The scary thing about scorpions is that their bodies are hard, making them difficult to smash.  Unlike other bugs, Uncle Johnny explained, scorpions wear shells that are similar to bullet proof vests, in that it tends to make them stomp proof.  To guarantee you kill it, a scorpion can’t just be stomped, but rather must be ground beneath your shoe.  If the scorpions fall on you, or manage to escape your shoe, they’ll sting their victim with their tail multiple times as they run down your arm, or up your leg.  While I wasn’t sure how much I always believed his stories, I know that some version of this had actually happened to my mom when she lived in Santo as a girl.  My mother explained that scorpion stings hurt worse than anything else, including fire ants, and wasps; she said they were so bad that once, the scorpion’s venom actually caused her to develop a fever. 

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