These Tiny Scorpions are Thriving in an Unlikely Place...

[@LeaveCurious]

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[@Rat_King_Reviews]

There's actually a species of scorpion living at rosyth dockyard in Scotland as I remember as a kid workers/parents from the dockyard would regularly tell us about these little dark coloured scorpions that ran around the walls and bricks and rubble while the guys ate their lunch and things so I guess the scorpions arrived from abroad somewhere on a ship and have survived. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@PaulB-justme]

When my parents moved from the East End of London to Essex, when I was about 7, (so late 1960's) I remember being in the garden in a hot summer, I saw what looked to me like a scorpion! (I had been learning about them at school.) It even raised its tail sting when I bent down to have a better look at it. I went in and told my mother, but she didn't believe me - and, by the time I got her to come outside, it had gone. It was only a few years ago that I was talking to some friends about this, and they didn't think that there were scorpions in the UK, but suggested that I looked online - and yes, they were in the south-east so I did see one! 😮

[@LeaveCurious]

Cool story! Makes me think of how many other places we’ve got a mini population or roaming individuals

[@obnoxiouspedant]

theres a mini population of mites in my gooch ​@LeaveCurious

[@LostWaxProcess]

@@LeaveCurious I used to live in Essex and remember lots of stories as a kid about scorpions living on the now disused central line track between Epping and Ongar. Apparently the track serves as a perfect little ecosystem for them.

[@jimroberts3009]

I also use to live in Essex and remember going to the railway line at Shenfield, Essex, in the late 1970s. Scorpions were rumoured to live there but sadly didn't see any.

[@pietjepuk9575]

You call that mini populations of roaming induviduals ? They let them ALL in and now you lot has to deal with them , they have no poison in their tale ( i think not 😁 ) but they move faster on two legs and some live in lovely hotels for FREE , and there are riots now all because of them . Guess who i mean . Lovely UK 🤮🤮👎👎👎

[@jayniven1017]

I live in Falkirk Central Scotland & scorpions have been seen from Grangemouth dock all the way along the canal to Glasgow. They inhabit the old sandstone walls & have done for many years. I've never seen them myself unfortunately but dad worked at the docks for year & had a boat on the canal & seen them a few times. I also worked on the canal for a while & head of many more sightings. Most folk aren't even aware of them. 😊X

[@andrewadam9544]

they were also known in Rosyth dockyard back when it was a mod yard, i guess most docks will have them.

[@cambindi5938]

That’s so fascinating. Who would have ever guessed that a non-native warm weather scorpions would thrive on one specific wall in the UK!? Wonder when they were first discovered there?

[@LeaveCurious]

Yeah great question, not sure exactly but sometime in the late 1800s, nocturnal small creatures like this can go undetected for a while

[@PaulCoxC]

Woah, they look super cool under the UV light!

[@charlottescott7150]

I love Jason's passion

[@obroadieswimmer]

Stung twice by little brown scorpions in Thailand, two years apart. The most painful 48 hours of my life. The 2nd time was the worst because as soon as I felt the sting I knew what I was in for.

[@The-o7j]

How did that happen?

[@obroadieswimmer]

@@The-o7j once when mopping the open plan ground floor of my house and was stung in the toe. The 2nd time I was moving a large ceramic plant pot with an avocado tree and it was under the lip of the pot. Got me in the finger.

[@ManicMindTrick]

Where in Thailand and was it in a shoe?

[@emmsdaniels924]

I have lived on sheppey all my life, born in sheerness and still there today, I have ALWAYS known about the scorpions in blue town but I have never ever seen them

[@anniehill9909]

Well, I think it's pretty cool that Jason does this for love rather than money. 'Monetising' your passions can also kill them.

[@20111jay]

Thanks. I completely agree. When I used to work part time as a wedding photographer, to bring in a little extra money, I quickly started to hate photographing people. Now I just pursue my wildlife photography as an interest / passion. My images are used to help with conservation causes and raise awareness.

[@markg3025]

Fascinating piece.

[@LeaveCurious]

Yeah, it was something special holding them. Beautiful little creatures

[@kgilliagorilla2761]

Blows my mind. Cheers from Chicago. No scorpions here.

[@DavidBritton-nl1wv]

Are you sure?

[@laf5537]

@@DavidBritton-nl1wv More likely, Chicago doesent have a connection to the sea/ports, only a lake. They would need to come on wheels or air.

[@ohnoitsami98]

@@laf5537 you do understand the great lakes are connected to the ocean and we definitely ship there it is a shipping hub in America.

