Scorpions can be seen in different types of habitats. Although, many scorpions prefer semi-arid and desert regions.
Many scorpions can hide under clutter, boards, rocks and logs. Some, like the bark scorpion will rest of vertical surfaces such as walls, bushes, and trees.
There are several scorpions that will spend the day in a burrow. Scorpion burrows could be more than a meter deep, depending on how dry the location is. In order for form a burrow, scorpions will dig until they hit a place where the temperature and moisture are comfortable and suitable. Burrows are normally made for just one scorpion.
Scorpions will wait at a burrow to be able to ambush their prey. The Anuroctonus Phaiodactylus, a particular species that ways for any prey to enter their burrow. Its claws are powerful and the main way that they attack their victim. It will leave the burrow opening visible at the surface, and they are normally crescent or oval shaped. One the adult male scorpion will leave the burrow to find a prospective mate.
The Arizona bark scorpion is one of the only scorpions that are known for climbing vs. burrowing. The bark scorpion lives under tree bark, above ground, on crevices of rocky cliffs and in palm trees.
During the daylight hours, the bark scorpion can be found under bark of trees, rocks, woodpiles, loose boards, decorative bark, and palm trees.
Scorpions have amazing survival skill and can live in rough environments. There have even been experiments where researchers froze scorpions for a full night to see if they could live after being frozen. The researchers put the scorpions in the sun on the very next day and watched them thaw and walk away perfectly fine. The one thing scorpions can’t live without though, is soil. As mentioned above, they love to burrow. So, in areas of heavy grass or permafrost where there isn’t a lot of loose soil, scorpions most likely won’t survive there.
States Scorpions Live In
Scorpions live in the following states: New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, North Caroline, and Southern California. Scorpions also live in the Himalayas, Great Britain, New Zealand, British Columbia, Africa, Brazilian forests and more.
Wikipedia says, “At just over 51° N, this marks the northernmost limit where scorpions live in the wild and live in temperatures varying from −31 to 50 °C (−24 to 122 °F). Today, scorpions are found in virtually every terrestrial habitat, including high-elevation mountains, caves and intertidal zones, with the exception of boreal ecosystems, such as the tundra, high-altitude taiga and the permanently snow-clad tops of some mountains.” Wikipedia
In Your Home
- Garages – “While we still see scorpions outside and in the garage and very occasionally in the house, our situation has improved a ton, and largely because we don’t take any chances. We don’t walk barefoot in the garage. We don’t leave piles of stuff around outside, especially near the exterior of the house. We don’t bring anything in from the garage or outside without inspecting it first. We store things in our garage in plastic bins, not cardboard boxes.” Scottsdale Moms Blog
- Landscape – “It is important to maintain a well groomed landscape. Unattended bushes and trees can be perfect homes for pests, a single Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) can harbor dozens of scorpions.” Scorpion Sweepers
- Dark Closets – “Popular indoor hiding places for scorpions include closets, piles of laundry, attics, bathroom or kitchen cabinets and crawl spaces. Scorpions also don’t like temperatures over 100°F, so it’s not uncommon to find them burrowed in the sand, under rocks or in shady spaces when outdoors.” e Pest Supply
- Beds – “Scorpions like to hide in dark places, especially during the day. Get rid of structures in and around your home that could be used as a convenient hiding place by a scorpion.” WikiHow
- Sink & Bathtubs because they can’t climb out.
- Hanging from walls and ceilings because they like to climb.
Scorpions are mainly active at night, although they may be seen during the day where it is moist and cool. Scorpions will prey on spiders, insects and other types of invertebrates. They will be able to detect the prey by sensing the vibrations of their prey as they move.
Scorpions are known for hiding and waiting for their prey. If the prey is small enough, they will crush it or if it is larger, they will inject it venom-which is a mixture of neurotoxins which affect the nervous system. However, the venom is used to capture the prey, scorpions will use the venom to protect themselves from threats and predators.
Once they have their prey subdued, they will then begin to eat it. The scorpion can only ingest liquids, because of this they will discard solid matter after they feed.
What do scorpions eat?
Scorpions will eat different spiders, scorpions, insects and even lizards. They will also eat small mammals like mice. Scorpions need water to drink, but they are able to survive months without food.
Scorpions will use their pincers to capture and then crush their prey. They will use their stingers to inject venom into their victim. Because of this, the prey will become paralyzed, which make it easy for scorpions to eat without any issues. Sometimes the scorpions will kill their prey without injecting venom.
Scorpions will use a claw like item that comes from their mouth that is called the chelicerae. This is very sharp, which simplifies pulling some small amounts of food off of their prey. They will also use this to dispose of solid matter, because the scorpion is only able to ingest liquids.
The most common type of scorpion is found in Southern Arizona, which extends through central Oklahoma and through central Texas. Other types of scorpions can reach Mexico to south of Colorado, Kansas, southern Missouri, Mississippi. Some can even be found in Oregon and California.