Have you ever thought about eating scorpions?
We never did until we watched this season of Survivor when contestant Mike Holloway ate one, claiming it was a good source of much-needed protein.
We can’t deny that in some cultures eating insects is as common as us eating burgers but this was a little extreme, even for Survivor.
We should note he chose to eat the scorpion and it was not part of a contest – that just made it even weirder to us – and Mike ended up getting pretty sick from eating a small scorpion.
(Just so you know, Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination does NOT recommend eating scorpions. At least, not ones you find around the house).
Seems like he needed Scorpions 101 education.
- The Flavor. It has been reported that a scorpion tastes much like you would imagine the forest floor to taste or “herbal, a bit musty and pungent.” [Source] Not exactly what we’ll be serving at any Budget Brother potluck lunches any time soon.
- The Meal. Scorpions are a helpful member of the Phoenix ecosystem. They dine on a diet rich in insects, other scorpions, spiders, lizards, and even small mice. And while this might be nice, it’s probably better to let us handle the other pests than outsource the job to a scorpion. They don’t charge for their services but they’re not very friendly.
- The Utensil. While they don’t exactly use utensils, scorpions capture, crush, and inject a neurotoxic venom into their prey. This makes it easy to dig in for a good meal. It should be noted that scorpions don’t always use venom to kill their prey.
- The Venom. Of the 1,000+ known species, only 25 are known to have venom. Mike from Survivor must have picked the wrong one because he was sick for a while after his scorpion snack. The rule of thumb should be to not eat scorpions or step on them. In fact, if you see one, we recommend avoiding it and calling Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination for help.
- The Diet. They can live without food for months at a time but must have water on a regular basis to survive.
- The Geography. In the United States, scorpions enjoy the dry, arid climates of the Southwest and are most often found from Arizona through central Texas and Oklahoma, and south of Colorado. This means that your Phoenix home may look like a welcome new place to live for a scorpion family.
- The Appearance. The most common scorpions have a crablike appearance with four pairs of legs, a pair of pincers, and a long, segmented tail that curls. The stinger is at the end of the tail. Remember – even if a scorpion isn’t venomous, if you’re stung you may still get an infection. Seek immediate medical treatment.
- The Behavior. Like with so many pests, scorpions tend to stay hidden during the day, preferring a nocturnal existence. Where they hide depends on the species but the most common areas are under rocks and logs, in cracks or burrows, and in dark places like a garage or basement. Scorpions aren’t out to get you (you know the saying, it’s probably more afraid of you than you are of it) but when startled or feeling threatened, scorpions can and will protect themselves.
If you see a scorpion in your home or workplace, don’t be like Mike. It’s not a snack.
