Arizona Bark Scorpions aren't new to Las Vegas Residents and are one of the most common scorpions found in Clark County.
The Bark Scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus) or better known as the Arizona Bark Scorpion is quite common in the Las Vegas and Clark County areas. It can be found in both commercial and residential areas. The Bark Scorpion is the most common scorpion found in North America and does have a venomous sting.
The Bark Scorpion has a range of color depending on the last time the scorpion molted. They can be a range of tan to yellow and sometimes even close to orange. They range in size from 2.7-3.1 inches, have 4 pairs of legs with slender pincers and tails. The Bark Scorpion also has 4 sets of eyes, 3 laterally across the head and 1 set directly on top. Although hard to see with the naked eye, the Bark Scorpion has a subacular tooth that can be found below the sting.
Bark Scorpions are no laughing matter when they have invaded your home. They often can be found in sinks or tubs they fall into at night while hunting and can't get out. To get a solution that will work without the extra pesticides, call Fortified Pest Management at (702) 879-4007. We have developed environmentally friendly techniques over the years that no other pest control company is doing in Las Vegas. This means that you will have a safe environment free of scorpions without residual chemicals that can harm pets or children.
With a name like the Arizona Bark Scorpion, it isn't hard to guess where this scorpion hails from. Common in the Southwestern United States and the Northwestern Mexican spanses of the Sonoran Desert. This Scorpion is also closely related to the Striped Bark and Baja California Bark Scorpions.
Bark Scorpions are born alive after a several month gestation period, after which the mother will carry the babies on her back. The 25-35 baby Bark Scorpions will stay on their mothers backs for about 3 weeks or until their first molt. The Bark Scorpion has a life expectancy of roughly 6 years. This may seem short but like other scorpions, cockroaches and lizards they are exceedingly resilient, surviving US nuclear testing.
The Bark Scorpion is a social pest, being the only scorpion that will willingly cohabitate with other scorpions. Also in the winter or colder months the Bark Scorpion is known to gather in large groups of its own kind. Since the easiest way to identify a Bark Scorpion is by finding its subacular tooth and most people do not carry a magnifying lens on them, watching the scorpion's behavior may be the best option for identification. The Bark Scorpion likes to lay its tail flat/perpendicular to the surface it's on, while keeping its tail curled while it waits for prey. Centruroides are the only genus of scorpions in the Southwest that can climb walls and other surfaces. Due to the fact Bark Scorpions practice negative geotaxis(they prefer to be oriented upside down), they can often be found upside down under surfaces.
During the summer and winter months you can expect to find the Bark Scorpion trying to enter your home uninvited. Like with many pests they tend to show up during extreme shifts in weather. In the summer they avoid the heat under bunches of brush or your cool dark places in your home. In the winter they seek shelter from the unforgiving desert cold in the same places. They are also nocturnal and love to hunt in your homes at night, where they often will get stuck in your sink or tub.
Being nocturnal and having a high wax content in its exoskeleton to reduce water loss has directly helped the Bark Scorpion adapt to its desert habitat. They love to spend the hot summer days hidden among rocks, wood piles, and tree BARK. They particularly love areas with sycamore, cottonwood and mesquite trees as they support the scorpions' needs as well as their prey. The Bark Scorpion feeds on medium sized prey such as beetles, crickets, spiders, roaches, and other insects including other scorpions.
The Bark Scorpion is the most venomous scorpion found in the Las Vegas and Clark County area and all of North America. The venom, while deadly, has only led to two recorded fatalities in Arizona since 1968, while yearly bites range in the thousands, however during a rampant bout of Bark Scorpion stings in Mexico during the 1980’s its estimated around 800 lives were lost. Many people report severe pain, numbness, tingling, and vomiting for up to 72 hours after the sting occurs, with the pain being described as “electric shocks”.
.png)
