Scorpions in Austin Hill Country

I was stung by a scorpion in my sleep the other night. This was the 5th or 6th time since 1999 I have been stung in my sleep by a scorpion crawling in the sheets. There are many upsides and positive aspects to living in Austin, but the scorpions might be viewed as a negative by most people.

Scorpions seem to like me for some reasons, as I’ve been stung 5 or 6 times now, all while sleeping. Sylvia has been stung 2 or 3 times. Our kids have never been stung by a scorpion but my youngest daughter did get stung by a centipede when she was 6 years old, which was a harrowing, nightmarish scene that night. The centipede, which I captured with kitchen tongs, was 8″ long and about 1.5″ thick – the biggest I’d ever seen. It struggled so violently to escape the tongs that I freaked out and flushed it down the commode. Normally I would have released it far from the house.

This is par for the course living in a rural “country” neighborhood as we do in Oak Hill. We have a large wooded acreage lot that backs up to undeveloped land, so we see a lot of wildlife around the house including deer, squirrels, birds, snakes, spiders, scorpions, etc. We constantly find scorpions in the house and toss them outside, especially in the summer.

So, what is it like being stung by a scorpion? In a word, painful. It’s a sharp, piercing burning sting, similar to a wasp or yellow jacket sting, but worse. Imagine a sharp hot needle being poked into your skin and left there as the searing pain slowly spreads outward.

The good news is that the pain does usually goes away within 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, for me at least, it hurts more than a severe burn. I have a friend who claims to have gone into sweats and hallucinations after being stung multiple times while pulling on a pair of jeans with that had a scorpion inside the pant leg. Your pain and reaction may vary.

So what does a groggy Realtor, writhing in pain, say to the scorpion who stung him at 4AM?

I cornered him near the pillow, with a drinking glass and piece of cardboard in hand, and whispered. “Hey there little fella. Don’t worry. I don’t take it personally. Come on, let’s get you outside where you belong”. I scooped him into the glass, walked him to the furthest rear part of the property and tossed him out into the woods.

My friends say “why don’t you squash the darned thing?”

We don’t kill scorpions, or any other creatures that invade our home. We take them back outside, including the momma scorpion who was once walking through our kitchen with a gazillion little babies on her back. That’s a real creepy sight.

Personally, I think it’s bad luck to kill a scorpion. I wouldn’t feel right doing so, and I encourage others to respect all creatures. We built our house in their spot, so we can be flexible about such intrusions. We don’t treat our house with pesticides, so it’s just something we accept, that the critters are going to get inside now and then.

But why the scorpions like to get into beds, and sting me in particular, is a mystery to me. Maybe it’s because I roll over more often during the night while Sylvia and the kids remain more stationary. It’s always while rolling over I get stung, as the scorpion’s defense mechanism against being crushed must kick in. Otherwise I don’t think they really mean to seek out and sting humans.

Other places they like to nestle is in piles of laundry, behind boxes in the garage, wood piles and rock piles outside. Anywhere dark and out of the way, though it’s interesting that they do occasionally walk right across the living room or kitchen floor in broad daylight.

So, if you’re moving to Austin and want a nice place outside the city limits, on an acre or two in the country, you must accept that unless you want to nuke your home AND YARD with pesticides and poisons, you are going to have occasional encounters with scorpions, spiders and snakes. Interestingly, we have no ant problems, probably because the spiders and scorpions prey upon them, so there is an upside after all.

More on Scorpions at Wikipedia.

43 thoughts on “Scorpions in Austin Hill Country”

  1. Seeing as how you’ve been stung 6 times, I think either killing a scorpion might be good luck, or they have learned they can sting you with impunity. Insects reproduce exponentially and you need not worry about terminating a few (or a lot). I would also be willing to wager that there are more scorpions on your property now then before you built the house.

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  2. We built our house in their spot, so we can be flexible about such intrusions. We don’t treat our house with pesticides, so it’s just something we accept, that the critters are going to get inside now and then.

    ****

    After the post about the dog, I wasn’t expecting you to be the kind of person that has the above attitude, but I’m glad to know you are! I think we should all respect the animals and insects around us as most of them were here first. Living in the city, I have only come across one scorpion in my house and he was a tiny little guy.

