Reply With QuoteAh crap. I really wanted to visit but these things scare me to death.
… I didn’t know that!
A friend sent me this. On the floor of their holiday home near Lake Como.
Ah crap. I really wanted to visit but these things scare me to death.
We had a bed/nest of scorpions in our rented farmhouse in SE France (an hour from Carcassonne) one year. They particularly enjoyed walking along the "polystyrene" ceiling above the master bed. That kept me awake at night, I can tell you. [Some were part white and red - the Visitors Book had comments saying you only had to be wary of those with white...]. It did make me worry less though about the snakes in the cottage swimming pool.
That reminds me, I haven’t seen one in northern Italy for years. However…
…it is always worth tapping your shoes out before you put them on. Just in case.
Like Indiana said: the bigger the better. It's the small ones that are really nasty
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Yep! If it's got large pincers, it will likely have a small sting on its tail. If it's got small pincers, it will most likely have a large sting on its tail, which will hurt - these tend to be smaller in size and a light golden brown colour. The one in the picture looks like it wouldn't cause much discomfort if it stung you; nevertheless, best to avoid.Originally Posted by Saint-Just
Scorpions near lake Como,I really thought this was going to be something along the lines of Deep Purple in Montreux.
When I was a young lad I lived in Tanzania. Once I picked up a small rock to throw into a nearby puddle to splash my mate. You know, the stupid things that kids do. Almost immediately I had grasped the underneath of the rock I had a searing pain in one of my fingers. I dropped the rock and my mate saw the scorpion that had been languishing quite happily underneath. I still recall the pain and it was a tiny little one!
We were always told to kick over any thing like that before you picked it up - I learnt my lesson!
We were also told, amongst many other safety things, to shake your shoes before putting them on, keeping your doors shut to stop snakes coming in and always check behind the toilet in case a snake had curled up behind it. My Dad always said if you had run over a snake whilst driving your car look in your mirror to make sure that it was still in the road behind you in case it had flicked up into the engine bay, etc and not yet dead!
There were so many precautions which we took as ordinary every day life but, despite living there for years, it has put me off going back there ...................I think Australia is out as well!!
Was surprised to see that scorpions can be found around the London area
Best scorpions in Italy:
^^^ I sent the pic to a friend and that 'Abarth' logo was his answer as well: "There must have been a reason, an inspiration why an Italian brand has a scorpion as logo!"
Wiki tells us that they're common below the 45th latitude/parallel(?) in Europe. Basically, halfway through France, just below Germany to the east.
About the colors: my wife who has worked and lived in the ME and parts of Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan etc) told me that the lighter colours are indeed the most nasty ones. Some have the colour of human nails, more or less 'see through'.
BTW, the European scorpion Euscorpius Flavicaudis lives in the UK (locally) as well as a result of neglect: some came into the UK via a fruit wholesaler in Sheerness.
+1. Truly the stuff of nightmares.
My brother lives near lake Como, I’ll warn him!! Actually I seem to recall there’s a town in England where there’s a colony of scorpions, can’t remember where
Sheerness in Kent. Although to be fair that's not the only venomous creature living there
Bar noneBest scorpions in Italy:
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Though Carlos (Karl) Abarth was Austrian and became a naturalised Italian.Best scorpions in Italy:
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Apparently Tthere is also a colony living in the walls and flower beds of Ruislip tube station.
A friend in Africa was stung on the foot earlier in the year, it resulted in a painful and worrying 120 mile drive to the nearest hospital.
Eddiex’s post reminded me that “make sure your shoes are empty, and look behind the toilet before sitting” were the first things my mother in law told me the day I met her!
I still do it every day when we are visiting them.
Last edited by Sinnlover; 4th August 2023 at 08:35.
Carlo Abarth was born in Vienna, but the family was from Merano.
After world war one Tyrol and the north east became Italy. He started working in Italy in his 20s and was naturalised in 1933.
Whatever, the Abarth cars are universally described as Italian racing- and road-car maker, not austrian.
I was at school in Canterbury in the late 80s and clearly remember seeing one at school, crawl through the wood chipping. No way was I going to play with it though. Never saw it again, but remains a vivid picture in my head even after all the years.
Worst place for scorpions I went to was Afghanistan. We had to check our footwear for them every morning... little transparent ones scuttling about, scary things!
The tribal men carried small flasks of petrol to dowse them and set them on fire.
That confirms my wife's story about the Afghan scorpions (I wrote about that a few posts up).
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