[@172louis]

I heard about these in a news paper when I was a kid. Thanks to KZbin I can see them in action now. Cool

[@andrewrobertson444]

Jason Steel's website is STUNNING.

[@LeaveCurious]

Amazing images and information!

[@20111jay]

Thanks very much. 👍

[@20111jay]

@@LeaveCurious - Thank you.👍

[@philiptaylor7902]

Fascinating, great video Rob.

[@cabretafotuda]

Very interesting. Lovely British scorpions❤. Thanks.

[@chir0pter]

Btw although scorpions are typically associated with warm climates, I've found them amidst the roots of giant sequoias in the high Sierras in California- which you did a video on also thriving in the UK. It was July and probably 18-19C. Very cool find in the UK and once again their choice of habitat being a brick wall just serves as yet another example of how UK wildlife is so interstitial with, and even dependent on, human landscape modification!

[@LeaveCurious]

Awesome, didn't know there were scorpions there

[@chir0pter]

@@LeaveCurious I actually have a video of it on my channel, one of like three videos there. I was surprised too and it seemed relatively inactive, so I thought it was cold. It actually may have been more like 15-17C. But it was also daytime and I picked up a rock to find it

[@georgefarrow8596]

Saw one of these at my sisters terraced house in the front room early 1980's Balby, Doncaster, South Yorkshire It was Black in colour about the same size as these you've shown When I asked neighbours about it they said it wasn't unusual to see them in that area Its not far from the railway station and some sidings where goods trains used to be laid up

[@LeaveCurious]

Scorpions taking trains! That’s pretty far north, I wonder if they’re still about there

[@juliejay5436]

Brilliant! Gorgeous creatures!

[@owenwildish331]

These scorpions are kind of cute.

[@20111jay]

Great video Rob. It's by far my favourite film on these amazing little scorpions. I was so preoccupied with the scorpions I didn't even realise you were filming most of the time.

[@LeaveCurious]

Thanks for coming along Jason was good fun!

[@20111jay]

@@LeaveCurious - You're very welcome. 👍

[@chazphot]

@@20111jay Hi Jason, I've just found out about the scorpions on Sheppey and I'd love to take my nephew to have a look but we're heading into autumn now and the evenings are cooling down. Do you know if they'd still be active in September or have I missed the boat and I'd be better to wait until next year? Can't believe there's something this 'exotic' so close to home!

[@20111jay]

@@chazphot - Hi there. If you have a UV torch then you'll still be able to see them hiding in the crumbling mortar of the Old Great Dock Wall. As the temperatures cool down it will be increasingly unlikely that you'll see them wandering out on the face of the wall. You might still be lucky at the moment though.

[@bertieboo]

A fabulous episode x

[@LeaveCurious]

Pleased you enjoyed it :)

[@stealth3764]

We have quite a few in Derbyshire. You just got to know where to look.

[@Reidflicksbruh]

Jason should make a channel

[@stephenholland7707]

Liverpool docks have very small white in daylight scorpions in their brickwork as well. Xx

[@20111jay]

If you manage to capture any photos or video footage of these Liverpool scorpions then I'd love to see them.

[@stephenholland7707]

@@20111jay unlikely as I live in Cornwall now, sorry. I went to school in Stockport and about 40 years ago on a school assignment tracing the famous river from Stockport to the docks in Liverpool we were all amazed to find tiny white scorpions in the cracks of the bricks right at the waters edge. I remember our teachers explaining they needed the salt environment to survive and couldn’t leave . Your video/ story made me remember. Thank you. Xx

[@20111jay]

@@stephenholland7707 - Thanks anyway. I wonder if the colony survived for many years.

[@mickm7786]

I remember seeing a news report years ago about scorpions being found at Bexley railway station it was probably the same species that you were showing in your video.

[@datguynilf9793]

Awesome job as always! Leave curious

[@iamjimb]

As soon as I saw that wall and the anchor, I knew exactly where you were lol

[@darrellshaw0169]

You are clever, give yourself a pat on the back 😂😂

[@iamjimb]

@@darrellshaw0169 nah not clever, just been there a lot, it's where my auntie lives

Really cool episode. Love your channel, keep up the great work 🙏

[@LeaveCurious]

Ah awesome thanks very much :)

[@timlorlor6888]

There are some at Ongar railway station, I believe

[@20111jay]

As mentioned on my website the deliberately introduced scorpions at Ongar Station died out within a few years of being released there. It's unknown whether the scorpions ever managed to successfully breed there or not.

[@gazepskotzs4]

Super vid! Thanks!

[@darrellshaw0169]

They are also prolific in Dover, I watched a documentary on them in the late eighties.

