This is Part 8 of an 8 part online course. Start here to learn more about and why this course was created and how it is structured.
Moving to Phoenix Online Course
A favorite topic of people who've never lived in the Desert Southwest is the critters. Most often people are worried about--no, terrified about--scorpions and rattlesnakes. I will never forget one lady who emailed me to say that someone told her that everyone who owns a home in Phoenix has scorpions crawling out of the electrical outlets.I'm not going to tell you that we don't have scorpions or rattlesnakes here. That would be silly. Why, I have one right on my desk as I type this. (It's a paperweight, of course.) Seriously, there are desert critters here, but they are not in control of our lives! No matter where in this world you live, there's probably an annoying critter that you'd rather avoid. Well, here are ours.
Trivia to Impress Your Friends
- Only one death from the Arizona bark scorpion has been reported since 1964.
- There have been no fatalities from scorpion stings in Arizona over the last 65 years.
- Scorpions can go as long as a full year without eating anything.
- A female scorpion gives birth to an average of twenty-six scorpions at a time.And One More Thing
There are more than 650 known species of scorpion; about 40 of these can be found in the United States.
Before you move on to read about scorpions and snakes and spiders (Oh, my!) I wanted to thank you for taking the time to learn more about the greater Phoenix area while you contemplate your move. Again, I invite you to post in the Phoenix Forum if you have more questions about the area, or about your particular situation. Good luck!
Scorpions
We Have Scorpions in Arizona
Learn about scorpions, and how to avoid them.Readers Submit Their Scorpion Sting Experiences
Yes, people get stung, and yes, it hurts. But for most people, it isn't too dangerous. Just like most people survive wasp stings and jellyfish bites in other parts of the country. Read these stories about local scorpion stings.What Do Scorpions Look Like?
Readers submit their scorpion photos!Giant Scorpion Discovered
Don't get all riled up--it was an April Fool's joke! But I sure did get some interesting emails after I published it!
Rattlesnakes
What You Need To Know About Rattlesnakes
Here are the answers to the most common rattler questions.Snake Gallery
We have many varieties of snakes in the desert. Here's a photo gallery so you can recognize which ones to be worried about and which ones are no problem. Many of these photos were submitted by locals!How to Treat a Rattlesnake Bite
This is the more traditional approach to treating a rattler bite. Good to know, even if you never have to use it.
More to Worry About
Other Desert Critters
Oh, you mean you thought all you had to worry about was scorpions and snakes? Here you'll find details about the roof rats, killer bees, black widow spiders, palo verde beetles, and fire ants.
Relocation to Phoenix Free Online Course
Introduction
Part 1: How Hot Is It?
Part 2: Where Are the Jobs?
Part 3: Those Dreaded Taxes
Part 4: Health Issues
Part 5: Where Should I Live?
Part 6: House and Apartment Hunting
Part 7: Find a School
Part 8: EEEEWWW! What's That?
