Scorpions are scary and cunning creatures that can sneak into your home and hide in and around various objects. Just seeing the combination of their front pincers and a long tail with a stinger is enough to make anyone run in fear.
At Adams Exterminating, our main priority is keeping everyone safe from scary, sometimes dangerous, scorpions. Our North Texas pest control specialists have years of experience dealing with scorpions in this area. Here is a look at everything you should know about scorpions that may be lurking around your home.
How To Identify A Scorpion
Scorpions are a type of arachnid. However, their eight legs are just about the only characteristic they share with spiders or any other member of the arachnid family. In fact, many people think that scorpions look more like lobsters than they do spiders.
Striped bark scorpions are the most common type of scorpion in North Texas. They typically measure between 2 ¼ to 2 ½ inches long. Their wide bodies are usually tan or yellow, with two dark stripes running vertically down their backs. The striped bark scorpion has two long arms at the front of its body with large pincers at the end. Their segmented tails are long and will usually curl upwards when they are on the move.
The striped bark scorpion's body is typically a light brown or tan color to help it blend in with its surroundings. However, they are more active at night and easier to see under the right conditions. If you shine a blacklight on this type of scorpion, it will glow a bluish-green color.
The Potential Dangers Of A Scorpion's Sting
Striped bark scorpions have a stinger on the end of their tails that they use to subdue their prey. While they are not known to be aggressive towards humans, they will sting if they feel threatened. Scorpions will usually hide under stacks of firewood or piles of leaves. And many times, a person is accidentally stung while rummaging through the wood and leaves without gloves.
When a scorpion stings a person or animal, it will inject venom into their bodies. The venom usually kills the insects and other animals that the scorpion eats, but it is generally not strong enough to cause permanent injury to humans. However, the neurotoxins can cause swelling and extreme pain. Some people may experience serious side effects and should seek medical attention if they have trouble breathing, or swallowing or experience any other life-threatening symptoms.
Six Simple And Successful Scorpion Prevention Tips
Scorpions are great at hiding and blending in with their surroundings. They will use various objects around your yard to hide under and stay out of sight. If your yard has plenty of hiding spots and a reliable food source, they will likely come into your yard. Some of the things that you can do to keep scorpions out of your yard include:
- Remove leaves and other debris from your patio
- Don't stack firewood near your home
- Avoid using large stones, statues, or other large objects as decoration in your yard
- Limit the amount of patio furniture you have outside
- Keep bushes and tree limbs cut back away from your home
- Seal any cracks or gaps that you have around the exterior of your house
Always wear shoes and check under chairs and tables before sitting down outdoors. This will prevent you from being stung if there are scorpions around.
The Pros To Know For Effective Scorpion Control
If you see scorpions around your North Texas home, don't hesitate to give our home pest control professionals at Adams Exterminating a call. We can safely and quickly remove scorpions from your home and keep them from ever coming back.