Miami Beach Scorpion Goes Viral. Wait...Are There Scorpions in South Florida?

Not many places put the "wild" in "wildlife" quite like Miami. If you've spent some time in South Florida, chances are you've biked around a gator at Shark Valley or maybe seen manatees swimming while out on a neighborhood stroll. Perhaps you've been jolted awake by the cat-like squawk of a feral peacock. Or maybe you've seen an iguana fall out of a tree during a cold snap. If you were hanging around Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden last month, you might have even seen a very lonely toucan wandering the grounds. And let's not even get into the Everglades' invasive python problem.

But if you're like me, you've lived for decades in Miami without knowing we have scorpions here. That is, until a six-second video purportedly of a scorpion crawling on the Miami Beach Boardwalk made the rounds on Reddit this week.

The comment section on the post, titled "Scorpion on Miami Beach boardwalk!? Anyone ever seen these in Miami-Dade?" was filled with born-and-raised, tried-and-true South Floridians who'd never heard of or much less seen scorpions in Miami.

"Born and raised in the 305," wrote one user. "Never seen or heard of us having these..🤷🏻‍♂️."

"Almost 50 years living in Florida, and I've never seen a scorpion," wrote another.

Some even speculated the scorpion had escaped captivity: "Had to be a pet. Grew up in SoFlo, nature lover...never seen 'em."

Others knew of their existence but had never seen one in the flesh.

"Wow! I've lived here my whole life," wrote one user. "I know they're around, but I've never seen one."

Others hadn't seen one in a long time. One user wrote they'd killed two scorpions in their yard as a child growing up in Liberty City. Another said they saw them "all the time" growing up in Allapattah.

"I haven't seen scorpions in Miami in over a decade lol," wrote another Redditor. "So nice to know they are out there still."

Scorpion on Miami Beach boardwalk!? Anyone ever seen these in Miami Dade?
byu/Soyohwehttam inMiami

So, Are There Scorpions in Miami?

There are indeed scorpions in South Florida — three species, to be exact. The Florida bark scorpion, Hentz striped scorpion, and Guiana striped scorpion all reside here, with the latter found mainly in South Florida. The one in the video appears to be a Florida bark scorpion.

Are Florida Scorpions Venomous?

Yes, all scorpions are venomous, including Florida scorpions. Some species are more venomous than others, and all three Florida species fall within the lower range. Their venom is not lethal to humans, but the sting is said to be about as painful as a wasp sting, and the effects can last for several hours.

Where Can You Find Florida Scorpions?

Scorpions like dark, warm, humid environments, so they tend to live under rocks, tree bark, and, if you're not careful, a messy closet or attic.

What Should You Do With This Information?

For starters, do not follow one Redditor's advice to "KILL IT WITH FIRE" — scorpions eat insects and help control pest populations.

Don't take this dramatic route either: "We have Florida scorpions? Oh damn, I wanted to move, but now I need to." If you've gone this long without knowing they were here, you can probably continue to co-exist safely and comfortably in the same state.

Instead, follow this cogent advice from a user who once found a scorpion on their toilet seat: "A good reason why I turn [on] the light to use the restroom."