Scorpions have been around a lot longer than humans. In fact, the species might outlast even the cockroaches as the final creature left standing on the earth one day.

DesertUSA says that fossil records containing scorpions’ date back to the Carboniferous Period, more than 450 million years ago. Those tough little critters had gills and claws back then, but they were probably just as tenacious and hard to kill as they are today.

This short article looks at some of the more common types of scorpions that exist all around us in the desert.  It will also help homeowners learn how to keep their home and yard free of these dangerous creatures.

Characteristics of Scorpions

 For homeowners that run across a scorpion in their living space, it can be a frightening experience. The scorpion’s crablike scuttle across a floor, curved tail raised to sting, is unmistakable; when you see one, even if it’s for the first time, you recognize it. There are more than 70 species of scorpions in the United States.

All scorpions have eight legs and are members of the arachnid (spider) family. Scorpions have a bony exoskeleton that it sheds and replaces as it grows. With the exception of one type of scorpion in the U.S., their stings are not too dangerous to the average person in good physical condition. But the ill and infirm could suffer trouble breathing or even convulsions.

Some of the ones that live near us in Las Vegas include:

  • The Arizona Hairy Scorpion, which can grow up to seven inches long. While all scorpions have venom, this type isn’t very potent. The Arizona Hairy Scorpion is yellow with brown stripes on it’s back.
  • The Bark Scorpion is primarily orange in color and is highly venomous. They are also small; at only three inches at adulthood, this makes for a very easy to miss bug that packs a dangerous wallop.
  • The Stripe-Tailed Scorpion does have brown stripes on it’s back. It doesn’t pack the same sting as the Bark Scorpion, but then again, no other type of scorpion does.

Scorpions do serve a beneficial place in the desert food chain, eradicating other pests and small rodents that like to invade homes and businesses. They’re one of the most prolific species; they’ve been found in rain and pine forests, caves, on snowy mountaintops and of course, in the Nevada desert. The highest concentrations of scorpions reside in the deserts of Nevada, California, New Mexico, and Texas.

Preventing Scorpions from Invading the Home

 Homeowners worried if they have an infestation outside can check at night for telltale signs. Scorpions glow under an ultraviolet light and come out in the cool of the evening. Clearing the yard of debris where scorpions like to hide will make the yard less habitable for these creatures.

Preventive Pest has a trained scorpion pest control team that can search a home for the small cracks and spaces where scorpions or other pests and inch their way inside. Even the smallest gap around plumbing pipes can be like an open door to these small marauders. If you spot a scorpion inside your home, call us, we can help.