Is a Centroides Gracilis loose in my apartment?

BonnieClyde

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 28, 2020
Messages
19
A while ago I got a handful of c. Gracilis slings, and due to not properly closing a lid on one of their cups, one managed to escape in my apartment. I searched for a while using a blacklight but had no luck, and assumed that eventually it would die as it's winter in my state and not particularly humid. I'm not sure what it would eat. Now around four months later, I've had three different occasions where I've had something like a bugbite on my body. Once it was my arm, then my leg and now my foot. The area is red, itches, somewhat swollen and causes a lump beneath the skin that recedes after a day or so.

Is it possible that my gracilis is still alive and somehow stinging me or is this something else? How likely would it be to survive for 4 months in an apartment without food or water. Thanks for any info.
 

goliathusdavid

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 27, 2020
Messages
487
I think given the intense pain described with stings from this species, it is unlikely that the source of your sores is the escaped scorpion. This species venom is far less potent than other Centuroides (such as Centruroides sculpturatus, which could send you to a hospital) but it is still quite painful and I think it would take more than a day for swelling to recede. I would agree with @Poonjab and say bed bugs are a more likely candidate. Therefore I would conduct an appropriate investigation.
 

BonnieClyde

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 28, 2020
Messages
19
I think given the intense pain described with stings from this species, it is unlikely that the source of your sores is the escaped scorpion. This species venom is far less potent than other Centuroides (such as Centruroides sculpturatus, which could send you to a hospital) but it is still quite painful and I think it would take more than a day for swelling to recede. I would agree with @Poonjab and say bed bugs are a more likely candidate. Therefore I would conduct an appropriate investigation.
Thanks, I'll see what I can do it find out if it's bed bugs afterall.
 

Ferrachi

Arachnoprince
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
1,014
70 is a bit on the cool side but you can use a black uv light to spot bed bugs
 

Dr SkyTower

Arachnolord
Joined
Dec 21, 2019
Messages
660
I agree with the others on here, those sound like the bites of some other insect (fleas, mosquito's etc?) If its fleas/bedbugs check in the bed sheets for little blood stains. I doubt the scorpion is causing those.
 
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