A bark scorpion sting usually looks like very little: a tiny puncture or a faint pink spot, sometimes no mark at all. The sting is recognized by how it feels, with sharp burning pain, tingling and numbness that spread past the spot. If you were stung in Avondale and symptoms go beyond the sting site, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away.
This guide is general information about pests, not medical advice. For a sting that worries you, call Poison Control or a doctor, and call 911 for trouble breathing or swallowing.
What Does a Scorpion Sting Look Like on the Skin?
Most Arizona scorpion stings come from the bark scorpion, the small, pale tan scorpion that is common across the West Valley. Its venom works on the nerves, so the pain is out of proportion to what you can see. The skin often looks normal.
- Little or no visible mark. You may see one tiny puncture, or nothing at all.
- Mild redness or a small swollen spot. It is usually the size of a coin or smaller.
- No big blister or spreading bruise. A sting that blisters, oozes or spreads in a widening red area is more likely a different bite, such as a spider or an infection setting in.
The better test is the feeling, not the look. Lightly tapping the area often makes the pain flare, a classic sign of a bark scorpion sting.
What Does a Scorpion Sting Feel Like?
Expect sudden, sharp, burning pain, like a hot needle. Within minutes you may feel pins and needles or numbness that moves up the arm, leg, foot or hand. Many people describe a strange "electric" feeling. The sting site may be sensitive to the touch of a sheet or a sock.
| What you notice | Typical for a bark scorpion sting? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny puncture or no mark | Yes, very common | Wash the area and call Poison Control for guidance |
| Sharp burning pain, pain when tapped | Yes | Cool compress, keep the limb still, call Poison Control |
| Tingling or numbness near the sting | Yes | Watch closely and call Poison Control |
| Numbness or tingling spreading far from the sting | Can happen | Call Poison Control or a doctor now |
| Trouble swallowing, drooling, restless eye or muscle movement, trouble breathing | A serious reaction | Call 911 |
| Large blister, spreading redness, pus | No, may be another bite or infection | See a doctor |
What Should You Do Right After a Scorpion Sting?
Stay calm and follow these steps. Poison Control in Arizona is free, staffed around the clock, and used to scorpion calls.
- Wash the sting site with soap and water.
- Apply a cool, damp cloth to the area. Do not put ice directly on the skin.
- Keep the stung arm or leg still and at about heart level.
- Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and describe your symptoms.
- Take a photo of the scorpion if you can do it safely, or catch it in a jar, to confirm what stung you.
What should you not do after a scorpion sting?
Do not cut the skin, try to suck out venom, or use a tourniquet. None of it helps and some of it does harm. Do not put the stung limb in ice water, and do not give a small child any medicine until you have talked with Poison Control or a doctor. If the sting happened at night, do not just go back to sleep and hope it fades, because the symptoms you most need to catch can appear in the first hour or two.
Who should be seen quickly?
Young children, older adults and anyone with other health problems should be checked promptly. Children can have strong reactions, so do not wait to see if it passes.
How long does a scorpion sting last?
Pain and numbness commonly last for hours and can come and go for a day or more. A doctor or Poison Control can tell you what is normal for the person stung.
Why Are There Scorpions in Avondale, AZ?
Avondale sits on the Agua Fria River in the West Valley, with older neighborhoods around Historic Avondale and newer subdivisions across 85323 and 85392 such as Garden Lakes, Coldwater Springs and Rancho Santa Fe. Bark scorpions can live anywhere in that mix, and a few local features help them.
- Block walls. Bark scorpions climb. They rest in the gaps and cap blocks of the walls between yards.
- Irrigated landscaping. Damp mulch, rock beds and thick groundcover hold the insects scorpions eat, such as crickets and roaches.
- River corridors and open desert edges. Land along the Agua Fria and the edge of the Estrella foothills sends scorpions toward new construction as it develops.
- Stucco and door gaps. A scorpion can flatten itself to squeeze through a gap about the thickness of a credit card.
Scorpions are most active at night, mostly in the warm months, and they tend to be seen more after a monsoon storm drives them out of their hiding spots.
When are scorpions most active around Avondale homes?
Activity picks up as nights warm in spring and stays high through summer and into the fall. Evenings after the monsoon storms of July through September are a common time for a surprise sting, because the rain and humidity push scorpions and their prey out into the open. Most stings happen indoors at night: bare feet on a tile floor, a hand reaching into a shoe or a laundry pile, or a child rolling over onto one in bed.
How Do You Tell a Scorpion Sting From a Spider Bite?
A scorpion sting hurts immediately and sharply, with tingling and numbness. A spider bite is often painless at first and may show a red area, swelling or a blister hours later. If you saw the creature, a scorpion has pincers and a curled tail with a stinger. Our spider prevention in Avondale page covers the spiders people mix up with scorpions at the sting site.
How Do You Stop Scorpions From Getting Into an Avondale Home?
You will never remove every scorpion from the desert, but you can make your house a poor target.
Seal the entry points
Replace worn weatherstripping on the garage and entry doors, caulk gaps around pipes and cables, and close the gaps where block walls meet the house.
Cut off their food and shelter
Scorpions follow their prey. Controlling crickets, roaches and other bugs removes the reason they come near your walls. Move firewood, rock piles and stacked pots away from the house, and trim shrubs back from the stucco.
Check at night with a blacklight
Scorpions glow under a UV flashlight. A walk around the yard and block walls after dark shows you where they travel. Our technicians use the same blacklight method, then seal and treat the perimeter.
Shake it out
Shake out shoes, towels and clothes left on the floor or in the garage, and check bedding for kids who sleep near a wall.
What Does Professional Scorpion Control in Avondale Include?
Our scorpion control in Avondale program is built around finding how they get in. A technician walks the property, inspects with a blacklight, treats the perimeter and gaps, and works on the pests scorpions feed on. It is part of our Avondale pest and termite service for homes across Avondale. We have served Arizona homeowners since 2013.
If you are looking for what we do in other West Valley and metro cities, you will find the same approach in our scorpion control in Phoenix and our guide to the signs of a hidden scorpion infestation, along with what actually works against scorpions in a big city.
Do We Treat Nearby Cities Too?
Yes. Scorpions do not stop at the city line, and neither do we. Besides Avondale we serve Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Phoenix and Mesa, as well as Chandler and the rest of the Valley. Here are the closest neighbors to Avondale:
- Scorpion control in Goodyear, with our guide to scorpion control near Estrella Mountain
- Scorpion control in Litchfield Park, with our guide to scorpion prevention in Litchfield Park
- Pest control in Mesa for East Valley homeowners
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a scorpion sting look like?
Often like almost nothing. A bark scorpion sting may leave a tiny puncture or slight redness. Pain, tingling and numbness are the main signs.
Does a scorpion sting leave a mark?
Sometimes a small pink or red spot, but many stings leave no visible mark. A big blister or spreading redness points to something else.
When should I go to the ER for a scorpion sting?
Call 911 for trouble breathing or swallowing, drooling, or unusual eye or muscle movements. Children and older adults should be checked promptly, so call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 first.
Are all scorpions in Arizona dangerous?
The bark scorpion is the one that matters most. Other Arizona scorpions, such as the giant desert hairy scorpion, tend to cause milder stings, but treat any sting seriously and call for advice.
How do I keep scorpions out of my Avondale house?
Seal door and wall gaps, remove clutter and the bugs they eat, and have the perimeter treated. A blacklight check at night shows where they travel.
Can you treat scorpions at my Avondale home?
Yes. Call us at (480) 422-8388 or request service online.