Pest Library
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All it takes is one pest sighting to ruin the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.
Scorpion
(Various scientific names)
Scorpions can survive for months without feeding if there is a steady supply of water nearby, which makes homes and businesses a good resting place. While most scorpion species aren?t poisonous to humans, they still have a sting that will cause pain, numbness, and swelling.
RISK LEVEL:
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Risk is defined as how much damage each pest can be to you, your family, or your home
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| Class: | Order: | Family: | |
| Arachnida | Scorpiones | ||
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| Size: | Scorpions in the adult stage are about 2-4 in (20-100 mm) long. |
| Color: | Scorpion adults are yellowish brown to tan, sometimes with stripes or other markings. Newly born 1st instar nymphs are whitish, and stay light in color for about 2-3 months. |
| Characteristics: | Head and thorax are fused together, looking like a narrow shield; abdomen is strongly segmented, the last 5 segments looking like a tail, ending with a stinger which usually curves up; 4 pairs of legs; pedipalps that look like lobster claws. |
| Geographic Range: | Mainly in dry regions of the southwest United States, and also in the south. In the west scorpions are found as far north as British Columbia. |
| Food: | Scorpions feed at night, mostly on insects and spiders, but sometimes on each other! After catching large prey in the claw-like pedipalps, the scorpion stings it repeatedly. Smaller claw-like parts munch the food into tiny particles, to which a liquid from the scorpion's body is added to make a "juice". A dry pellet is discarded after feeding. With water nearby a scorpion can go for months without food. |
| Biology: | Scorpions give birth to living young, which crawl up onto the mothers' backs, and stay until the 1st molt, 7-30 days later, then come down to feed, scattering. They mature into adults in several months to four years (6 molts). Adults may live for 1-6+ years. Sometimes a lost body part may grow back, although the new one may be malformed. |
- These insects have a unique appearance- you will recognize a scorpion if you?ve ever seen a picture of one!
- Scorpions congregate near water.