He was quite large, at least three inches long – bright orange except for some darker stripes across his abdomen, and making it abundantly clear that he was willing to fight for the right to come back into the house! While he and I discussed the issue – he waving four long front legs at me, standing tall on the two back sets of legs, and snapping some rather massive and scary looking mandibles at me – James ran in for our Audubon guide to the Southwest.

We were surprised to learn that our visitor was a scorpion – a Wind Scorpion, in fact. The book mentioned how fast they are – and James agreed that he had had quite a race with the fellow to get him to go outside. The reason he had come in was quite obvious when we read that he eats other arachnids, particularly favoring “Daddy Long Legs”. We have escorted four or five Daddy Long Legs a day out of the house – the numbers gradually lessening as they get the idea that there are humans in here now and they are no longer welcome inside. The book also says he is non-poisonous – which is reassuring. Still, given the size of those jaws, I’m happier with him outside than in!

Good birding! Or whatever...