[Ads-l] Hot snakes and hot spiders, plus scorpions

[Emily Gordon]

(I should note that Garson’s excerpts make the venomous/poisonous
distinction clear as well.)

On Thu, Aug 20, 2026 at 1:45 AM Emily Gordon <emdashes at gmail.com> wrote:

> Further temperature note on hot spiders:
>
> Date: November 9, 2006
> Website: Science News Explores [Society for Science & the Public]
> Article: Hot Pepper, Hot Spider
> Author: Emily Sohn
> Link:
> https://www.snexplores.org/article/hot-pepper-hot-spider
>
> [Begin excerpt]
>
> Hot peppers and painful spider bites don’t seem to have much in common.
> Both, however, can cause a similar burning sensation.
>
> New research now suggests a reason why. A chemical in hot peppers and
> different ones in spider venom happen to activate the same pain sensors in
> cells.
>
> [End excerpt]
>
> Note: While pursuing hot scorpions, I learned that “venomous” and
> “poisonous” aren’t synonyms. While all scorpions are venomous, only a few
> are poisonous. What’s more…
>
> Date: June 12, 2023
> Website: The University of Arizona Health Sciences
> Article: What to Know About Scorpion Stings
> Author: [Medical toxicologist] Anne-Michelle Ruha, MD, University of
> Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix
> Link:
> https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/news/blog/what-you-need-know-about-scorpion-stings
>
> [Begin excerpt]
>
> In North America, only one scorpion is dangerous to humans – the Arizona
> bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus).
>
> It is small, just a couple inches in length, and is the only scorpion that
> produces envenomation syndrome. Envenomation is when a toxin from a
> venomous creature is injected into a person, who then develops clinical
> signs and symptoms that range from mild to severe.
>
> There are other scorpion species in the Southwest that can sting you,
> causing pain, skin irritation or swelling, but no other species in the U.S.
> causes envenomation.
> [End excerpt]
>
> I suppose a rabid canine is a hot dog (sorry).
>
> On Wed, Aug 19, 2026 at 7:04 AM Jonathan Lighter <
> 00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
>> "Hot" has long been a synonym for "radioactive" - but I guess the
>> snakes came first.
>>
>> JL
>>
>> On Tue, Aug 18, 2026 at 9:39 PM ADSGarson O'Toole
>> <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>> >
>> > Jeff Prucher wrote:
>> > >  The 1951 and 1963 citations seem to have an additional
>> > > refinement -- snakes of a venomous species that haven't
>> > > had their venom glands removed.
>> >
>> > Yes, those citations display a more sophisticated notion of poisonous.
>> >
>> > While searching I came across some entertaining citations. In November
>> > 1962 the term hot snake was applied to a poisonous and radioactive
>> > snake.
>> >
>> > Before this article appeared, Peter Parker was famously bitten by a
>> > poisonous and radioactive spider in the August 1962 issue of Amazing
>> > Fantasy.
>> >
>> > Date: November 25, 1962
>> > Newspaper: The State Journal Register
>> > Newspaper Location: Springfield, Illinois
>> > Section: Family Weekly
>> > Article: I Was Bitten by a King Cobra — and Lived
>> > Author: William E. Haast (Director of Miami Serpentarium)
>> > Quote Page 6, Column 4
>> > Database: Newspapers.com
>> >
>> https://www.newspapers.com/article/illinois-state-register-atomic/204125377/
>> >
>> > [Begin excerpt]
>> > Right now, I am looking forward to a new atomic-age study involving
>> > snake venoms. A nationally known research foundation wants me to make
>> > cobras radioactive and then extract their venom. If one of these "hot"
>> > snakes bites me, I might become a new kind of human guinea pig. It
>> > should be interesting.
>> > [End excerpt]
>> >
>> > Sometimes a "hot snake" was a stolen snake or a high-temperature snake.
>> >
>> > Garson
>> >
>> > ------------------------------------------------------------
>> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
>> truth."
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>

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