bitten is lower. I don't know how to explain it, but Las Vegas is not like other cities such as Scottsdale. Maybe it's because it is the Mojave Desert, and not the Sonoran. Or maybe it is because when they build here they don't build around the natural habitats, they dig up and destroy it all. Another bone of contention with me, but...another time.

Also, chances of a bite killing you is almost non-existent. So scaring some young girl who is about to move to Las Vegas from Minnesota, and doesn't know what to expect is harmful (I said 'evil', but in that context really meant 'harmful'). If that was not your intention, then once again, I'm sorry for calling you names. It was beneath me. You have posted some interesting stuff.

[kimba01]

SIZE OF A SMALL CAT? Geesh, and I thought they were tiny. I thought the one girl here that found one in her laundry said it was the size of a coin. Ugh.

BTW, it's Michigan, but thanks for relieving some of my fears, everyone. I wouldn't hate seeing any of these in a zoo or something-I just hate lifting something up and there it is-or opening a cupboard-or having them crawl on me-you know the BOO! factor.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by kimba01

SIZE OF A SMALL CAT? Geesh, and I thought they were tiny. I thought the one girl here that found one in her laundry said it was the size of a coin. Ugh.

BTW, it's Michigan, but thanks for relieving some of my fears, everyone. I wouldn't hate seeing any of these in a zoo or something-I just hate lifting something up and there it is-or opening a cupboard-or having them crawl on me-you know the BOO! factor.

Actually they say if you were to get a sting it would be best to come from those big ones. The little ones apparently have more poison. My wife had gone outside and I heard her scream. I jumped up and saw her running first one way then the other on the sidewalk in front of our door. Then I saw it chasing her back and forth. It was kind of funny. After we bought a house our neighbor had one like that in his driveway and he stomped it too. Back in the 60's and 70's there were more critters around here, but construction has killed off many of them. I remember seeing a coyote trying to get in the Dempsey Dumpster at my apartment one time back then. When I was transferred to Laredo, Texas, the first day I was there a scorpion ran out from under a desk and stung the wife of the mayor of the neighboring Mexican city of Nuevo Laredo. They have a lot of scorpions in Texas, and rattlesnakes eight feet long; lots of them too.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by kimba01

SIZE OF A SMALL CAT? Geesh, and I thought they were tiny. I thought the one girl here that found one in her laundry said it was the size of a coin. Ugh.

BTW, it's Michigan, but thanks for relieving some of my fears, everyone. I wouldn't hate seeing any of these in a zoo or something-I just hate lifting something up and there it is-or opening a cupboard-or having them crawl on me-you know the BOO! factor.

Wow. I hoped noone would have been gullible enough to believe scorpions were the size of a small cat!!!! The largest scorpion in North America is the Hadrurus spadix/arizonensis, at around 4-5" long. Theyre FAR smaller than the smallest baby cat. Thats exactly the reason Im here, to dispel horrible myths, such as the one you just read and believe.

Here is one of my Hadrurus species, for ID purposes:


And this is how large they can possibly get (DO NOT HANDLE SCORPIONS!!! I CONSIDER MYSELF A PROFESSIONAL AND DO NOT CONDONE THE HANDLING OF VENOMOUS CREATURES!!!):


Hardly the size of a small cat.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

In fact, a few years ago in AZ I grabbed a newspaper and an infant from Tramanto had to be rushed to the hospital with life-threatening symptoms. Had there not been anti-venin available, he might have died

I got home this afternoon and found the article, I still had it laying around. Sorry I dont have a working scanner right now, so this will have to do.