    Living with the occasional snake or scorpion is part of life in the Hill Country, and it’s good to know some people accept it as a way of life! Thanks for blogging about it.

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  3. Steve

    I appreciate your resistance to pesticides. However, as a engineer, I am not going to place myself or my family through suffering of insect bites.

    I strongly suggest you hire a TX licensed pest control professional and proceed with the eradication. The toxins carried by insects can and will injure youngsters. You live in Oak Hill and your area, like mine, is growing. This pushes the insects into our homes. My pest control specialist commented that the growth on Slaughter Lane will force insects into established areas of houses and animals.

    We are the top of food chain for now. I won’t tolerate the pain or worse, the pain of children suffering.

    Call me weak but I think it is important to keep our families safe.
    I am a pragmatic consulting engineer and I am tasked with solving problems. Sorry, but smaller painful insects don’t do well in my arena.

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  4. We moved out to far South West Austin – almost to Driftwood, 2 years ago and we have had our fair share of scorpion run ins – surprisingly no stings yet even thought our daughter was still crawling then. I called Aztec Organic Pest Service when we first moved out here to see what I could do to remove them from my house and the guy who came out said “lady you live on 5 acres of scorpion habitat you better just get used to it”. I have had lots of advice – put your bed’s legs on bowls of water and never let your blankets touch ground etc. I think just wear shoes and shake out your clothes is probably the best I can do! I am going to start checking my bed though.

    I’m not a bug killer either – but I would like to get rid of the dang chiggers!!! Any tips for that?

    Justine

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  5. Scott said: “I strongly suggest you hire a TX licensed pest control professional and proceed with the eradication. The toxins carried by insects can and will injure youngsters.”

    The toxins in the pesticides can and will injure your youngsters as well, and your pets. If you’re going to do pest control, definitely at least go the organic route, not chemical stuff. Use the Chem-Free company or someone similar.

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  6. We’ve been thinking of buying some land and building a house in south Austin, but now, after reading this, I’m inclined to stay away from land infested with scorpions and chiggers and snakes.

    I live in Pflugerviille and for 10 years now have never seen a scorpion. We have friends who live in DS and they’ve had several encounters with scorpions and rattle snakes. In fact, most stories of encounters with scorpions come from people who live in that part of Austin. Is it worse in Oak Hill/ Dripping Springs/ Driftwood area?

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  7. I strongly suggest you get rid of your scorpions as my granddaughter was stung by a bark scorpion when she was four and she died in the helicopter on the way to the hospital. Fortunately the paramedics were able to revive her but her heart had stopped beating and she stopped breathing! Please be very careful as these scorpions are more deadly than you realise.

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  8. Responding to Gary who mentioned the bark scorpion. Yes, those are I think the most venomous species in the states. However, to my knowledge they are only in AZ and CA, specifically the Sonoran desert. They are not in Austin. I don’t know of any species in Austin that’s dangerous to humans (in that death could occur) under NORMAL circumstances.

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  9. My wife retired and moved to Austin to be with grand children. We lived in Wyoming for 39 1/2 years. Austin is very different than Wyoming, where we enjoyed all the time. We find snakes, scorpions, and long array of other Arthropods. Living here in Austin has been really chalanging. Found skunk trapped by the side of bathtub when house was constructed.
    It has been very different experience than Wyoming. My wife does not like it. We really do not like living in Austin area because of these problems. Instead of enjoying life we end up spending lot of time in finding ways to combat these unwanted guests.
    Well such is life in Austin.

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  10. Scorpions drop off the ceiling, too, so looking in shoes, covers, etc. helps but nothing makes you totally safe. My record here in Dripping is killing 8 in 3 days in my house. Growing up, I remember sitting in one house and just looking around at so many that I decided to start counting them. Some years they are bad and some, like this year, not so bad (inverse to fire ants). Even so, with checks of bed and walls and shoes from May to October or so I have only been stung twice in 52 years. I am luckier (more diligent with my checks) than most. They aren’t aggressive and cannot see well at all. When you smack ’em, smack ’em really hard and dead on coz they’re hard to kill. Fast, too, so you might get only one chance before they are gone.

