Belgian tourist accidentally brings deadly Egyptian scorpion home

A tourist returning from Egypt found herself with an unexpected and dangerous stowaway: a baby five-striped bark scorpion, one of the most venomous species globally. Lieze, 39, from Leuven, Belgium, was stung by the creature during her vacation but, unfamiliar with its danger, captured it in a box to take to the hospital for treatment.

After receiving an antivenom, Lieze returned to her hotel and, fearing another sting, kept the scorpion in its box. She then inadvertently packed the box into her handbag for the journey home. "Due to all the hustle and bustle at the airport, I forgot that the scorpion was still in my bag," she recounted. Upon arriving home, she realized the scorpion's dangerous nature and contacted the Natuurhulpcentrum (Nature Help Center) in Oudsbergen, Belgium.

Martijn Houbregs from the Natuurhulpcentrum described the scorpion as small, light-colored, with thin pincers, noting that its venom is concentrated in its tail. While a sting from this species is painful but not typically fatal for a healthy adult, it can cause severe illness. For children and the elderly, a sting could be deadly, though modern medical treatment offers a good chance of survival. Lieze considered herself fortunate that the baby scorpion likely injected a limited amount of venom during the initial sting, describing the pain as comparable to a wasp sting. The center is now seeking a specialized facility, such as a zoo or a laboratory working with venoms, to house the exceptionally dangerous creature.