[@theawesomeyoutubersandco7124]

What an awesome KZbin channel this is💯🏆👍 Total respect and applause for you buddy

[@royster3345]

Saw one come out from under the skirting board in the mother in-laws house in Birmingham 20 years ago. Dark brown, thought it was a spider at first, then saw the tail when it came fully out. Moved closer to look at it but it ran straight back.

[@davehughes2687]

There is a wall in Plymouth dock yard that has a establishment Scorpion thing going on...

[@DavidBritton-nl1wv]

I first saw these when I was working in Kent in the seventies.

[@joyglocker8318]

So so interesting! Thanks a lot.

[@RichardChandler-v8i]

They are also at London Bridge...

[@terencemullins1422]

Another welcome import

[@FrithonaHrududu02127]

Awesome video

[@kellerhorton]

very cool.

[@Myhandlenamehasbeentaken]

Working as a florist that was my biggest fear that I would put my hands in to a bunch of tropical flowers to find one. This happened to a friend who is also a florist. She put it in the local park 😬😬

[@musoseven8218]

I knew about this colony but didn't realise they were so small - quite beautiful really, especially under UV 💜👍✌️ Its possibly a myth but I thought that the smaller the Scorpion the more toxic the sting? 🤔🤔 Seeing them under UV light, made me want to make the Predator throat noise😀😀

[@mr2981]

Fascinating!

[@kellyharrison5184]

Fascinating!

[@williamarmstrong646]

I wonder how many people think that a Devil's Coach Horse Beetle is a scorpion when one raises its abdomen. They can give quite a nip (not a sting) with their jaws; well, I thought so when one nipped me when I was around 14 (a VERY long time ago now!).

[@Thetache]

I'm sure there are or used to be scorpions in Ongar Essex back in the 80s

[@mikey_r]

Wow amazing!!!

[@johndanville6643]

I live in Hull I remember seeing them in 1985

[@Hansulf]

Oh, that's a Euscorpius flavicaudis! In Spain, we call them Alacrán. Their sting is very mild, I didn't even notice it much when I was a child. It's a rare find nowadays!

[@glenncordova4027]

I bet they are still around. It is just that you were a curious child, being in places and times when scorpions were there too. You're an adult now and stay in adult places and times. 🦂

[@Hansulf]

@@glenncordova4027 Jajaja true, but I still look for them sometimes where I use to find them and I don't... They probably are more active during the wet months when I'm not at home and also the weather has changed somewhat.

[@andreasthemetalpunk9552]

​@@HansulfI remember seeing a dead one under a rock in the campo once.

[@kittyhinkle3739]

This is fascinating!

[@christinecollins6389]

Not my favourite creature nor the spiders but fascinating to see them and they are doing no harm Great video !

[@anthonygreen4981]

We used to see them in the dockyard walls down in Portsmouth a man was on the wall one night with a black light doing a count of them he said he did the count twice a year he said they came with sand from abroad years ago

[@andyalder7910]

Poor cheeselogs, not only spiders eating them but scorpions as well.

[@LeaveCurious]

Haha cheeselogs is a new one for me

[@mrhorse4298]

hahaha

[@krashd]

Another name for wood lice?

[@Sharky1966]

I thought the first ever sighting of scorpion in the uk. Was in Ongar.

[@ichifish]

Fascinating. Thanks.

[@benjaminford9932]

There was, and possibly still is, a colony of these scorpions at Ongar station. There has been coverage of them from time to time. Google search suggests they were deliberately introduced by a member of staff in an attempt to boost visitor numbers as the station did not have many travellers boarding or alighting there. The origin story being kept from public knowledge to add an air of mystery.

[@20111jay]

As mentioned on my website the deliberately introduced scorpions at Ongar Station died out after a few years. It's unknown whether the scorpions ever managed to successfully breed there or not.

[@williamarmstrong646]

@@20111jayI seem to recall that there were some at the former Blake Hall station but it's now a dwelling house and not part of the Epping - Ongar Railway.

[@FromaTwistedMind]

Sheerness? They're definitely in Portsmouth too.

[@20111jay]

I'd very much appreciate any photos, videos or links you have to support this. I'd love to investigate any confirmed sightings of additional scorpion colonies elsewhere in the UK and add this information to my website. Whilst scorpions have cropped up at numerous coastal towns around the UK it is only the Sheerness colony that have ever managed to establish a long-term viable colony.

[@moosifer3321]

They seem to be well behaved compared to other Uninvited `Guests`. Fascinating!

[@cujimmy1366]

Was the resin block a geocache.