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  11. i used to live in austin a long time ago. back then, it was out in the country, it’s grown so much, it’s not anymore, had an acre of land out there, and we too, found our fair share of scorpions, (tho not as many as when we lived out by the lake, those apts. were bad, and we found them almost on a daily basis out there) i don’t need the hate mail, but we’d get them in an empty jar and put them in the freezer, and then when we’d get really bored, (as kids do) we’d take them out and let them thaw, and they will come back to life, a lil lathargic at first, but trust me, after bein frozen solid for a month or more at a time, they get real angry, real fast. what can i say, i was young…
    i’ve also been stung by 1 before, at the house not far from pflugerville, (the 1 with the acre of land) i saw it on the kitchen floor where my son, who was about 2 years old at the time, was near by, i rushed over and scooped up my son, and i must’ve brushed my foot along the floor or something, cuz it got me, GOOD! and it stung like nothing i had ever been stung like before. i’m only thankful it got me instead of my son. i still remember that pain to this day, and it was well over 20 years ago, since that happened. i remember the tons of fire ants we had out there as well. i love austin, but i don’t miss all the critters they have there. i live in iowa now, and the worst thing i have to put up with now, (aside from the manure bein spread in the spring, peeewwww, is fruit flies, i think… no roaches, no scorpions, (altho we do get spiders and i don’t care for them much) but i’ve never seen any black widow ones up here, and my sister kept them in jars with lil name tags in front of them when we were teens back in austin, (yeah, needless to say, we didn’t share a room for long) crazy chick she was… but that’s a whole nother story, lol no fireants, no rattle snakes, kinda peaceful here, oh yeah, and no chiggers, we do get dear ticks tho and lyme disease ya have to really watch out for, but there’s ticks in austin too, sooooo maybe i’ll just visit thre when i can and then i don’t have to worry about the critters up here. thanks for letting me share and yall stay safe, seriously

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  12. We built our house in their place !? Well, we grow crops in rats and mice places too………and they destroy 1000’s of tons of food each year, and carry disease and kill people.

    C’mon….acceptance of insects and the like in our home is ludicrous.
    I kill every one I see in my house, and I will do my best to eradicate them completely.

    I then suppose roaches and fireants are ok too?

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  13. I live SE of Austin, near Lockhart and kill 2-3 a day, yes a day!! Hammers work great and I actually go out hunting at night for them. The only way to really combat them is to knock down their numbers. When we first moved here about a year ago, I was killing at least a doz a day. Maybe by this time next year it will only be one or two here or there. They do get in the house, somehow, someway and I’m not taking a chance with a toddler. Sorry, but they are not getting past me. Yes, I live in the country and yes, it is their territory, but I paid good money for this land and I’m not sharing!! I have a self sustaining farm/garden and do far, far more for my land than the damage of killing the scorps, lol.
    Put your bed legs in a mason jar, they can’t crawl up the glass and it will keep them out of your bed. Be sure none of your pillows are touching the wall either and of course blankets off the floor.

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  14. I collect and sometimes breed scorpions. I am not the only one. If you would like to get rid of your scorpions, email me, and I will pick up LIVE ones. They will be well taken care by us scorpion enthusiasts. I also have a Black Light flashlight, which makes there exoskeletons glow (fluoresce). If anyone has a major problem, and would like me to come out to your yard at night when it is warm, I will be more than happy to clear out what I find for you.

    Keep in mind however, you live in Texas. Scorpions live in ALL parts of Texas, most of the country actually, but don’t tell that to people in Idaho! They are an important part of our ecosystem, and yes, they eat roaches. So go ahead people, kill them all off. See what you get in return! Sometimes, leaving good enough alone is best of all.

    Fyi, we only have 2 species of scorpions here in C. Texas. One is a rare species I won’t mention here, as it is unlikely you will ever see one and their venom is harmless. The other one, is Centruroides vittatus. Neither of our local species can kill a healthy adult. I don’t believe they can kill kids or the elderly either, unless they have major medical problems, or are one of the ONE IN BiLLIONS that are actually allergic to them.
    It’s a rare event indeed. The last healthy individual who died from a scorpion in the U.S. was over 20 years ago, and that one isn’t a local species, but a relative of it. You are more likely to have your child eaten by a Labrador Retriever. If you don’t believe me, google it.

