Found a Tiny Baby Scorpion in Your Arizona Home?
Short answer: a baby bark scorpion is not more dangerous than an adult, but it is a sign adults are living and breeding close to your Phoenix-area house.
Are Baby Scorpions More Dangerous in Arizona?
No. The old line that babies "can't control their venom" isn't supported. Banner Health's poison specialists say a scorpion's age doesn't make its venom more dangerous than an adult's. In Arizona the scorpion that matters is the bark scorpion: of the 40 to 50 scorpion species in the state, it is the only one that can cause severe nervous-system symptoms (Banner Health). A baby bark scorpion can still sting, and the sting can cause burning pain, numbness and tingling.
If someone is stung: call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (24 hours). Young children are at the highest risk; go to urgent care or an emergency department for severe symptoms such as muscle twitching, drooling or trouble breathing (Banner Health; Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center).
How to Identify a Baby Bark Scorpion
- Size and color: small, pale tan to nearly see-through, much lighter than an adult.
- Shape: slender pincers and a thin tail that curls over the back, the same shape as the roughly 2-inch adult.
- Glow: fluoresces blue-green under a UV blacklight, so a night-time flashlight sweep finds them fast.
- Not a scorpion: a pseudoscorpion has pincers but no tail. It is tiny and harmless.
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Signs a Baby Scorpion Means an Infestation
Bark scorpions are born live and ride on their mother's back until their first molt. After that the young leave and set up their own territories, and they reach adulthood in about a year (University of Arizona Cooperative Extension). So one baby scorpion inside usually means a breeding female is nearby. Look for these signs:
- More than one young scorpion in a week, especially in bathrooms, kitchens or the garage.
- Adults on block walls, patio ceilings or in the garage during a night-time blacklight check.
- Crickets and cockroaches around the house. They are scorpion food, and the Extension lists controlling them as a prevention step.
- Rock landscaping, woodpiles, stacked pavers or clutter against the house, which give bark scorpions shelter.
- Gaps under doors, worn door sweeps, and unsealed weep screeds or utility penetrations.
What to Do Tonight
- Shake out shoes, towels and bedding that touch the floor, and wear shoes at night.
- Pull beds and cribs a few inches off the wall and keep bedding off the floor.
- Do a blacklight check of baseboards, the garage and the outside walls after dark.
- Clear clutter and woodpiles away from the house and replace worn door sweeps.
- Book a treatment if you find more than one, so the adults outside are dealt with.
Baby Scorpion Control in Phoenix: What the Service Does and Costs
A scorpion control visit starts with a UV inspection to find where the adults live, then treats block walls, foundation lines, rock beds, weep screeds and door gaps, and points out the openings to seal. A one-time diagnostic visit with treatment is $149. The plan is $50/month with treatment every 60 days and free callbacks, which keeps new young from reaching the house through the warm months. Start a plan the same day and your visit fee covers your first 3 months of the plan. Full-yard Power Spray starts at $125. See pest control cost for every option.
Scorpion control in Phoenix · Chandler · Mesa · Gilbert · Scottsdale · Queen Creek · all service areas
Baby Scorpion Questions from Arizona Homeowners
Is a tiny baby scorpion poisonous?
A baby bark scorpion has venom, and its sting can hurt and cause numbness and tingling like an adult's. Banner Health's poison specialists say a scorpion's age doesn't make its venom more dangerous than an adult's. If a young child is stung, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (24 hours).
Are baby scorpions more dangerous than adults?
No. That's a common Arizona myth. According to Banner Health, the age of the scorpion doesn't decide how dangerous its venom is. Treat a baby bark scorpion with the same care as an adult.
What does it mean if I find a baby scorpion in my house?
Bark scorpion young ride on their mother's back until their first molt, then leave to find their own shelter (University of Arizona Cooperative Extension). A young scorpion indoors usually means adults are living and breeding close by, often in block walls, rock landscaping or the garage.
What do tiny baby scorpions look like?
Newly independent bark scorpions are small, pale tan to almost translucent, with the same slender pincers and thin, curled tail as adults. Under a UV blacklight they glow blue-green, which is the easiest way to spot them at night.
What insect looks like a tiny scorpion?
Pseudoscorpions. They are tiny (a few millimeters), have pincers but no tail or stinger, and are harmless. If it has a tail that curls up over its back, it is a scorpion.