I usually always wear gloves when I’m gardening because of all the little beasties lurking in the soil or on the leaves of my plants.
Guess what?
On this occasion I got sloppy and I put my naked hands into my strawberry bed to do some weeding. I saw something lurking among the dead leaves and initially thought to myself “Mr. Grasshopper’s turned a funny colour” Hang on…rewind that thought process Piglet, grasshoppers are not that colour! I quickly withdrew my hands. Lucky for me I did because this particular little beastie was a scorpion.
I ran squealing like a speared piglet into the house to take cover and hide behind Mr. Piglet. When we returned the Scorpion was making its getaway. Guess who I persuaded to take the photographs as my hands were still shaking?
Piglet in Portugal 
I am terrified of scorpions so would also have run, screamed etc. We get them at our holiday home too, found one under the bathroom mat one day when cleaning – now I never go the loo barefoot in the night!
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Nasty little thing! Also, there are other bacteria and stuff we can pick up… 😦
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That is one big scorpion! You are lucky it didn’t sting you!
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That is really scary!!!
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We;ve encountered a few of these whilst gardening in the Algarve, It was a while ago so I’d forgotten that they may be others lurking around – thanks for the reminder! Had one under our barbecue and others in the flowers beds. Scary! (like the centipedes, ugh!) Cath
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Hi Cath , only seen one of the centipedes and it was huge an my so UGLY I meant to check to see if they bite or anything, you’ve just reminded me!
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We dug quite a lot up under a bottle brush tree in the summer, doesn’t half make you jump! Please let me know what you find out. Happy gardening! Cath
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I better look these up in case they bite as well…
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In Portugal most people call them Lacrau, apparently the species is Buthus occitanus and is the only scorpion in Portugal. It is distributed throughout the national territory, from Tras-os-Montes to the Algarve, and are often in arid areas with exposed rocks in the sun. It’s not very dangerous. After the bite, the signs on site may be minimal, but the pain is very intense and member forms an edema and is partially paralyzed. The affected limb should be immobilized immediately and should put up a tourniquet near the bite. To control pain it’s suggest to do an application of ice or ethyl chloride at the bite site, or warm compresses soaked in a solution of baking soda, to neutralize the poison.
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Geesh Fernanda…thanks! I have a low pain tolerance. We also have black scorpians as well as these. My garden seems to to be home to a large variety of wild life. Thanks for the tip about the baking powder. 🙂
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Holy Moly- who would have thought Scorpions lived in Portugal? Not me! I love gardening and have grown accustomed to all sorts of insects and crawly things but SCORPIONS?? Now those scare me!
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Holy Moly is a good term…mine was not quite so polite 🙂 I’ve seen several of them since we have been here. Usually theylurk in the dry wood but more recently they have ventured further.
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Eek – glad you didn´t get stung!
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Hi Chica, don’t you ahve them in Spain?
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Ewww—yikes! Happy for the safe piglets.
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LOL, I think our neighbours thought I’d been despatched to the after world
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Growing up in Texas, we sometimes had scorpions in our house. I’ve stepped on my share and I can tell you that it hurts like the dickens. If you’re going to put on gloves, PiP, always shake them out beforehand. Those vicious critters also like to hide inside things like gloves and shoes.
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I certainly would not want to tread on it….
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Scary Pip. I always check my shoes and give my gardening gloves a shake before putting them on just in case.
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Hi Clara oh yes…I forgot to mention shoes. I ALWAYS check mine now. And the gardening gloves I usually leave scrunched up so insects cant get inside!
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I’m really glad we don’t get those in France! Glad you didn’t get stung. The mole cricket is the fiercesomest looking beastie we get but he’s harmless. I’m not keen on the idea of poisonous creepy crawlies …
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I found a mole cricket here…I did not know what it was and it certainly looked fearsome! You have a deadly snake there in France I believe?
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EEEKKKK! Glad you didn’t get stung.
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It makes me shudder just thinking about it. Still I bet you have some nasties there?
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Scary!! Glad you saw it before he could do any damage. I tend to wear gloves because I worry about spiders, nasty ants that sting, snails, and cat pop. Take care.
