- [Mark] Two stings, one night.
I'm ready if you're ready.
This is crazy, but if you're up for it.
- Here we go.
One
two
three.
Ow. Ooh-ah.
(adventure music)
From a bird's eye view the Sonoran Desert
looks like nothing more than an scattering of rocks
and sparse plants,
but we all know by now
that it is alive with animals.
During the daylight hours these creatures stay hidden
doing their best to avoid the scorching sun,
yet when this glowing orb disappears behind the mountains,
and darkness sets in a menagerie
of creepy crawly nightmares emerge from the shadows.
In past episodes we have shown you many of these animals
almost all of which are venomous,
and that we as a team consider
to be biological landmines.
Break it down a bit further,
and you have what I call the triple S,
snakes,
spiders,
and scorpions.
Just the word, scorpion, makes my skin crawl,
and the Sonoran Desert is home to three distinct species.
The notorious bark scorpion, the stripe tailed,
and the giant desert hairy.
We have featured these arachnids before,
and I even free handled a bark scorpion
which possesses the most painful scorpion sting
in the United States,
and for me this is also different,
and extremely nerve racking,
but the reason I'm doing this is to prove
that these scorpions aren't just out there to sting you.
However, this brought about one very interesting question.
If the bark scorpion is considered to be the worst,
what is the sting pain difference
between a giant desert hairy and the stripe tailed.
So tonight I'm going to be stung by both
to bring us the answer to that question.
Warning, scorpion stings can be incredibly painful,
and potentially lethal.
Never attempt to replicate this experiment.
Alright, here's the cap, yes, Alright, lets go.
There they are guys.
On my left the giant desert hairy scorpion,
and on the right the stripe tailed scorpion.
Two of the most common species here in the Sonoran Desert.
Scorpions absolutely creep me out.
I'm just gonna turn this giant desert hairy scorpion
toward you there.
Look at that thing, pinchers, stingers, fur, ugh.
The little stripe tailed scorpion is actually kind of cute.
He's just curled up in the corner there.
Pretty cool to see the difference
between the two of them up close like that.
Look at that size difference.
That is pretty intimidating.
You're maybe wondering to yourselves Coyote
are you nervous?
Oh, yeah, I am definitely nervous
because I'm gonna be stung on one hand
by one species of scorpion,
and the other hand by the other species of scorpion.
Now the reason that I'm being stung is to prove
that it's not all about size.
Size doesn't necessarily matter
when it comes to the pain and potency of a sting.
So we're gonna find out
whether the giant desert hairy scorpion is more painful
than the stripe tailed scorpion or vice versa.
If you look at the giant desert hairy scorpion,
that's a big arachnid, definitely intimidating.
Then you look at the stripe tail,
and you're like oh, he's tiny.
He's almost cute.
That sting can't hurt that bad.
Often times what you wanna look at are the pinchers,
or as they're properly known
in the scientific community as pedipalps.
Now those are the front arms
that have these little claw looking appendages, right?
The pedipalps often times signify whether or not
a scorpion has potent venom.
That's because the smaller the pedipalps
often times the more potent the sting.
You notice the giant desert hairy scorpion's
pedipalps are enormous right?.
It can grab onto its prey, squeeze and crush it,
and then inflict a sting
when it comes to the strip tailed scorpion
the pedipalps are actually pretty small.
So I'm thinking this venom maybe more potent,
but I think ultimately we're gonna test it out on my hands,
and see exactly which one is more painful
in the realm of human experience.
- [Mark] It's definitely more intimidating to look
at the larger scorpion to me.
- Well, and what's cool
about the giant desert hairy scorpion,
and where they get their name,
is I can actually see this really well
through the light beams there,
are all of the hairs that are growing on the tail,
and you may not have known this,
but the little bulb at the end of the tail there,
that's called the telson,
and the telson is what connects to the stinger,
and that is where all of the venom is stored.
- [Mark] Looks like it wants to sting you right now.
- Yeah, it's coming right for me.
It's thinking to itself, let me get a wallup at your hand.
Coyote, I'll send you packing,
and little stripe tail, he's just curled up in a ball there.
Sayin alright I'm in the bright lights,
maybe if I don't move I'll be camouflaged,
and nobody will see me.
- [Mark] Well I think since the desert hairy
appears to be volunteering it should go first.
- It does look like it's volunteering, doesn't it?
- [Mark] Yep.
- Okay, now the way, that I'm gonna do this
is I'm gonna use forceps
to pick up the scorpion by its tail.
Then I'm gonna actually get a hold of the back knuckle
of the tail and the telson, and I'm going
to gently place the scorpion in the crux of my hand.
I will loosely position it in place.
Let go of the tail, whap, and I'm gonna get stung
somewhere in that general area.
Now in case you guys are wondering, as always,
we have epinephrine pen right here, just in case
my body has some sort
of negative allergic reaction to the venom,
but keep this in mind, there is no reported case
of anyone ever dying
from either of these two scorpion species.
The only real danger that these scorpions possess
is that their sting is painful.
It's not going to kill you.
(Coyote breathes heavily?)
Well I think it is time to compare
the giant desert hairy scorpion sting
to the stripe tailed scorpion sting.
Are you guys ready.
- [Mark] I'm ready if you're ready.
This is crazy, but if you're up for it.
- Puhhh.
- [Mark] - You don't wanna do it?
(Coyote laughs)
- It's not easy.
Well, and it's not even one sting.
It's gonna be two different stings.
I've never done two stings before.
So this one is a little bit different,
but I think I am ready.
Okay, so I'm gonna put the stripe tail down here,
out of the shot.
I'm also gonna move the epinephrine pen
down here out of my pack, and bring in this GoPro.
Rolling?
- [Mark] Just became real didn't it.
