Vegas: Yet another scorpion

I've had the luck to have been able to live in several different cities around the world throughout my life, from the world-renowned den of sin and glittering desert city of Las Vegas, Nevada, to the densely populated metropolis jungle of Tokyo, Japan or the fast-paced, fashion-forward capitol of Seoul, South Korea. Every city I've lived in has offered its various pros and it's cons, like the crowds on the Tokyo and Seoul subways, trains and busses, or the creepy crawlies with a poisonous sting that can invade your home, such as the scorpions in Las Vegas ranking high among my cons lists. Generally speaking, the desert landscape isn't hospitable to too many species of insect, so while you'll occasionally spot a Black Widow spider, moth, or daddy long legs, you're not likely to encounter too many mosquitos- or lightning bugs, either. The environment, being a harsh, desiccated wasteland low in readily available resources, fosters only the toughest of beasts, and unfortunately for the residents of Las Vegas and it's outlying areas, scorpions are among those that thrive.  

These tiny little scorpions are especially fearsome, as those stingers on the end of their tails aren't just for show! While their sting isn't necessarily lethal, unless you have an allergy or are immunocompromised (like an infant or the elderly), they can be extremely uncomfortable to receive. I have absolutely zero desire to ever be the recipient of their wrath, and any time we've encountered one in our living space we've extracted it by using chopsticks to keep a safe distance from (and a measure of control over) their tail. Some people might go out of their way to test their bravery or manhood by taking a sting, I wouldn't recommend it. To each their own, but personally, I'll stay far away from any scorpions I come across. 

Vegas: Moth friend

Las Vegas, Nevada, is not a city known especially for its bountiful and abundant wildlife. This would be a shame if you consider the beautiful big horned sheep that live among the hills outside the city proper, or the fierce and stealthy mountain lions that feed upon them, or the adorable little quail and kangaroo rats (or chipmunks, or rabbits) who can sometimes be found scurrying and chirping among the brush. These animals, however, tend to reside more on the periphery, not wanting to venture too far into the city for fear of bumping shoulders with the human residents, unless an especially appealing park happens to be located in close enough proximity to a densely populated hill, as is the case in Hemenway Park in Boulder City where the sheep can sometimes be found. On any given day, you're rather unlikely to encounter any of these creatures, though- aside from perhaps the rabbits, who seem to be doing pretty well, even to the point of becoming a menace in some areas, or maybe the coyotes who occasionally snag a smallish pet from an unwatched backyard...but I digress. The general wildlife in the region isn't keen on sharing space with us, so you're far more likely to encounter some form of insect, arachnid, or human specimen. A good example of this would be our encounters with scorpions, who found their way into the small, poorly sealed studio space we spent the better part of 2017 and 2018 inhabiting. Did you know that scorpions can climb? I didn't until I found one in our sink and decided to research the terror that had entered the sanctity of our space. Scorpions do pretty well in Las Vegas, and if you find yourself in the city with access to a handheld blacklight, feel free to do some investigating of outdoor spaces with it. You may be surprised, shocked, or horrified at the sheer number of the creepy crawlers you can find refracting neon-light in the dark of night. To be fair, scorpions can help humans by eating other creepy crawlers you might not want coming around, like spiders or centipedes, but that's not an especially comforting reassurance when you stumble upon a scorpion in your shower late one evening, unprepared. 

While moths aren't typically considered a friendly visitor, due to their habit of gnawing on perfectly good clothing and leaving holes for us to find, I'd gladly find one perched upon my laundry over a scorpion. This friendly little guy posed for some photos, too, allowing me an opportunity to appreciate their beautiful markings. I don't know, is it weird that I got excited at finding him? Maybe.

But you have to admit, he sure is a pretty little thing!

Thanks for stopping by!

💘

XOXO,

NAU

Road Tripping: Hornets and flowers, St. George, Utah

Look at that big, bright, beautiful butt. Don't let the appearances fool you, though- it's got a terrible stinger on the end of it! And lucky for them (but not for us humans), unlike their cousins the bees who have to kamikaze and rip their own guts out when they sting you (making the majority of bees far more hesitant to sting unless absolutely necessary) hornets can happily keep stinging and stinging until they feel satisfied that any and all threat has gotten the message; "F**k off!"

Yeah, hornets are jerks. They're pretty awful, and because they know their stings come with an unlimited (or nearly) supply of ammunition they're not hesitant about using them and can get rather aggressive. Because of this fact, we had to be extremely cautious in our efforts to capture photos of them. We managed to get these without receiving any unwanted pokes or prods from the models, but we quickly ceased our photo shoot when they grew agitated. While pain is often equated with the price of beauty, we were in absolutely no need of pain on this particular day. 

I believe these particular beauties to be the European wasp variety, given their bright brown and yellow coloration and extra-large size. There's also yellowjackets in the area, but they tend to be smaller, about an inch or less, while these guys were well over an inch in length. Whatever their particular strain, their stings still suck so we noped out as soon as they got tired of our attention. I can't recall being stung by a hornet or wasp any time in my lifetime, though I've been stung by bees and know I had no allergies when I was a kid it's not a risk I'd like to take.  They are fascinating creatures, though, those insects. Personally, I like studying them from a safe distance, ideally. How about you?