Sweet shop offers lolly that packs a crunch

The lolly is available in apple, strawberry, blueberry and banana flavours. Photo / Michael Craig

Crystallised critters, anyone?

An exotic deadly arachnid with a fearsome reputation is a key ingredient of a lollipop at a popular Auckland sweet shop.

Scorpions Suckers, complete with real scorpions from America, are being sold at speciality Mt Eden store, The Candyman, for $12.50. Parents can relax - the sweets are not dangerous.

The colourful crystallised sarcophagus holds a 4cm critter preserved in the lolly's centre and is available in apple, strawberry, blueberry and banana flavours.

Candyman director Babi Wolfe-Burdett said many customers were shocked at the sight of a scorpion sitting on the counter display.

"People initially recoil in horror," she said. "They tell us how disgusting it is before they quiz us about it, then turn around and say they'll have two."

She said the scorpions inside the lollipops were not harmful.

"They've had their stingers removed and the melting point of sugar is extremely high so there's zero possibility of breeding from them."

Herald on Sunday picture editor Chris Marriner devoured the apple-flavoured confectionery, describing the scorpion's crystallised extremities as "very peanutty" and the abdomen resembled a date with an "earthy" flavour.

Wolfe-Burdett said the product had become a staple in the store and was hugely popular.

This is not the first time scorpions have been available here.

A scorpion-infused vodka is sold in bottle stores. It has a farm-raised Mexican scorpion marinated in the spirit.

The scorpions can be eaten straight from the bottle but drinkers are warned to avoid the stinger, which is still full of venom.

Only around 25 of the 1,500 known species of scorpion deliver a sting fatal to humans.