You can always tell when someone isn’t from Florida by their reaction to the fact that there are scorpions here. Weird, huh? Most people associate scorpions with the desert or maybe jungles. But nope, we’ve got them right here in our sunny backyard! That’s why today we’ll touch on Florida scorpion control, and some of the species you can expect to see in Florida.
Florida Scorpion Control: What kind of scorpions live in Florida?
Alright, like any species of bug the best thing you can do to prevent them from coming in is arming yourself with knowledge. So, let’s start off by going over what species of scorpion actually makes its home in Florida.
Florida Bark Scorpion
Also known by the name Slender Brown Scorpion, the Florida bark scorpion is the largest member of the family in the sunshine state. These scorpions can grow past four inches in length and have a brown body, light colored legs, and yellow stripes on the back. Though they can vary from black all around to reddish in color. Their claws are narrow and slender.
They look very similar to the Arizona bark scorpion. However, thankfully, the species doesn’t have very potent venom. Mind you, the sting can be exceptionally painful, but it is not life threatening. When they flatten themselves out, they can squeeze through gaps as small as a sixteenth of an inch. So you can see how they could get into your home, and why they may make you require some Florida scorpion control.
Hentz Striped scorpion
Up next we have the most common scorpion in Florida. That is the Hentz Striped Scorpion. This insect can be found in nearly all counties in the state, and are typically a bit smaller than the Florida bark scorpion. Typically these guys range from an inch to three inches in length and are dark brown to tannish in coloration. They can also be identified by the greenish yellow stripe that runs along their midline when seen from above. They have a slender abdomen that is pale or dark depending on the subspecies and have a tooth beneath the venom bulb on their tail.
These scorpions prefer to live in tight, dark places. They can be found under bark, stones, and leaf litter on the ground or under a garden mulch bed. Dry, abandoned dirt roads are also a favorite spot of this scorpion. This one actually comes with a slight upside, as it loves to eat cockroaches, which are a much more common home invading pest!
Guiana Striped Scorpion
This is the southernmost species of Florida Scorpion. The Guiana striped scorpion is medium sized, and can only be found in Southern Florida counties like Miami-Dade. They’re also not uncommon in Cuba, the Bahamas, and other Caribbean islands. This is an opportunistic species that can be found under stones, barks, and inside vegetation ranging from coastal plains to lowland, tropical forests. Adults of the species range from an inch to three in length. Their entire bodies are yellow with a dusky pattern that varies between individuals. This scorpion has a sharp, painful sting that can ache for up to five hours.
Florida Scorpion Control: Signs of an infestation
Now that we know what you can be dealing with when it comes to species, let’s touch on a few of the signs of an infestation. Scorpions like to head inside during warmer months. So spring and our exceptionally long summer is when you can most expect to see them. And one of the first signs of an infestation is seeing multiple smaller bugs in your home. Scorpions go where the food is, after all.
Major food sources for scorpions include bugs like ants, cockroaches, flies, and beetles. They happily follow these prey insects inside, and once they settle in they’re hard to remove. And next, citrus and fruit trees may attract these insects as well. Species of bark scorpion like the one mentioned above is often found near citrus plants. While scorpions are generally associated with desert climates, the bark scorpion thrives in dark, moist environments. Citrus trees provide the perfect hide for them to settle in. If you have citrus trees in your backyard, you may be unknowingly housing a scorpion infestation.
Recent developments are also possible prey for invasion from scorpions. Florida’s state bird may as well be a bulldozer at this point with all of the land being cleared out for housing. And as we build homes in more and more isolated areas, we disrupt the natural environments of scorpions. So look out for them if your home is recently built on fresh land.
And finally, the eye test is number one with a bullet. Scorpions in the house are rare, so if you see one, you may have an infestation and need to talk to someone about getting help.
Florida Scorpion Control: Getting and Keeping them out
Control for scorpions is unique in that these are pests that don’t usually infest in a traditional way. You have to keep the causes out more than the bugs themselves. That is, Florida scorpion control is more about keeping them out of your home and keeping your home less desirable for them to come in in the first place.
As I said above, the presence of other infestations can actually draw scorpions into your home. So if you see infestations of insects to the tune of lines of ants on the counter, cockroaches under the sink, or spiders in every corner, you may need to contact a pest control specialist to get rid of those issues. And when those are resolved, scorpions don’t stick around with no prey to eat.
Outside of that, your best method of control is exclusion. You need to reduce the areas where scorpions can hide around your property.
Remove debris such as large stones or woodpiles and make sure ornamental vegetation is planted some distance from the foundation of your home. Trim tree branches that hang over the roof of your home to prevent scorpions from using these as a bridge to enter your home.
