The largest scorpion in North America, and one of the least dangerous. The sting is comparable to a bee sting. Its size frightens people far more than its venom warrants.
We identify, we don't diagnose. If you've been bitten or stung and symptoms develop, or you're worried, seek medical attention.
Size100–140 mm including the tail
MarkingsLarge — often over 100 mm, unmistakably bigger than a bark scorpion · Heavy, robust pincers rather than slender ones
WhereDesert soils of the southwestern US. Burrows deeply, active at night.
What it is not
A desert hairy scorpion is most often confused with a species that is medically significant. If you are trying to rule those out, check these:
Large — often over 100 mm, unmistakably bigger than a bark scorpion
Heavy, robust pincers rather than slender ones
Coarse brown hairs on the tail and legs
Olive-yellow body with a darker back
Where you’ll find it
The Mojave and Sonoran deserts — southern California, Arizona, Nevada and into northern Mexico. It is a true desert animal and is not found outside that arid range.
Desert soils of the southwestern US. Burrows deeply, active at night.
How it behaves
It digs deep burrows, sometimes well over a metre down, following moisture, and spends the day in them. At night it ambushes large prey including other scorpions, lizards and even small snakes, which its heavy pincers are built for. Because it relies on crushing rather than venom, its sting is mild for its size. It fluoresces brilliantly under ultraviolet.
What a bite looks like
Local redness and swelling at the sting site.
Comparable to a bee sting: sharp at the time, then aching and sore for a few hours. Widespread effects are not expected.
We identify, we don't diagnose. Seek medical attention if there is an allergic reaction, or for a sting to a small child.
A skin mark cannot confirm which animal caused it. Read the bug bite and sting guide for the limits and the symptoms that should end an online search.
You’ve found one indoors
Leave it alone and it will leave you alone. It is a slow, heavy animal that would rather retreat to its burrow. Standard desert precautions — shaking out shoes, a torch at night — cover it.
Common questions
Is the desert hairy scorpion dangerous?
No. Despite being the largest scorpion in North America, its sting is roughly comparable to a bee sting. Large scorpions with heavy pincers generally have milder venom than small ones with slender pincers, and this species is a good illustration of that.
Why is it so much bigger than the others?
It hunts large prey — other scorpions, lizards, occasionally small snakes — and subdues them mainly by force. Size and pincer strength do the work that venom does in smaller species.
Why is it called hairy?
The coarse brown hairs on its tail and legs, which detect ground vibration and help it locate prey in the dark.
Sula Vanderplank · CC-BY