Sachse, TX · General
Found a scorpion in the house
A small, pale tan-to-yellow scorpion with two dark stripes down its back is the striped bark scorpion, the most common scorpion in Texas and the only species found in the eastern part of the state. Adults reach about 2½ inches. It climbs well, often lives in attics, and comes down into living areas in hot weather.
Texas pest control businesses are licensed by the TDA. The call carries no obligation.
Why scorpions end up indoors
They hunt insects. Scorpions follow crickets, roaches and other prey. A house with crickets in the garage tends to have scorpions a few weeks later.
They hide in the same places every year. Under landscape stones and edging, in stacked firewood, under boards and in block walls, then into the garage and up into the attic. Indoors they often turn up in bathtubs and sinks, because they come for moisture and cannot climb back out of smooth surfaces.
Heat drives them down. Texas A&M AgriLife notes that in hot weather scorpions move from attics into living areas to escape the heat. They are active at night, which is why they turn up in the morning in a tub or a shoe.
What the visit involves
A technician looks at the outside first: rock beds, edging, woodpiles, fence lines, the gap under garage doors and weep holes in the brick. Then the attic and garage. Treatment usually combines sealing obvious entry points, reducing hiding places, and treating where scorpions and their prey live. Scorpions are harder to control than most household pests, so expect follow-up rather than a single visit.
Tell the operator
- Where in the house you found them, and how many
- Whether you have seen crickets or roaches in the garage
- Whether the house backs onto a greenbelt, creek or open field
- If anyone has been stung
Say what you found and where. Call to check whether a visit is available today.
(866) 204-1244Questions people ask
Is a striped bark scorpion sting dangerous?
Texas scorpions produce only moderate reactions in most people: pain, burning and swelling at the site. Small children, older adults and anyone with swelling away from the sting or trouble breathing should get medical care right away.
I found one. Are there more?
Usually. One scorpion indoors generally means others in the walls, attic, garage or the yard right outside.
Do scorpions come from the attic?
They can. Striped bark scorpions climb walls, trees and fences and get into attics through gaps at the roofline, then come down around light fixtures, vents and ceiling openings.
Other things people find
- Winged insects swarming inside the houseDark, small, many at once near a window — then wings everywhere
- Mud lines running up the slab or the garage wallPencil-width dirt tubes on the foundation, brick or sheetrock
- Fire ant mounds popping up after rainLoose dirt mounds across the lawn, ants that swarm up and sting
- A trail of small ants across the kitchenTiny ants along the counter, sink, window or dishwasher
- A brown spider in the garage, closet or storage boxesPlain brown spider, long legs, found in boxes or clothes
- Big roaches coming up from the drain or the garageLarge reddish-brown roach in the tub, sink or garage at night
- Small roaches in the kitchen cabinetsLight-brown roaches with two dark stripes, near the sink or appliances
- Scratching in the attic or walls at nightScurrying overhead after dark, usually once the weather cools
- Droppings in the pantry or kitchen drawersSmall dark pellets near food, under the sink or in drawers
- Waking up with bites in a line or clusterItchy bites after sleeping, dark specks on the mattress seams
- Mosquitoes make the backyard unusableBites on the patio at dusk, or even in the middle of the day
- Fleas in the house even after treating the petsBites around the ankles, tiny jumping insects in the carpet
- Pests in a house that was just builtCrickets, ants or scorpions in a home that is a year or two old
ZIP codes covered
Mostly built since 2000
Older neighborhoods, 1970s–1990s