When exploring Red Rock Canyon during the evening & early morning hours, you might encounter the giant desert hairy scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis) crawling along the trails. Even though they have the word “giant” in their common name, they only grow six inches in length. That does make them the largest scorpion in North America! This nocturnal scorpion hunts around at night looking for small insects & spiders, avoiding the extreme daytime heat. Birds, reptiles, and even some mammals prey on this animal. The giant desert hairy scorpion’s sting is often compared to a bumblebee sting in pain & venom toxicity. That said, we recommend giving this animal plenty of space if encountered.

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