TYLER, Texas — If you’re feeling like these triple-digit temperatures in East Texas are relentless, you're not the only one. As the weather gets warmer, the pests know it’s time to come out of hibernation.
CBS19 reached out to viewers on social media and found out many of them are finding scorpions around their homes.
From garages to yards and even mailboxes, East Texans shared pictures of where they found the arachnids.
Ginnie Johnson said since moving into her newly-built house in South Tyler, she's been seeing scorpions nonstop.
"I'm not as scared anymore when I see them," Johnson said. "They're fast the little suckers, like I had no idea they were so fast, but we've never been stung."
Johnson says it’s gotten to the point where she takes her family visiting from out of town outside at night to hunt for scorpions with a black light.
"We make a joke that we've built our house on like a scorpion graveyard," Johnson said. "We've been here 10 years total and never saw one, and then we moved here where we started seeing them pop up."
Many East Texans on social media were unsure if scorpions are native to the area. Tyler State Park resource interpreter Boyd Sanders confirmed the striped bark scorpion is native to the Piney Woods.
"They love dry areas and they love the Texas hill country," Sanders said. "We get nice hot summers and there's plenty of food source for them. Lots of bugs, lots of spiders, wonderful hiding spaces they love to hide like leaf litter, long piles any of those kinds of things."
J&J Exterminating brand manager Lance Cummings said we're in the season for fleas and mosquitoes, but that they’ve also been getting more calls about the unwanted critters. He confirmed there is often a correlation between rising temperatures and an increase in scorpion sightings.
"During the day, they're kind of hiding, they're finding areas, but people are seeing them move around right now with this extreme heat that we have," Cummings said. "That's why we're getting so many calls in area with them. We have two products that we're using in our services right now that are specifically for scorpions."
The company says they got their customers covered with all the insecticides they have in stock.
Johnson says she's had experts use insecticides at her home and that it has made a difference. But, because her family lives in the rural part of Tyler, those scorpions still find a way inside.
"I definitely think when we built our house we stirred them up and saw a lot more when we first built.," Johnson said. "Without fail we see them all throughout the summer."
Although scorpions can be frightening to see in your home, Sanders says you must remember that they are here for a reason -- to balance the ecosystem. He also says if you happen to get stung by one, you should ice the wounded area and, if needed, find an over-the-counter medication to help. If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical attention.
If you need help with pest around your home J&J Exterminators says they are ready to consult new and returning customers about how to keep their homes safe. To find out more or book an appointment, click here.