(Coyote takes deep breath)
- Get the scorpion out
There we go.
It's a risky little balancing game there isn't it?
Now I'm going to keep the plastic container right here
because I have a feeling that as soon as I am stung
I'm gonna drop the scorpion,
and I'mma have to put the container back on top of it,
or at least I'm gonna try.
Just like I have with some of the insects in the past.
This arachnid though, may scurry off the table.
If it does don't worry about it guys.
Don't try to get the scorpion.
I'll try to compose myself, and get back under control.
If it gets away it's just gonna run off into the desert.
I'm Coyote Peterson, and I'm about to enter the sting zone
with the giant desert hairy scorpion.
Are you ready?
(Tense music)
- [Mark] As ready as I'm gonna be.
- Here we go.
One.
Two.
Here we go, three.
OW, eeya, get into this container.
- [Mark] You got bit, I saw that.
- Ah, a just a little nick on the finger.
Ah, did you see that though.
- [Mark] Yeah, I saw he wacked your finger.
- Ugh, man.
- [Mark] What's it feel like?
- Like a bee sting actually.
- [Mark] Was it instant?
- Uh, yeah, it was pretty instant.
The stinger I could feel go boop,
right up underneath my skin.
Ah see if it drew blood.
No, if didn't draw blood.
Mmm, it hurts though, it definitely hurts, tingling.
It's kind of like a bunch
of little pins and needles going into my finger.
Ah, ah, ahhh, shake it off.
- [Mark] Round one.
- Round One
Well, it' not that bad as compared to a bullet ant
or a tarantula hawk.
That was honestly nothing.
That did feel almost just like a bee sting.
Honestly, maybe not even as bad as bee sting.
Ugh, okay, okay,
Alright.
- [Mark] Ready for round two?
- Respect Mr. Giant desert hairy scorpion.
Respect is what you get.
- [Mark] So now that you remember what it feels like,
you've been through the bullet ant,
you've been through the velvet ant, all these things.
What's that like now?
- Scorpion, now nearly as bad
as some of the other things I've been stung by,
but again remember often times with larger pedipalps
it means less venom potency.
The stripe tailed scorpion, small pedipalps powerful sting.
Are you ready?
I'm gonna go ahead and get stripe tail
out of the container here.
This is one frisky little arachnid.
- [Mark] It's so tiny.
- I gotch you.
Look it is just chompin onto forceps with those pedipalps.
- [Mark] And you've never been stung by one of these.
So this is a first.
- This is going to be a first, yes.
(Coyote takes deep breath)
- [Mark] Two stings, one night.
(Camera Man laughs)
- It's hard to hold the forceps now with my finger.
My finger hurts.
Alright, I'm Coyote Peterson,
and I'm about to enter the sting zone, again.
This time with the stripe tailed scorpion.
Are you ready?
(Coyote take deep breath)
One.
Two.
Three.
(tense music)
He's right there, let me get him.
Ah, yeah he got me.
Ah, did you see that.
- [Mark] Yeah.
- Ah, right there in the side of my finger.
- [Mark] It's turning red a little bit.
- Yeah, that one hurts more.
- [Mark] Is like it burning?
(Coyote groans)
- [Mark] Tell us what is happening.
- It burns a little bit worse
than the giant desert hairy scorpion.
Yep, see right there, see right there
on the side of finger.
Ya see that?
Just barely that little red spot.
That's a slightly softer part of the finger too.
Ooh, Wowzer.
- [Mark] You knocked th GoPro off.
- I did, didn't I?
Ouch, I like jolted the table.
That one actually gave me more of a jolt
than the giant desert hairy scorpion.
Ooh, that like shot me backwards.
Did you see that?
- [Mark] Yeah.
That was a sharp little, wing, ow.
- [Mark] It didn't look like
he was gonna sting you at first.
His stinger stayed out, and then all of the sudden
at the very last second, whap.
- It was delayed that was for sure.
Man my finger's burnin.
- [Mark] You okay.
- Yeah.
- [Mark] Everybody bashes me
for asking if you're okay.
I'm always worried about you.
- No I'm okay, I definitely okay.
What's funny is that my finger that was stung
by that giant desert hairy scorpion does not hurt anymore.
All the pain's in this hand now.
This definitely hurts worse.
Stripe tail scorpion without question
is a more painful sting
than the giant desert hairy scorpion.
Ow, but honestly.
nowhere close to the velvet ant,
the tarantula hawk, or the bullet ant, nowhere close.
Alright, lets bring hairy back up into the scene here.
Alright you guys did awesome.
You both successfully stung my hands.
Exactly what we wanted to happen,
and actually it's only my hand that was stung
by the stripe tailed scorpion
that still hurts at this point.
So what we've learned is that often times
it is the smaller pedipalps and the smaller scorpion
that has the more potent, and more painful venom.
I'm Coyote Peterson, be brave,
stay wild.
We'll see you on the next adventure.
Ah, my finger still hurts.
Being stung by these two scorpion species
has hopefully answered the question asked
to which is worse,
and I think we can now complete the hierarchy
in saying that size doesn't always matter
because while it may be the largest,
the least painful sting actually
comes from the giant desert hairy,
followed by the stripe tailed,
leaving the reigning kind of sting in the southwest
as the bark scorpion.
So now when I say the word scorpion.
I bet for many of you, a chill still runs down your spine.
However, despite their creepy alien looking appearance,
and intimidating stinger,
these animals have no interest in stinging humans.
Often times do their absolute best to avoid
having a close encounter of the human kind.
If you thought getting stung by two scorpions seemed intense
make sure to go back and see what happened to my face
after getting stung 32 times by honeybees.
Whoa, that one was painful,
and don't forget, subscribe, so you can join me and the crew
on this season of Breaking Trail.
(outdoor noises)