Deadly scorpion found in Devon after travelling in shipment from South America

A group of roofers discovered a deadly scorpion in a pallet of tiles in Plymouth.

The team of five workers were working on a building in Derriford when they found the highly-venomous Brazilian yellow scorpion.

It is thought it had travelled from South America with the tiles.

Ben Cooke discovered the scorpion and said: “It’s a crazy little thing. It was moving around the box. It was the sixth pallet we opened and we saw it inside.

“We got it onto the edge of a slate and then knocked it into a tub we use for nails. We did some research online and saw it was among the most dangerous scorpions.”

The Brazilian yellow scorpion, or Tityus serrulatus , carries a venom which is extremely toxic, and is the most dangerous scorpion in South America and responsible for the most deaths from stings.

One of the other roofers, Ben’s brother Jamie, said the scorpion had survived a long sea journey from Brazil to the UK before emerging in Plymouth.

He said: “They are very common in Brazil and can go without food for months, that is how it survived for all this time. It’s probably been sitting in a merchants for a while too.”

The scorpion is now safely being looked after at Plymouth Reptile and Aquatic, in Cattedown.

Jamie said: “They said it needed a bit of heat on it right away. We’ll all go and see it in a few days.”