While it's typical to see scorpions each summer, it's been a particularly busy season. Summer rains have been forcing the scorpions into people's homes, where they can come in close contact with them.
Tim Story moved into his new home in Tyler just a week ago, and just yesterday, he ran into a very unwelcome guest - a scorpion.
"I guess it had come in from right under that door because I saw it right there on the floor, and my first instinct was, 'I have to stomp this thing out.' Then I was told I needed to call pest control to verify there weren't babies or anything around the house," Story says.
Thankfully, pest control didn't find any of the scorpion's friends or family members, which is rare with all the rain we've been having this summer. Rain brings insects out and into your home, and scorpions eat insects. Experts say scorpions also can't regulate their body heat, so they seek shelter in your home to cool off and stabilize their body temperature.
It was all news to story.
"I have heard about it in East Texas that when it gets real hot they come out but no this was my first time to see a scorpion," he says.
One scare was enough for Story to make some changes. Number one on the list was sealing the side door. Pest control experts say closing gaps in windows and doors with caulk, concrete or rubber thresholds is the best way to keep any unwanted guests out of your house.
Story suggests doing everything you can to keep these creepy critters out of your home. His encounter was one he won't be forgetting any time soon.
" It was pretty nuts!" he says.
Somescorpionss are more harmful than others, but any scorpion stings can quickly become serious for kids, pets, and the elderly. If you or someone you know is stung, the best thing to do is seek medical attention, just in case.
Experts say if you find a scorpion in your house, call an exterminator. It's better to trap it and call an expert to come take care of it, especially because in most cases, there are usually more nearby.
