The scorpion you’re most likely to find in a Las Vegas Valley home is the Arizona bark scorpion, the only scorpion in the U.S. whose sting is considered medically significant. It’s also a climber that slips through gaps as thin as a credit card, which is why it ends up indoors.
Where they come from
Bark scorpions hide by day and hunt at night, mostly from spring through fall when it’s warm. Here’s where we find them around Valley homes:
- Block walls, especially the hollow cores and gaps along the top
- Landscape rock, pavers, and stacked stone
- Firewood, lumber, and debris piles
- Weep holes and gaps at the base of stucco walls
- Gaps under doors and around garage doors
- Garages, closets, and storage boxes
- Palm trees and other trees close to the house
Where there are insects to eat, scorpions follow. A yard with lots of crickets and roaches is a yard scorpions like.
What our treatment does
We treat the places scorpions hide and travel: block walls, the base of the house, entry points, and the landscaping around your foundation. Treatment also cuts down the insects they feed on. Together, that reduces how many scorpions make it to your door and inside.
What treatment can’t do
We’ll be straight with you: scorpions are tough. They can go months without eating, they hide deep in walls and rock where sprays don’t reach, and a product has to actually touch them to work well. If your home backs up to desert, a wash, or new construction, new scorpions will keep moving in from outside your property. Anyone promising zero scorpions is overselling.
What actually helps
- Seal the gaps. Add door sweeps and weatherstripping, and caulk gaps around pipes, vents, and windows. This is the step that lasts.
- Clear the hiding spots. Move firewood, rock piles, and debris away from the house, and trim plants back from walls.
- Shake it out. Check shoes, clothes, towels, and bedding before you use them, especially if they’ve been on the floor.
- Pull the bed off the wall. Keep beds a few inches from walls and keep bedding off the floor.
- Skip the gimmicks. Ultrasonic plug-in repellers won’t keep scorpions out.
Still seeing scorpions after treatment?
If you’ve sealed up the house and you’re still finding scorpions, they’re likely coming from a shared block wall, a neighboring lot, or open desert nearby. That’s common in newer neighborhoods on the edge of the Valley, and it usually takes steady, ongoing treatment rather than a one-time visit.
Common questions
Are bark scorpion stings dangerous?
For most healthy adults, a sting means sharp pain, numbness, and tingling that fade within a day or two. Stings are more serious for young children, older adults, and people with health problems. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 after any sting, and get emergency care right away for severe symptoms.
How are scorpions getting into my house?
Bark scorpions can squeeze through a gap as thin as a credit card. The usual ways in are gaps under doors and garage doors, weep holes, and openings around pipes and vents. They climb, too, so they can also get in higher up, through attic vents and gaps around windows.
Can scorpions climb walls?
Yes. Bark scorpions climb block walls, stucco, wood, and textured ceilings, which is why some people find them overhead. They can’t climb smooth glass, so some families set the legs of a crib or bed in glass jars and keep bedding off the floor.
Tips and tricks
Go hunting with a blacklight. Scorpions glow bright blue-green under ultraviolet light, which makes them easy to spot after dark. It’s the fastest way to find out how big your problem really is.
How to do it safely
- Go out about an hour after dark on a warm night with a UV flashlight.
- Check the base and top of block walls, around doors and the garage, and along the edges of rock landscaping.
- Wear shoes and gloves, and use long tongs or a jar to collect any you find. Never pick one up by hand.
If someone is stung
- Wash the area and apply a cool compress.
- Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for advice.
- Get emergency care right away for young children, older adults, or anyone with severe symptoms like trouble breathing, muscle twitching, or unusual eye movements.
Get help with scorpions
Finding scorpions in the house or garage? We’ll inspect where they’re hiding and getting in, treat the problem areas, and give you an honest plan.
Other pests we handle: Cockroaches, Ants, Spiders, Rodents, Crickets, Stinging Insects, Bed Bugs, Flies & Gnats, Mosquitoes, Ticks & Fleas, Beetles, Centipedes & Millipedes, Silverfish, Pillbugs & Sowbugs. See the full pest library.