    Nomadinexile@hushmail.com ryan

    Btw, the local C. vittatus is rated a 2.5 out of 5 on the venom list of scorpions. Square in the middle of the pack. As a counter example, one of the most venomous scorpions we know of, P. transvaalicus from Africa, which rates a 5 of 5 btw, only cause 10% of adults stung to go to the hospital. NONE DIE! It does kill .3% of children and elderly it stings., but again, this is one of the most dangerous scorpions in the world!

    If you get stung by a local C. vittatus, and you have no major medical concerns, suck it up and take an advil if you wish. It might hurt, but it’s not going to kill you. You shouldn’t need hospitalization either. You get a pain and a story to tell your friends. That’s it. 🙂

    **If you ever have shortness of breath, have chest pains, or break out in an obviously allergic reaction, seek immediate medical attention. You will know….

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    • I have a 2.5 inch black scorpion dead in my garage! I sprayed it with black flag! I didn’t want to mash it because I want to send it to my great grandson in NY, he is in scouts and they are studying bugs! I live in the TX. Hill country and have seen only a few of these black ones in 36 years. Mostly we have the reddish brown ones! I took a picture of this one if you want to see it! I need to know how venomous it is! I am 71 and have a lot of allergies!

  15. Almost forgot to add this! You can’t kill your way out of scorpions in C. TX. You are surrounded by them. Think of it like rush hour traffic. You ever see an open lane? Maybe for a second or two. Then it’s filled in by a car that sees a hole. Scorpions do the same thing. When you kill them, you are only killing one of ten first off, secondly, there is a pair trying to fight for turf, and you just killed the scorpion that was keeping that one away. They just fill up the open lane. The best you can do is to better seal your house. I have heard lots of “home remedies” online, but I think they are mostly old wife’s tales. About the only place you can live without scorpions in the U.S. is the great lakes region, and alaska. You can move there if you want, but I’ll take Austin thank you very much!

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  16. Cats can, and will, kill scorpions. It’s a shame, I know. Better than your boot though, and more effective than you trying to catch and stomp them, as well.

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  17. Hey!

    I just thought I would add that Houston is virtually scorpion-free. I have never, ever seen one here, and my Dad is the only person I have ever heard of seeing one here, and that was at a time when he had received a shipment of stone from Arizona, so I figure it probably snuck in with that stuff. So, I wouldn’t say all of Texas. I have been looking into places I could live in the Austin area, and liked Cedar Park or Georgetown until I remembered that little problem. I am TERRIFIED of scorpions. Perhaps closer to the city I would be better off.

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  18. Just move into town. We’ve lived in central austin for 16 years without seeing one scorpion. The only tarantula we’ve seen was in Georgetown. It seems that the scarier wildlife, and even the deer, avoid the most populous areas.

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  19. Are you serious Shirley Martin that there are tarantula in Georgetown. We just moved out here toward Russel Park. Where exactly did you see it at? I have a little ones and we have been seeing scorpions like crazy? Anyone knows which kind of scorpion it would be? tail is two inches long and wierd reddish brown same color as our concrete stained floors. I am allergic to wasps scared my kids may be to critters also!

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  20. Hey Kendra. There are Tarantulas in Georgetown. They are from the Genus Aphonopelma. They are mildly venomous, like a bee. You should only ever see one at night, and then only very rarely, unless you are lifting up rocks, logs, or other debris. They are not aggressive, but will bite if harassed. If your children are old enough, show them pictures online, and tell them not to touch them. If you don’t try and grab them, they won’t bite.

    As for the scorpions, you have two species in the Georgetown area. One is Psuedouroctonus reddelli, named for a UT professor. The P. reddelli are generally around 2″-3″ as adults. They are a maroon red to black color. There venom is very mild. Less than your average bee. They are defensive though if cornered, otherwise they will run and hide.

    The other local species is Centruroides vittatus, known as the Striped Bark Scorpion. This is a buthid species. It’s venom is not known to ever cause fatalities, however, it is sometimes extremely painful depending on who you ask. This scorpion is more of a tan yellow, and will have broken stripes running down its back. These are the most commonly found scorpions in your area. Do not ever swat at one. I don’t care if it’s on your head. It should be pushed from the side with an object, not your hand. They are easily directed into a cup where you can remove it to a safe location away from your house.

