Arizona bark scorpion
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PHOENIX, Ariz. -- A passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight got quite a surprise at the end of his flight -- a toxic scorpion dropped down and stung him.
Doug Herbstommer had flown from Phoenix to Indianapolis. He said he saw something drop from above, and thought it was a seat belt.
Then, Herbstommer felt something crawling up his leg.
He reached down to brush it off and was stung by an Arizona bark scorpion right between his fingers.
Herbstommer immediately killed the scorpion with his shoe.
His 10 year old son Jeremy then opened the overhead compartment to find five baby scorpions next to their luggage.
The situation created a commotion among the passengers, who started climbing onto their chairs.
All the passengers were able to get off the plane safely, and Doug was not seriously injured by the sting. He was treated at Indianapolis International Airport.
Bark scorpions are venomous, but their sting rarely causes death.
The scorpions were killed after the flight landed and the jetliner was fumigated as a precaution.
Airline officials say they're not sure how the scorpions got on the plane.
It's possible that they were hidden a passenger's luggage, and rode through airport screening undetected.
Doug Herbstommer had flown from Phoenix to Indianapolis. He said he saw something drop from above, and thought it was a seat belt.
Then, Herbstommer felt something crawling up his leg.
He reached down to brush it off and was stung by an Arizona bark scorpion right between his fingers.
Herbstommer immediately killed the scorpion with his shoe.
His 10 year old son Jeremy then opened the overhead compartment to find five baby scorpions next to their luggage.
The situation created a commotion among the passengers, who started climbing onto their chairs.
All the passengers were able to get off the plane safely, and Doug was not seriously injured by the sting. He was treated at Indianapolis International Airport.
Bark scorpions are venomous, but their sting rarely causes death.
The scorpions were killed after the flight landed and the jetliner was fumigated as a precaution.
Airline officials say they're not sure how the scorpions got on the plane.
It's possible that they were hidden a passenger's luggage, and rode through airport screening undetected.
