Striped Bark Scorpion Control in San Antonio, TX
The scorpion San Antonio residents find on a bathroom floor, a bedroom ceiling or in a shoe is almost always the striped bark scorpion: pale yellowish tan, about two inches long, with two dark bands down its back. Its sting hurts but is not considered deadly in Texas. The lasting fix is to take away the debris it hides in and the gaps it walks through, with targeted treatment where they keep showing up. Call or text (210) 281-1064 or book online to set up an inspection.
A newer house doesn't keep them out #
People often assume scorpions are a problem of old houses and open country. Texas A&M AgriLife says the striped bark scorpion lives across the whole state, hides under rocks, boards and debris, and turns up in attics (AgriLife, Scorpions). Nothing about that depends on the age of the house.
Several of San Antonio's north and northwest ZIP codes are young. Census survey data put the share of homes built before 1980 at about 10% in 78249, 9.3% in 78251, where the 2000s were the busiest building decade, and 7.5% in 78248, which grew mostly in the 1990s (Census ACS). Our own office is in 78250, where 1980s homes make up the largest share. In all of them, the routes are the same: weep holes in brick, gaps under exterior doors, unsealed pipe and cable openings, and attic spaces scorpions reach by climbing walls and trees.
Why does summer bring them indoors? #
AgriLife's E-362 explains that in hot weather, scorpions living in an attic may drop into the rooms below to get away from the heat. Dry spells make it worse. In 2023, AgriLife's entomologist for Bexar County said scorpions go looking for water and cooler spots, slipping under doors and through small cracks (Texas A&M Today).
They are night hunters. You are more likely to meet one walking across tile after dark than during the day, and the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room, where water is close, are common spots.
Is it a striped bark scorpion, or something else? #
- Striped bark scorpion: yellowish tan, two broad dark stripes down the back, a dark triangle on the head, slender pincers and a long thin tail. AgriLife gives the length as roughly 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 inches.
- Pseudoscorpion: under 1/4 inch with no tail. It cannot sting you.
- Wind scorpion (sun spider): fast, pale, no stinging tail. Not venomous.
Under a handheld UV light, scorpions glow blue-green, which makes a night search much easier. More detail is in the scorpion guide.
What a sting means #
AgriLife's position is plain: none of the scorpions in Texas are considered deadly. A sting brings sharp, immediate pain, and the swelling can hang on for days. The Arizona bark scorpion, the one with a dangerous sting, does not live in Texas.
- Put an ice pack on the sting and watch the person closely.
- Don't soak the area in ice water, and don't give sedatives (CDC/NIOSH).
- Call the Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 with questions.
- Get medical care right away for trouble breathing, hives, or pain and swelling that keep building. Small children and anyone allergic need closer watching.
What keeps scorpions out #
AgriLife says insecticide alone rarely solves a scorpion problem, so start with the house and yard:
- Clear boards, bricks, stones, logs and trash from around the foundation.
- Keep firewood outside and bring it in only to burn it.
- Mow short and trim branches that touch the roof.
- Fill weep holes with copper mesh, a nylon scrubber or screen wire. Steel wool rusts and stains.
- Weather-strip doors and windows and seal around pipes and eaves.
- Do a UV-light check at night and set sticky traps where you find them.
How Pest Trappers handles scorpions in San Antonio #
A technician inspects outside first (foundation, weep holes, door sweeps, stacked materials, attic access) and then the rooms where you've been finding them. You get a clear list of the gaps to close and the harborage to remove, plus an explanation of the treatment options for your home. Any product is applied the way its label directs. Pest Trappers LLC (TPCL #0887549) quotes the price after that inspection. For everything else we cover in town, see the San Antonio service page; for the other big night-time crawler, see giant redheaded centipedes.