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I should imagine you ahve some pretty deadly insects in Autsralia. It hink I would wear a full body sit if I was gardening there. 🙂
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Sheesh: I am certain none of us meant to put you off and we would be most delighted to welcome you on these friendly shores – I DO live semi-rurally and have sighted 5 snakey things in about 18 years: not TOO bad 🙂 !
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OK, I read from barb19 that we do have scorpions Down Under: thank God I have not met those ‘friends’! However, gloves are de rigeur in this household ere going to do ‘useful things’ in the garden – remember the time not so long ago I thought to weed a streetfront flowerbed ere the weekend – put my hand out, had good sense to wihdraw; and there was a redbellied black snake [hmm: that means a hospital trip if you manage that far!!] squirming away from me . . . Exit back!!
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Shite, that was a very close call. the closest call I’ve ever had with a sanke was in cyrpus. A blunt nose viper….
Snakes here aren’t to bad. Just make you jump as they slither away
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Oh dear, that was a close call, glad you re-acted so quickly to avoid being stung. We have them here in Oz too, but I’ve never come across one, thank goodness (and I am always in the garden, tending to my vegies, etc.)
Mr Piglet was your hero, and great that he was able to take a photo of the culprit before it met it’s end!
Be careful PiP, and always wear your gloves when gardening.
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Hi barb, but don’t you have more deadly insects and spiders?
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Oh yes, we have ’em all here, but our scorpions are not deadly like they are in other countries.
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I would have run behind Mr PiP too !! I run behind my Mr C every time I see a spider!!!
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Do you have scoprions in Croatia?
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don’t think so… never seen any, and nobody ever mentioned them… just spiders and other insects..
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Oh my stars! You all have scorpions. Bless your heart. It’s good thing you were paying attention. I feel silly now complaining about spiders & squash bugs. Yep, I agree with you about Portugal, Definitely put on your gloves, stay alert & safe and continue your beautiful and dangerous gardening.
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Hey E.C there is never a dull moment in my garden 🙂
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Nasty! All I have to worry about here is bee-stings, or maybe cat poo…
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Same with me in the UK H! I’ve never seen such a wiered selction of bugs as we have here!
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OMG! I didn’t even know we had scorpions.I will never do any gardening without gloves again!
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A Portuguese friend of ours was stung last year and he was in so much pain he cried. I’d seen them in the log pile and once I had one on the ceiling in the lounge when Mr Piglet was away. I had to climb up and get it down. Arrrrgggghhhh
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That is scary!
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Shudder. I don’t like creepy crawly things, but scorpions are particularly terrifying.
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Hi Lisa just looking at the photograp gives me the creeps
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Aghhhhh! What a close call!!!
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My trotters still twitch at the thought even now…
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Eeeks – even with gloves, the thought of this scares me!
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Do you have scorpions if France 24/7?
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Oh Horrors, PiP. So I’m not the only blogger to post a scary pic today. 😀 Remember to wear your gloves next time.
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OMG the Parktown Prawn is horrendos. I def award you the most scary picture award… I would def have nightmares if U came across that. I’ve invited him to the Ugly bug ball next year. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Piglet's Plot in Portugal.
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Why did MR,PIP not go out and stand on it 🙂
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He did Harry, he decapitated its head with a shovel and then stamped on it for good measure before throwing it in the bin.
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Good man 🙂
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I didn’t know they had scorpions in Portugal. I understand that the smaller and clearer they are the more deadly. I do hope you take care and wear gloves. I haven’t been able to respond much lately but I do read and enjoy your blog. Take care.
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No Probs chatterbox, I’ve been away from the blogosphere myself. It happens 🙂 the clearer once are more deadly…but fortunately in Portugal the only give you a really nasty sting.
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Eeks, PiP, I would be screaming too! I’m so happy nothing happened to you. Please remember to wear the gloves again next time!
Thank you, brave Mr. Piglet, for the photo.
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Hi Marion, lucky our neighbours were away!
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I would have fainted. I’m from the south and we have our share of crawlies, but that would have called for smelling salts and clean undies.
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Hmmm I forgot to mention my undie situation 🙂
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