YIKES!!!

Common Name: Desert Hairy Scorpion

Scientific Name: Hadrurus arizonensis

Size: Up to six inches (15cm) in total length

This is what Max and his little friend found in the little friend's backyard yesterday!! Fortunately it was dead and neither of them had actually picked it up or anything. They were just playing in some rock by the water spigot and uncovered it. I don't think they even noticed it was there. Little friend's mommy and I sure did though and quickly removed the guilty party and relocated the boys.
It really bothered me how easily this scenerio could have been different. I know that the scorpion sting isn't deadly, but it would definately be worse than a bee or wasp sting. In the 2+ years I've lived out in the desert, this was the first scorpion I've seen--although I'm not the outdoorsy type who wanders any farther than the mailbox. I don't like such things invading my perimeters.
I'm just glad that it wasn't my house (just down the street though) and now I really might consider cleaning up my yard so such things aren't tempted to wander this direction.