Being that they have 8 legs, scorpions belong in the arachnid family. Roughly being two inches in length, the scorpions in Alabama have a set of front pincers and a stinger. The scorpions are well known in the area to infiltrate homes. By knowing some basic information, homeowners can be better prepared for their encounters. With this in mind, we at Mike’s Pest Control would like to continue to elaborate on the scorpions in Alabama.
Scorpion Life Cycle
Scorpions do not lay eggs but give live births as the young grows inside the females. Until the young have undergone at least one molt, the young will ride on their mother’s back. Following the first molt, the leave their mother’s back to look for food and shelter. Before reaching maturity, scorpions will periodically shed their exoskeleton. Living beneath fallen snags, wood piles under logs, stones, loose tree bark, particularly dead trees and stumps, along with in mulch, pine nuggets, and pine straw, scorpions do not construct nests.
Scorpion Stings
Being opportunistic predators of invertebrates, the scorpion’s diet typically consists of spiders and insects in addition to other arthropods small enough for them to subdue. To grab and tear apart their prey, they use their pincers after they use their stinger that is featured at the tip of the tail to inject the victim with lethal venom. Their venom is only lethal to small insects and spiders. Fortunately, the scorpions native to the areas are not known to be a health concern to humans or their pets although they do inflict painful stings.
What Does a Scorpion Look Like?
Scorpions are easy identifiable, having flattened body shapes known as dorso-ventrally flattened, eight legs, a segmented body that is broadly joined to the head, a pair of formidable pincers, and noticeable eyes on their head. Their tail is tail extends from the rear portion of the body with a thin spike at the end of the terminus of the tail is bulbous, known as the stinger.
Types of Scorpions in Alabama
Throughout Alabama, there are two common scorpion species that include the Hentz striped scorpion southern unstriped scorpion. Once they get inside homes, they often retreat to garages and basements. Though sometimes obscure, Hentz striped scorpions have three yellowish stripes along its back and are primarily brown. The males tend to have a slenderer build, with elongated tail segments. The southern unstriped scorpion, also referenced as the southern devil scorpion have a long, slender tail, and is most often uniform in color. Their primary colors vary from blackish to dark brown to dark gray.
What Attracts Scorpions
More often than not, scorpions are driven indoors by cold, rain, or drought as they search for shelter, moisture, and a food source. They only need openings or cracks of only 1/8-inch wide to gain entry. Being nocturnal, scorpions frequently go unnoticed, and being shy and secretive, homeowners often don’t realize they have them for a while. If they sting you, though their venom is not likely to be lethal, the sting is painful. It feels comparable to wasp sting but has a slightly different sensation, like a sharp-burning feeling. Generally, within 30 minutes, the burning feeling is gone, though the sting site may be swollen and be quite itchy for a few days. Unless a person is hypersensitive to the venom the localized pain is usually tolerable. If more severe symptoms emerge, it is best to seek medial attention.
Scorpion Pest Inspections, Control, Removal & More in Moody, Ashville, Springville, Trussville, Leeds, Pell City, Birmingham, Pinson, Argo, Margaret & Greater Odenville, Alabama
To combat scorpions in your Odenville, AL home or business property, call Mike’s Pest Control and let our certified experts conduct a thorough inspection and present a custom pest control plan.