    As for your allergy, this is a bit of a concern, as there seems to be some correlation between allergies to bees, wasps, and arachnids. I don’t know at what percent, but as far as I know, an allergy for one at least increases your risk of being allergic to the others. If this is your situation, I would recommend consulting a doctor, and explaining the situation. I would also consider asking him to get you an Epi pen and explaining when and how to use it. There are some contradictions when using an Epi pen in conjunction with an arachnid sting, so get educated about it. But when it really comes down to it, IF you are having an allergic reaction to the venom, it would be better to use it than not. Outside of the allergic though, there is no life threatening danger from any Texas arachnid, with the lone exception of one scorpion that is very rarely dangerous but can be, in a very small area of the state close to Big Bend N.P.

    Good luck!

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  21. I have been stung several times, and to describe it as a bee sting or ant bite is like saying Pikes Peak is a foot hill. The burn lasts a looooonnnnngggg time. Ice works great! but as soon as you remove the ice, the pain is still there. I have applied bleach to the sting, and the pain goes away immediately.

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  22. Hey J.R. If you are talking about the Centruroides vittatus, then yes, it is more painful than a bee sting for most people. Keep in mind, that scorpions can control how much venom they release, so some people will not experience the same effects. But a full shot from C. vittatus, or the Striped Bark Scorpion, can be extremely painful. The good news, is that it is not medically significant. If you are not allergic, there should be no reason to visit a doctor. Your best bet is to ice it, grin and bare it, and tell all your friends how tough you are. Getting stung by one WILL impress your northern relatives.

    On the other hand, a full envenomation from P. reddelli, which I’ve experienced, is not what I’d call painful. More like a sweat bee. After 5 minutes of the worst sting I took from one, I couldn’t even remember which hand I had been stung on!

    Different species of scorpions have different venoms and effects. Interestingly, one of the most dangerous species in the world from Iran, is almost painless. Many people don’t know they’ve even been stung until they are experiencing dangerous scorpionism. Good thing those aren’t in Hill Country!

    -Ryan

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  23. Thanks everyone for your comments. I’m learning a lot. The last sting was my 13 year old daughter, on her finger, reaching into a laundry basket. She applied baking soda and water and it stopped hurting after about 15 minutes.

    It was her first “sting” since the giant centipede got her years ago, and to her it was no big deal. We since moved (last month) to a city home and haven’t seen a scorpion in the new home, and I doubt we ever will. We’ll miss our 11 years in the “country”, on large acreage lots, but the convenience of being closer in is so nice.
    Steve

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  24. Wow, did I appreciate your comments (I should have looked for a date…they may be very old). I live near Blanco and I have the same rule as you…I don’t kill anything that I find inside the house. I have a special tool that I use that allows me to pick up critters and keep them at a distance until I can dispose of them. I built my home in 2006 and I have had numerous occasions to remove scorpions…I’ve never been stung. They seem to be absolutely petrified of me! I came across a HUGE centipede and your description brought that horrible memory back to life. The only thing I can compare it to (in ugliness) is the “red eyed devil” Katydid. If you’ve never seen one of these beasts, look ’em up. The females are the real beauties and both sexes are carnivorous…the seem to ENJOY attacking people! The exact opposite of my wonderful Walking Sticks, which never cease to amaze me with their patience and grace and human-like movements. Unfortunately there are so many of them I always seem to find them near death or dead, which can ruin my day.

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  25. Saw just one yesterday, and now reading your stories, I am terrified. Can sleeping in bed with lights on help….as they like to move at nights

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  26. Rahul J,
    They are not some psycho killers coming to terrorize you. They want nothing to do with you. It is a rare event indeed for someone to be stung. I personally only know of a few people who have been stung, and it’s once in living a lifetime in Austin. Most people never even see one. In fact, many Austinites don’t even know there are scorpions in the Area! The worst thing you would experience is pain, most likely similar to a wasp. Not fun, but not exactly a reason to sleep with the lights on either. Please relax, as you are perfectly safe in the area. I just spent a few weeks camping in the middle of many scorpions in the Austin area. I hung a hammock every night in the dark on trees they frequent, I would exit my hammock to walk around barefoot, and slept with an open top beneath said trees. I used a blacklight one night and found a few living within feet of where I camped. Yet that was the only time I noticed them. I was never stung. When I did blacklight them, they hid in the deepest, closest cracks they could find. If you must, take a half hour before bed and walk around with a blacklight. Check in a darkened house and the darkened exterior including the trees within 10 or 15 feet of your house. You may find a lot at first, put them in a jar and take them to an unihabitated forest to turn loose. This will protect your karma, and animals sense karma my friend. After a few times, you will notice less and less. And no, they don’t reproduce excessively. Adult Female C. vittatus may have 40ish scorplings a year, but very few to none will make it to adulthood. Most areas that don’t have wood piles at least, can support only reasonable populations, as if the population explodes, they will balance it by cannabalizing each other until they have enough space for the ecosystem to support. They are a wonderful benefit to your local ecosystem though, and eat things like cockroaches, so becareful how many you remove lest you end up overtaken by cockroaches! ~r

