Living in Arkansas, you are probably already well aware that this is scorpion country and like it or not, they are roaming around outside. Living in Arkansas, you are probably already well aware that this is scorpion country and like it or not, they are roaming around outside. Most people will do their best to steer clear of them, and most often, they usually they will steer clear of you. This is the kind of interaction that is best for everyone, but it doesn’t always happen that way.

Scorpions are arachnids, coming from the same class as spiders. However, scorpions come equipped with a stinger on the end of their tail that they use to kill prey as well as defend themselves. Sometimes they may feel the need to defend themselves against a human, though most of the time the human doesn’t even know the scorpion is there. This is the sort of interaction that doesn’t end well for anyone, which is why scorpions in a house should be considered pests and be removed as soon as possible.

Why Your Home

Scorpions are interesting in that they tend to live in dry climates yet are surprisingly sensitive to the loss of moisture from their bodies. This means they prefer shady areas to hide in as well as access to a water source. Houses may provide an excellent location for both of these. A puddle near your home or a dripping pipe – even something that tends to acquire a lot of condensation may be enough for a scorpion. Homes often have excellent shady areas for scorpions to hide, from just underneath walls to cracks or gaps. If they get inside the home, that can be even more dangerous.

The Dangers They Pose

There are over 1,200 scorpion species in the world and all of them are dangerous due to their poisonous stingers. Even though only a fraction of them live in Arkansas, a sting from a scorpion can still cause swelling, pain, burning, numbness, or severe muscle cramps. Smaller scorpions tend to pack a much bigger and much deadlier punch than larger ones.

Scorpions are primarily nocturnal, which means they prefer to be active at night and hide during the day. You may not know there is a scorpion nearby in the dark, which can lead to a sting and a visit to the hospital.

If you see a scorpion in your home, you should contact a pest control company for a more thorough evaluation. You need to know if there are more. A female scorpion can have dozens of babies, so you don’t know if you’ve seen a female, if she’s bred, and if they are all in your home or not. It may also be that there are other insects or creatures in your home that scorpions are attracted to and this is a problem that must be handled to ensure that once the current scorpions are eliminated, more do not appear. Talk to your pest control technician about prevention techniques, any house repairs that need to be done, and any other questions you might have when it comes to scorpions.