[@20111jay]

I hadn't heard of that before. It's quite possible. The specimen was far larger than any Euscorpius species and looked like a species of Forest Scorpion.

[@michaelairley2015]

I remember watching this as a kid in the early 90's. Blue Peter maybe

[@LeaveCurious]

Throw back right there!

[@michaelairley2015]

@@LeaveCurious Maybe you can do a short video about the hummingbird moth? A very rare sighting in the UK. but I've been.lucky to see 2 in 15 years. Both in my parents garden. Amazing how they move.

[@christopherrenn8137]

Wonder if other brick work buildings in the area have them too? Interesting thought to think, each house, might be a small island of these with there own genomes. Over time they should adapt even more and get more and more cold hardy. Surprised it hasn't happened already tbh.

[@gawkthimm6030]

evolution normally takes thousands of years at least

[@christopherrenn8137]

@@gawkthimm6030 say that to other invasive that have taken hold elsewhere. Climate change has accelerated evolution more than once.

[@20111jay]

@@christopherrenn8137 - It's not the cold that prevents Euscorpius flavicaudis from becoming more widely established in the UK, it's the damp. The UK is generally just too wet for them here and our summers just aren't long enough. On particularly long, dry summers this species has proven to be capable of becoming temporarily established at various other coastal towns across the UK. As soon as we get a couple of cool, damp years these other colonies all die out though. As the earth continues to warm up during this interglacial period, just as it has repeatedly done for millions of years in the past, it will be interesting to see if these scorpions do manage to form long-term colonies anywhere else in Britain.

[@christopherrenn8137]

@@20111jay I see, thank you for that insight. Yeah seems like this would be a strong case to study for diverging genetics'. Wouldn't be surprised if during one of the warming/cooling phases a particularly colder/damper genome takes hold and they start spreading. Seems like these little ones are in the right spot, with the right stressor's, to cause this kind of evolution. In 100 years or more our grand-kids could be talking about the UK Fuzzy scorpion or something like that. :D

[@20111jay]

@@christopherrenn8137 - I'm sure the fauna of Britain will have many newly established species in 100 years. It's also sad to accept that we'll probably lose a fair few species too. But nature always changes and evolves. It's man's global trade that escalates the rate at which species are able to colonise new areas.

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Another great episode, thanks Rob. Nowhere else in Britain, eh? 🤔 I saw a scorpion about that size by an underpass on a Bracknell bike lane, back around 1986. A 'new town' replacing a small Berkshire market town, sited on sometime heathland (remnants of which still exist between Virginia Water and Ascot).

[@LeaveCurious]

Interesting, I'm sure we can't know for certain where these guys are and how they get there... but this is only place where they have known to establish

[@mrslinkydragon9910]

I wonder if they are around Chatham docks. Would make sense if they are

[@smitbar11]

Pretty certain there was a colony there

[@20111jay]

There are claimed sightings from the past but I have investigated this site in recent years and haven't manage to find any specimens still there. Whilst scorpions have cropped up at numerous coastal towns and ports around the UK it is only the Sheerness colony that have ever managed to establish a long-term viable colony.

[@bbsaid218]

I wonder if glowing ultra-violet is camouflage against predators that hunt in infrared, like snakes etc?

[@LeaveCurious]

Interesting maybe!!

[@glenncordova4027]

Old masonry is scorpion heaven

[@thefishyhorseman]

Do the scorpions appear blue off camera? Because they are showing up as glowing green on my screen.

[@LeaveCurious]

I've heard other people describe them as Green - its like a greeny blue, who knows maybe I'm colourblind ...

[@glenncordova4027]

I think it depends on the species, what color they floresce. In New Mexico we have one that glows a deep blue. The ones,that you show, look very green on my screen. It could be the screen too. Blue flowers often look purple on screens.

[@susanfarley1332]

I was surprised to see a few scorpions in Florida. I thought they were native to deserts but i was wrong.

[@smitbar11]

I think there is a Florida Bark Scorpion. It has a medically significant sting so be careful

[@I_am_BiG_Al]

Where is this wall? At the docks near McDonald's?

[@betterforthisthingweliveon]

😱I’m never going outside ever again 😄

[@LeaveCurious]

Haha they're more cute than anything

[@fernbedek6302]

A true micro-climate.

[@peteratherton1792]

If they sting, how serious is it????????

[@20111jay]

This species is very reluctant to use its sting. If you can provoke one enough to get it to sting you then in most cases the effects are nothing more than a pin-prick. Young children are more sensitive to the venom and there have been a couple of occasions when small children have required medical treatment after catching these scorpions in their hand.

