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Stowaway Scorpions

There have recently been multiple reports in the national news about stowaway scorpions. Although its not a common occurrence, we do feel that it is something that should be mentioned in our stowaway section. 

Brazilian Wander Spider v's Common Banana Spider

IMG-20241023-WA0083.jpg
Image by Andrey Tikhonovskiy

Brazilian Wandering Spider

Dangerous

Common Banana Spider

Harmless

How do scorpions enter the country

The scorpions that have been reported recently are 

We believe that they have entered the country from Brazil and China, and have come in via tiles and packages delivered abroad, although this can not be confirmed. Most scorpions are harmful enough to give you a bad sting which could make you feel unwell for a couple of days, however the majority would not be serious enough to cause death, with the exception of a young child or vulnerable adult. 

Image by Marcus Lange

Scorpions by nature are very shy and secretive, and usually end up entering the country by mistake as they have hidden inside of a dark object such a shoe box, piece of clothing or box of items that are being shipped in to the country. Many do not survive the journey due to the length of time they are in storage, or due to cold conditions. They are not usually not aggressive and will only sting if they feel threatened or in danger. 

Image by Federico Faccipieri
Image by Alexey Demidov
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