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Scorpions on a Plane

By grrlscientist on January 10, 2007.

After my own experience with feces on my airplane seat cushion on US Airways, I was hardly surprised to learn that a scorpion had made its way onto a plane .. except this was a United flight rather than US Airways. Anyway, this scorpion stung a man twice, once on his leg and then on his shin.

A scorpion stung David Sullivan on the back of his right leg, just below the knee, then continued up that leg and down the other, he believes, before getting him again in the shin.

It wasn't what he was expecting on a flight from Chicago to Vermont.

[ .. ]

"My right leg felt like it was asleep, but that was isolated to one spot, and it felt like it was being jabbed with a sharp piece of plastic or something."

The second sting came after the plane had landed and the Sullivans were waiting for their bags at the luggage carousel. Sullivan rolled up his cuff to investigate, and the scorpion fell out.

Cited story.

Image source.

Tags
cultural observation

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The only two things my boyfriend is afraid of are heights (which extends to flying in an airplane) and scorpions. I sincerely hope he doesn't read this story, or I will never get him to go anywhere!

Not being local to scorpions, I have to ask: Do those things really run around crawling onto, and stinging, much larger animals (people) who just happen to be sitting nearby? Also, that "up one leg and down the other" sounds pretty dubious, especially given he was seated at the time!

By David Harmon (not verified) on 10 Jan 2007 #permalink

I've been stung by scorpions twice. Shoot your hand with a nail gun to get an idea of what it feels like.

I have to go fly on a plane right now.

I have a phobia of stinging things. Scorpions near the top of the list.

Now I'm thinking that, hmm, I could like living in Seattle for the rest of my life.

-Rob

Feces and/or scorpions are both delightful things to find on a plane. If this kind of thing keeps up, it won't be the "terrists" that keep people from flying.

"I could like living in Seattle for the rest of my life."

You'll need to go further north than that. I've seen scorpions in damp, green Western Washington where most people wouldn't expect them to be. Turns out they're everywhere:
http://www.vaejovidae.com/Distribution.htm