Close Encounter by Meisiekind
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Description
This post is not about an amazing image - in fact, it is a rather bad image!!! The reason - I was trying to run away AND capture this scorpion... at the same time!
Let me explain! While in the Namib Desert in March, I parked the car and just ventured into the desert in the middle of nowhere taking pictures. I was on top of a small hill. Now, just for the record, I was wearing flip flops! Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I detected movement and when I looked, this critter was running towards me - no more than 1 meter away from me. Well, I turned around and ran, stopping ever so often to shoot off a couple of images. He stayed with me!! Now, he wasn't really chasing me, he was merely trying to hide in my shadow, but it sounds more dangerous when I say he was chasing me!!!! LOL...
Anyway, luckily he moved when he did and I managed not to step on him because if I had stepped on him, his sting could have caused a mild case of death. He was tiny - the body length from head to where the tail starts was no more than 4cm! They are extremely poisonous and if you do not get immediate medical attention you could die! We were about 40 miles from the nearest doctor and about 80 miles from the nearest hospital.
The name of the species slipped my mind but I'm sure Piet and many others familiar with this Namib scorpion will let us know soon enough!
Anyway - thank for popping in and for your very kind comments and favs on my Little Waterfall unload.
Have a great weekend!
Hugs, Carin xx
Comments (43)
ShadowsNTime
Wow Carin! How scary! Glad you got the shot but more glad you didn't get stung! My brother collected scorpions when he was a kid, they were around the grape arbor in gran's yard and black widow spiders too...EWWWWWWW!!! Great picture, btw, the east side of the mountains in Washington state (where my gran lived) is pretty much desert and has lots of lovely little things that like to bite! (((C))) So happy you are safe!
amota99517
Wow! I'm glad that you didn't get stung.
auntietk
I would like to think I would have just run like heck, but I know I probably would have stopped to take photographs! I mean really ... I stood under a perfectly good avalanche chute to get a good shot ... what's a little scorpion??
whaleman
Good shot! I've only seen one and it was in the Sonoran Desert. I was surprised at how fast they can move, but it really made me understand the movements of the famous Roadrunner that apparently predates on these yummy scorpions. I didn't get a shot of a scorpion or a Roadrunner, sob!
beatoangelico
fantastic scorpion...super Brava..!!!!
PSDuck
Scorpions are attracted to vibration, so it was following yours. A case of "Whatcha gonna do if ya catch her?", except sting her (duh!). I grew up in Arizona and Nevada, so I'm quite familiar with all kinds of scorpions and spiders. I got a very nasty case of blood poisoning from a Black Widow bite on my elbow that I never felt. (Sometimes you do not.) I was rushed to the hospital with chills, severe muscle cramps and the two "racing stripes" that stopped one inch (!!!) from my lymph nodes by the time I got pumped full of meds. The doctors said "You were lucky we got it before it got to your lymph system." Well, I agree. Fantastic shot, Carin! Brava!
ledwolorz
Wonderful photo.
lucindawind
ewwwwwww omg scary shot to take ! DO NOT wear flip flips while in the desert lol .. what a dangerous adventure
EagleWind
Stunning Capture I have always been fascinated with the little and creepy creatures, the ones most people shy away from. This little critter can be quite aggressive and will not hesitate to defend itself if threatened in any way. It is a great shot none the less
Chipka
The smaller the scorpion, the stronger the poison...but I have to say that I would love to capture some of these critters. They're always strangely cute. This is a great picture, fantastic sense of earth tone dominated color, and a nicely, sleek black scorpion to center it all. Fantastic work, and I love the fact that the more dangerous (or scary) a thing is, the more interested they are in things like cooling off in your shadow.
danapommet
The photo is great. The story was even better. Reading all of the comments was the best. Glad that got away safe - that is the important part. Dana
TheRingess
A really cool shot and a great story. Thanks for sharing it. I have a shot of a scorpion glowing in the dark in my gallery.
clbsmiley
Carin... Cool shot and narrative... I used to deal with the clear or white ones on the other side of Texas, And of course you find them when in flipflops or barefooted, Murphy's law.. LOL No matter where you live there is always some kind of dangerous creature, big and or small!