Austin’s Most Unwanted Pest: Digging Into Scorpion Control

Austin has no shortage of unwanted pests. Cockroaches, rats, mosquitoes, fire ants, the lineup is long. But one local resident manages to stand out from the rest: the scorpion. Pincers up front, a barbed tail arched over the back, and a habit of turning up in shoes and gloves. If scorpions have been showing up on your property, here is a closer look at what you are dealing with and how control actually works.

Types Of Scorpions

Roughly 2,000 scorpion species live around the world, and the family album is genuinely wild. A few of the better-known names:

Species	Known for
Arizona hairy scorpion	One of the biggest scorpions in Arizona, reaching an impressive 6 inches
Emperor scorpion	Among the largest in the world, around 7 inches and roughly 30 grams as an adult
Fat tail scorpion	Short, thick tail; females generally outsize the males
Blue scorpion	Found in Gabon, Venezuela, the US, and Mexico; also called the Alacran Azul
Deathstalker scorpion	Extremely potent venom, hence the chilling name
Red scorpion	Among the most dangerous worldwide; found mainly in India, Nepal, and Pakistan
Tailless whip scorpion	No tail at all, and a build that looks more like a spider
Arizona bark scorpion	Small and light brown; males run about 3 1/8 inches, females about 2 3/4
Pseudoscorpion	A 12-part abdomen and eyes set on both sides of the cephalothorax
Forest scorpions	Big, black, and stocky
Red claw scorpion	Kept as a pet, though its short temper makes it a poor pick for rookies
Three striped scorpion	Identified by the dark stripes running the length of its carapace

Here is the good news for Central Texas: the species you will actually meet around Austin, mostly the striped bark scorpion, is not life-threatening to humans. Every scorpion carries venom and none of them should be handled, but a sting from our local species is a painful problem, not a deadly one. Our post on how dangerous Austin scorpions really are sorts the fear from the facts. If scorpions keep appearing on your property, skip the DIY heroics and bring in a professional.

Don’t Accidentally Attract Scorpions

Scorpions are hunting for three things: food, water, and shelter. Provide any one of them and they will happily move in and get comfortable. For shelter they favor small, dark caves, which inside a house translates to shoes, gloves, heaps of clothes, coats, and even the folds of curtains. They value their privacy and rarely go after people, but a scorpion that feels threatened, say by a foot sliding into the boot it was sleeping in, will sting.

Of the roughly 2,000 species worldwide, only a few dozen carry venom dangerous enough to threaten a human life, and none of those call Austin home. A local sting is still nothing to shrug at. It can bring on real symptoms, including:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Muscle spasms
• Vomiting
• Convulsions
• Drooling

That symptom list is the argument for letting a professional handle an invasion. Trained techs know where scorpions hide, how to remove them safely, and how to cut off the prey insects keeping them around.

Six Facts About Scorpions You Probably Didn’t Know

For all the trouble they cause, scorpions are genuinely fascinating animals. Six facts worth knowing:

1. They are among the oldest creatures on Earth. Scientists believe they descend from massive sea-dwelling ancestors around three feet long.
2. They dance before mating. A courting pair grips pincers and performs a back-and-forth ritual before anything else happens.
3. They can survive nearly anything. Heat, drought, long stretches without food; scorpions are built for hard times.
4. All scorpions produce venom, but only some of it endangers people. Potency varies enormously by species.
5. They eat almost anything they can catch. Insects, spiders, and other small prey are all on the menu.
6. They give birth to fully formed young. Scorpions are viviparous, no eggs involved.

Total Scorpion Control For Austin Residents

Stopping scorpions before the problem grows means calling a company that actually knows them. Accurate Termite and Pest Control has served Austin and the surrounding communities since 2000, and our techs are licensed by the Texas Structural Pest Control Board and equipped with professional-grade products for scorpions and the pests they hunt.

We start with an inspection, identify where the scorpions are living and feeding, and build a personalized scorpion control plan for your property, with follow-up visits to keep the house as scorpion-free as it should be. Do not wait for the next one to turn up in a shoe. Get started with a free estimate or call (512) 267-0812 today.