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Health & Fitness

Do You Have Scorpions?

When I think about scorpions, I think deserts or other countries.  However, Georgia has its share of scorpions, and we’ve been getting calls lately about these arachnids.  Yes, they are arachnids, and like spiders, they have eight legs and a cephalothorax (head/body combination).  Although scorpions can vary in size from less than an inch to over 6 inches, the small species found in Georgia are usually around 1 inch.

Scorpions are easily recognizable with their long tail and front pinchers.  The tail can be held curled or flat, but it raises high above the back when the scorpion is in a defensive stance.  There is a bulb shape at the end of the tail with a hook-shaped stinger.  Scorpions are usually not aggressive, but they will raise their tail and pinchers as a scare tactic and sting if provoked.

There are two kinds of scorpions found in Georgia.  The Southern Devil Scorpion, also called the Southern Stripeless Scorpion or the Plain Eastern Stripeless Scorpion, is found in the Piedmont region and the mountains of Central and North Georgia.  It is uniform in color.  The Striped Bark Scorpion is found in the Coastal Plain and sandy soil areas.  It has stripes running down its back and a dark triangle shape at its head.  The striped bark scorpion is the most common scorpion encountered in the United States.

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Lucky for us, the sting of scorpions native to Georgia doesn’t have to trigger fear in us.  The sting is compared to that of a bee or wasp with no long lasting effects.  People’s reactions vary, however, and if an allergic reaction is suspected, seek medical attention immediately.  Scorpions are nocturnal and prefer moist habitats.  They are commonly found in piles of rock or wood, leaf litter or mulch, and crawl spaces.  Most stings occur when someone is working outside without gloves on and disrupts the scorpion’s hiding spot or walking around barefoot at night.

Scorpions feed on a variety of insects, spiders, centipedes and millipedes, and even small reptiles, making them beneficial in natural pest control.  Some interesting facts about scorpions include glowing under UV lights.  Look for them at night using a black light to track them down easier.  Scorpions also use a type of dance courtship to mate, and the gestation period is around eight months!  The female gives birth to live young with an average of 31 scorpions per litter.  The new scorpions will stay on their mother’s back until after their first molt when they venture out on their own.

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As the old saying goes, “It’s bark is worse than it’s bite,” applies to the scorpions you’ll encounter in Georgia.  They look much scarier than the damage they will actually do!  Still, if you live in a wooded area or have lots of debris around your home, take extra precaution when working outside and don’t walk barefoot in the dark!

If you are seeing scorpions in your house then feel free to give us a call! You can visit our pest control website: www.midgapestcontrol.com

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