[@krashd]

I wouldn't put my hand on a wall that contains green fangs, they are aggressive buggers.

[@mroconnell1775]

Scorpions live in walls of Liverpool & Manchester docks

[@graemefindsen4001]

Would flyspray kill one?

[@20111jay]

Yes, it probably would. As would many other insecticides. These scorpions could easily be removed if ever those in power decided to eradicate them. However, most locals, including Sheerness Docks, the local council, and the owners of the Great Dock Wall all seem quite proud of their novel arachnid residents in Sheerness.

[@alandavid7874]

Ive come across a fair few dead scorpions in old books. Non living yet

[@RepvertYT]

Really interesting

[@LeaveCurious]

Pleased you enjoyed it :)

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

First little guy just wanted to get away with this takeaways.

[@koolade76]

I hate those funnel web spiders. They grow palm-size, the house and garage have them everywhere. I’ve seen those scorpions in Wales, brown in the daylight, there's more sites for them across the UK.

[@20111jay]

I'd very much appreciate any photos, videos or links you have to support this. I'd love to investigate any confirmed sightings of additional scorpion colonies elsewhere in the UK and add this information to my website. Whilst scorpions have cropped up at numerous coastal towns around the UK it is only the Sheerness colony that have ever managed to establish a long-term viable colony.

[@sid35gb]

I never knew there was scorpions in the U.K.

[@proveritate9312]

Interesting. I'm curious to know how poisonous there venom is, and if anyone has been stung by any of these scorpions. Better be safe than sorry. This situation should be brought under the intention of people living in that area.

[@blackphillipppp]

They're so cute

[@MachikoNoguchi-616]

Me and my friend found what we thought was a Scorpion in Aberdeen Scotland we lived not far from a zoolgy building took it in but turned out to be some kind of false scorpion but looked like one can't rember what they called it sorry

[@jessicasinclair323]

Is this wall an Special Site of Scientific Interest? If not it should be!

[@20111jay]

The Great Dock Wall is privately owned, and independent of Sheerness Docks, and is afforded legal protection as a Listed Structure. It'll never get SSSI status because even though Euscorpius flavicaudis has been resident there for 150 years it will always be classed as a non-native species in the UK.

[@MD-jf1ml]

Aren’t they considered invasive then?

[@LeaveCurious]

Nope

[@glenncordova4027]

As long as they don't spread or cause damage to the environment, they aren't considered invasive.

[@MySamurai77]

It's like the Florida of the U.K. Tube webs are non native as well they have a nasty bite!

[@MaurieDeaton]

Smart not to push your luck. My friend got stung on the face by a scorpion and she ended up on an IV with anti venom for the better part of 1.5 hours. Still was swollen for a couple of days. That’s a Mexican scorpion, so much more venomous.

[@LeaveCurious]

ouch!! yeah pleased i didn't, although maybe the video would of got more views if i did haha

[@MaurieDeaton]

@@LeaveCurious I enjoy your videos without you losing an eye!

[@Patrickballhater]

I know they can cause harm if they become invasive but I do actually like a lot of the non natives we have in Britain. Surely, they can actually add to our biodiversity in some cases.

[@eric2500]

they can't spread can they???

[@OscarStigen]

4:58

[@LeaveCurious]

Nope, not for now

[@IanL1974]

@@LeaveCurious I remember seeing a black scorpion in my garden in Oxford, around the mid 1980's.

[@bt_photo]

Nearly brought a scorpion back from Malawi, dropped out of my rucksack 😅

[@LeaveCurious]

holy moly

[@eric2500]

Aaaaack!

[@rron5641]

t

[@thegreenmage6956]

Oh, non-native - never mind! Defund, divert efforts to native problems prioritising avoidance of extinction.

[@doubledee8677]

Defund what exactly.

[@LeaveCurious]

there is no funding or effort on our part, these guys are doing just fine on their own

[@sarahgriffiths-p5k]

@@LeaveCurious Glad they are doing well. It would be a shame to lose them, even if they are non native.

[@JaneAustenAteMyCat]

What a brilliant video. I never knew this. I am not exactly a fan of scorpions, but these ones just look cute

[@LeaveCurious]

so cute, for a scorpion

[@glenncordova4027]

Here in the United States, many people keep them as pets. I wish they wouldn't take them out of their native territory. Some could become an invasive pest.

[@20111jay]

@@glenncordova4027 - In the UK there is no chance of Euscorpius flavicaudis ever becoming invasive. Most species of scorpion have quite specific environmental requirements for them to successfully breed and become established. The UK is generally just too damp for them and our summers just aren't long enough.