Susan Taylor, age 11, of Worcester, New York, for her question:

Is a scorpion poisonous?

There are various scorpion cousins, all alike in shape. They range in size from the pale one‑inch scorpion of our southwest to the black eight ­inch scorpion of the tropics. A11 resemble thin lobsters, with one difference. The; scorpion has a long, segmented tail which he carries arched up over his back.

At the end of this tail is a stinger. When the scorpion walks, he waves his tail and stinger from side to side as though daring you to attack him. The sting is powerful enough to kill or paralyze a small animal which the scorpion intends to eat. It can also give a nasty wound to a human being. scorpion sting should be treated by a doctor, but it is not likely to cost a human life.