Sting of Death
- Caleb Venturo
- Jan 13
- 2 min read
Want to Watch a Desert Hairy Scorpion in Action?
©2025 by Joshua Venturo
The Mecca Hills of Southern California are dry, dusty, and hot. Each day, the sun beats down, parching the ground until only a few shrubs can survive. Down in the wetter washes and canyons, there are catclaw and paloverde trees. Higher, on the rocky slopes and ridges, there are creosote bushes and spiky ocotillos scattered here and there. Once in a while, there is a branchy cholla cactus bristling with spines. It was here that we decided to hike on a winter day in December.
A creosote bush
A spiky ocotillo
A cholla cactus
When we crested one of the ridges, we spotted a far-off peak that we took to be the highest point in the vicinity. We immediately decided to make it the day’s goal. We wound through slot canyons and washes, over hills and along ridges, sometimes backtracking and re-routing because of canyons and cliffs across our way, but we always kept on.
After a while, we came out onto the summit. Now we had to descend back to the car. What would befall us on the way down?
Prime view of the Mecca Hills from the summit of our peak
Descending the ridge to get back to the car, satisfied with a job well done
“Aaah!! Whoa!! Watch out!! Back up!!”
We all leapt back as a creature scuttled out of the rocks at our feet. As we examined the creature, we beheld the pointed pincers, fat segments, and wicked stinger of a large scorpion.
What we believe is a Desert Hairy Scorpion
But soon our curiosity overcame our fears, and we gathered around and prodded it gently with our hiking poles to see what it would do. It immediately started viciously jabbing at us with its stinger, but we were thankfully all out of range. We were all much more careful in the desert after that.
We found out later that the scorpion we saw was probably a Desert Hairy Scorpion. These scorpions feed mainly on small insects, and only owls and bats dare to eat them. You can find Desert Hairy Scorpions in the Southwestern deserts, although they are sometimes found as far north as Idaho.
According to 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, death has a sting as well as scorpions. “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56).
But for those of us who are Christians, God has given us the victory through Jesus (vv. 54-55, 57).
Photos by Jenny Venturo. Video by Joshua Venturo.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Used by permission. All rights reserved.