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  27. We’ve seen 5 C. Vittatus scorpions in 2 weeks now and I really don’t like this at all. No stings (yet) but I just cannot have my daughter walking around and getting stung one day. I am sorry but I think they are good for the ecosystem, yes, but they belong outside and not in my home. My cat has found a few more and she goes ‘scorpion hunting’ every now and then. We just know when she starts looking around everywhere in closets and looking under dressers and around bathroom cabinets etc…we then know we have to go looking around with the blacklight flashlight (the scorpion hunter). We found those flashlights online and they do work to make the exoskeleton glow. It’s eerie. Every single scorpion I have found has been right in the middle of the floor out in the open, almost mocking me!
    What are they doing inside my home? What are they looking for? You said they eat roaches but my wife keeps the house VERY clean- she is a neat freak too. I am going to re-do all of the weatherstripping and seals on all of my doors but what else can deter them from coming into the house? What will keep them away from trying to come in? I find them outside occassionally under bricks and sometimes in the dirt patches where grass is not growing. That’s fine as long as they stay outside! I have all wood and tile floors in my house so they are easy to see scampering across the floor. The one I killed last night was actually coming straight for me as I walked- it was on the attack if you ask me. It seemed aggressive and maybe that’s the karma you meant…but I believe you reduce the numbers in your home before they have babies. Where will they live in your house? Inside couch bottoms, or chairs? I hear they can come up through our sink drains so you should close those at night? What’s your opinion on that? Thanks.

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  28. tburkman,
    I don’t believe they are coming in your house on purpose or looking for anything. They are just wandering around looking for food or a mating opportunity and your house just happens to be next to theirs. They do not charge human beings, despite appearence sometimes. Your best bet is to seal your house cracks, doors, etc., and you could probably screen some of your vents on the inside too. Your next best bet is to walk around during early night outside your house with a blacklight, removing the scorpions you find within 30 feet. Especially check wood piles, trees, walls, etc. The first few times you may be surprised at how many you find. The next few at how few you find. A friend in the area had the same problem, didn’t seal, but started removing close ones and it has worked really well. Good luck!

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  29. You can put a huge dent in the numbers by having the outside yard area sprayed…the poison they use to kill these guys can not be sprayed inside…they use glue traps inside the home….the spraying will knock down the numbers by a large number….spray away are get stung a lot!!!!!!

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  30. Scott, you live in a free country, but I disagree with your suggestion. Insecticides are neurological poisons that can effect humans and pets in ways we don’t understand yet. Have you wondered where increase rates of autism and cancer are coming from? Chemical over exposure is a likely cause of both. When compared to the frequency and temporary discomfort from a scorpion sting, I’d take my shot with the scorpions over a lifetime of possible neurological damage and increase disease risk. I know we are told they are safe, but Monsato once told us agent orange was too. They don’t know because of poor to know research done on these death causing chemicals. And they kill wildlife. I just saw a major die off of invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals over the days following a park being sprayed in Virginia. Your life is worth more. <3

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  31. Ryan, we moved to Jonestown two months ago and we’ve seen two Striped Bark Scorpions in two weeks. We’re having septic work done and I know that is stirring them up. I’m originally from MI so this scorpion business is new to me. I think they’re creepy, but I can ignore them for the most part. or I could if not for my daughter. I was able to find info on scorpion stings with dogs, but I have a 5 week old and I’m TERRIFIED of her getting stung! Should I be concerned? If she does get stung should I take her to the ER or just watch for signs of allergic reaction? Please help!

