Scorpions ‘taking over’ Brazilian cities with reported stings rising 250%
Fast and unplanned growth of cities providing ideal conditions for the creatures to thrive, say researchers.
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More than 1.1m stings were reported between 2014 and 2023, according to data from the Brazilian notifiable diseases information system. There was a 250% increase in reports of stings from 2014 to 2023, according to research published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.
The rise in cases has been driven by rapid, unplanned urbanisation – such as favelas – characterised by high-density housing and poor waste disposal, according to the research. Although urban areas are encroaching on wild habitats where scorpions already live, they are also creating new environments in which to thrive.
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They particularly like sewers, which are warm year-round, home to almost no predators and provide plenty of food, especially cockroaches. Some species of scorpion can survive for up to 400 days without food and are able to reproduce without mating, making them difficult to eradicate.
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