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  32. R.C. Terrified is not needed or helpful here. I would however be concerned anytime a toddler is possibly envenomated. If your child is stung I would get to a hospital right away. However, I may not sign in right away if child seems okay. If you are in a hospital all danger is gone as they would be able to easily treat any symptoms. But I would get there. That said, odds are extremely small that this will happen. To take the odds down to very very unlikely, but a black light flashlight online or possibly at Home Depot. Turn off all the lights in the house an hour after sunset once or twice a week and spend 20 minutes looking for them. Do the same within 20 feet of your house outside, and remove wood debris and piles near the house and play areas. That will put the odds far below a winning lottery ticket. And remember, there has not been a fatality from a scorpion sting in America in many decades. The neighbors toy poodle is far far more dangerous. Enjoy beautiful hill country. I’m far removed at the moment and miss it. -r

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  33. Try this to help keep scorpions from entering your home.
    http://tamlynstore.com/RWHC.aspx
    No pesticides and easy DIY project. My husband and I have used these in the past 3 homes we have lived in here in Texas and never had any kind of major insect, spider, or rodent invasion. We would never live in a house without installing these retro-fit weep hole covers…they are amazing! Try them…it’s money well spent ($50!).

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  34. I never knew there were scorpions in the area til I got stung one night clise to fredericksburg while I was comforting my sick toddler in bed. Growung up in the northwest all you hear is that they’re deadly so I was frightened for my life and we called 911 for directions as I hurled prehistoric fossils from a nearby decorative bowl and dropped the f Bomb several times in front of my equally frightened visiting mom. 911 basically laughed at me. It did hurt all night. Well I was relieved to get back to central austin. Fast forward 1 year to our 4th child on the way and houses that can accommodate right in town starting at 1.6m. We decided to do Westlake instead and I went in to it expecting to meet one of these guys again. This is the season. It is common local knowledge that they come in after the rain. So I feel lucky in the recent deluge we’ve only seen one quite large black one. Unfortunately they kind of blend in with dark wood floors. I will have 4 under 4, and they all are under 40 pounds and even quite a bit less. Wasn’t planning on needing to rush to hospital but perhaps if that happens we will after reading these postings. Have always felt grateful that last year I was bitten instead of my 2 year old. For one thing, we wouldn’t have had a clue about what had happened. We found several more smaller ones on that trip the next day. In Westlake, we have seen 2 in 2 weeks…also found a tiny baby in a ups delivery. Wish everyone moving here had heard the word… Perhaps then we would be able to afford to live in the historic n(scorpion free) neighborhoods we grew up in.

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  35. I moved here 8 months ago and have seen 3 or 4 black scorpions which I trapped with a glass and took outside. never saw more than one at a time. 3 days ago I find 6 or 7 of them in a group outside and to the right of my back door after dark, but outside light is on. last night I opened the door to let the cat in and one of them jumped straight up and thru open door and into the house. He’s in here somewhere. In the morning the group of them are gone. I don’t want to use chemicals but how can I get them away from the house? I live in the hill country.. .Lago Vista

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  36. Only “ruthless people” who would hold a millionaire’s wife for ransom would carry house pests outside and not smash em. 😉

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  37. Live east of oak hill in west lake hills (austin, tx). Stung 10 minutes ago by very small scorpion and no reaction as of yet.
    After living a year in house, I have seen many scorpions on bottom floor. One black and the rest like the picture in page. Put on tshirt and got stung on upper arm. Will brush away all leaves from house, caulk outside and inside entrances, diatomaceous earth outside and see if that helps. Woke up in middle of night to see scorpions on wall, vent cover, trapped in spider webs. Remind me to sleep better. If I leave wet towel outside for a day will find small scorpions under it. Live next to green area and that may be a cause. Neighbors claim lavender plants will keep them away. Glue traps caught a spider or two and a beetle like creature but no scorpions. I catch scorpions by throwing clear plastic container over it and killing it later.

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  38. I have lived in Dallas, TX nearly my whole life, and I have never ever seen one, except out of town once in a lodge at Glen Rose, TX (I later met a lady who lived in the country there and had problems with them). I remember being so shocked to see a “scorpion.” Luckily, it was small, dead, and I just counted it as part of the adventure of my Texas trip, but I can’t imagine seeing them on a regular basis. I do hear that diatomaceous earth is a non-toxic way to get rid of them.

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