Florida’s scorpions sting like a wasp. They are not the Arizona ones, and that distinction matters when you are reading advice online.
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Florida’s scorpions, and what you are most likely seeing
Three species occur in Florida and all three can turn up in Polk County. Telling them apart is useful mostly for peace of mind, because the control approach is essentially the same for all three.
Hentz striped scorpion
Centruroides hentzi. The one most Polk County households actually encounter. Small, roughly two inches, yellowish-tan with darker stripes down the back. Strongly associated with pine flatwoods and sandy uplands — which describes a great deal of the county — and a frequent climber into structures.
Florida bark scorpion
Centruroides gracilis. Larger, up to about four inches, dark brown to nearly black with lighter legs. More common in the southern part of the state but present in central Florida. A capable climber often found on walls, fences and in palm and tree bark.
Guiana striped scorpion
Centruroides guianensis, a less common introduced species found in parts of Florida. Similar habits and similar low medical significance. Encountered rarely enough that most households will never see one.
How dangerous is the sting?
Painful — usually compared to a wasp sting, with localized pain, swelling and sometimes numbness lasting hours. No scorpion species established in Florida is regarded as dangerous to a healthy adult. Reactions vary, and anyone with a known venom allergy or an unusual reaction should seek medical care.
Where they get in
Weep holes, gaps under exterior doors, unscreened soffit and attic vents, gaps around pipe and cable penetrations, and torn window screens. They are flat-bodied and squeeze through remarkably small gaps.
What they are hunting
Scorpions eat insects — roaches, crickets, spiders and similar. A scorpion problem is frequently a symptom of a general insect population inside or around the structure.
Finding scorpions indoors?
One call reaches a licensed, local exterminator who covers your address — and a real person answers, 24/7.
Free to get matched. No obligation. The licensed operator gives the quote.
Why they show up in Polk County homes
The habitat is right across most of the county
Centruroides hentzi in particular is strongly associated with sandy soils, pine flatwoods and scrub — and Polk County sits on exactly that, including the deep well-drained sands of the Lake Wales Ridge running down through Lake Wales, Frostproof and the eastern part of the county. Subdivisions built into or adjacent to that habitat inherit the resident scorpion population. This is not a sign of anything being wrong with a house; it is a consequence of where the house is.
They come in for moisture and for prey
Scorpions enter structures for two reasons: to escape heat and dryness, and to follow the insects they eat. That is why activity often increases during hot dry stretches in spring before the rains arrive, and again when heavy rain floods their outdoor harborage and pushes them to higher ground. Inside, they concentrate where it is dark and humid — bathrooms, under sinks, in laundry rooms, in garages and in crawl spaces — which is also where you are most likely to step on one at night.
Yard harborage feeds the indoor problem
The outdoor conditions that support scorpions are specific and modifiable: stacked firewood, landscape timbers and pavers lying on soil, dense mulch beds against the foundation, palm frond litter and loose tree bark, rock piles, and stored materials along the house. Reducing those does more sustained good than repeat perimeter spraying, because scorpions are relatively tolerant of residual insecticides compared with the insects they hunt and they simply do not contact treated surfaces the way a foraging ant does.
They climb, so ground-level exclusion is not enough
Both Centruroides species found here are competent climbers and are routinely found on walls, on ceilings and in upper storeys. Bark scorpions in particular are associated with tree bark and palms, and a branch or frond touching the roof is a usable bridge. This is why serious exclusion work here covers soffit and attic vents, roof-return junctions and second-floor entry points rather than only the door sweeps and weep holes at ground level.
What actually reduces scorpions
Exclusion first, and thoroughly
Door sweeps that seal, screened weep holes, sealed pipe and cable penetrations, repaired window screens, screened soffit and attic vents. This is the highest-value work by a considerable margin.
Reduce the insect population they are eating
Scorpions follow prey. A general household pest program that suppresses roaches, crickets and other insects removes the reason for them to stay inside.
Clear outdoor harborage
Firewood off the ground and away from the wall, mulch pulled back from the foundation, ground-contact timbers and debris removed, palm litter and loose bark cleared, tree limbs trimmed off the roof.
Targeted interior and perimeter treatment
Applied to entry points, voids, cracks and harborage rather than broadcast — and understood as a support for the exclusion work rather than a substitute for it.
What decides the operator’s quote (we never set prices)
- Structure size and how many entry points there are — Exclusion is labor. An older home with many gaps, unscreened vents and multiple penetrations is a larger job than a tight recent build.
- Whether a general pest program is included — Suppressing the prey insects is part of a durable scorpion result, and that is usually a broader scope than a scorpion-only visit.
- Yard and harborage work — Some operators include habitat recommendations only; others will quote clearing and treating outdoor harborage as part of the job. Ask which.
Pricing is set by the independent FDACS-licensed operator after inspection — never by us. Free to get matched, and you owe nothing until you accept the operator’s own quote. The cost guide covers the factors.
How the scorpion dispatch works
Full transparency: Lakeland Exterminators is a dispatch and matching service, not a licensed pest control operator. Your request routes by ZIP to an independent, FDACS-licensed operator covering your part of Polk County; they own the inspection, treatment, pricing and any service warranty under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes. Verify any operator at the FDACS license search before you hire — honest companies expect it.
This page is not medical advice. Most stings from Florida species are managed with cleaning the site, a cold compress and over-the-counter pain relief. Seek medical care for a sting to a young child or an older adult, for any difficulty breathing, widespread swelling or symptoms away from the sting site, or if you are unsure what stung you.
Polk County scorpion questions, answered straight
Are Florida scorpions dangerous?
None of the species established in Florida is considered medically dangerous to a healthy adult. The sting is genuinely painful — most people describe it as comparable to a wasp sting, with local pain, swelling and sometimes numbness or tingling that can persist for several hours — but systemic effects are uncommon. The species with serious medical significance in the United States is the Arizona bark scorpion, which is a southwestern species and not what you have in Polk County. That said, reactions vary between individuals, and a sting to a small child or someone with a known venom allergy warrants medical attention.
Why am I suddenly seeing scorpions in the house?
Usually a change in conditions outside. Hot dry spells before the summer rains push them toward moisture, and conversely heavy rain flooding their outdoor harborage pushes them to higher and drier ground — often your slab, garage or wall voids. Construction or land clearing nearby disturbs habitat and displaces them. And an increase in the insects they hunt will keep them inside once they arrive. If the timing coincides with any of those, that is very likely your answer.
Does spraying get rid of scorpions?
Less reliably than people expect, and this is worth understanding before you pay for repeat treatments. Scorpions have a waxy cuticle and relatively low contact with treated surfaces compared with insects that forage continuously across them, so residual perimeter sprays are less decisively effective against them than against ants or roaches. Treatment does help when it is targeted at harborage, voids and entry points — and it helps considerably by reducing the prey insects — but exclusion and habitat reduction do the durable work. An operator who proposes spraying alone as the whole plan is offering you a subscription rather than a solution.
How do I keep them out of the house?
Exclusion, and it is genuinely effective because scorpions have to physically get in. Fit tight door sweeps on every exterior door including the garage, screen weep holes, seal gaps around pipe, cable and utility penetrations, repair torn window screens, and screen soffit and attic vents. Outside, pull mulch back from the foundation, get firewood off the ground and away from the wall, remove ground-contact timbers, pavers and debris, clear palm frond litter and loose bark, and trim limbs off the roofline. Inside, reduce clutter in garages and storage areas where they hide.
What should I do if I find one indoors?
Do not handle it. A glass jar or container placed over it and slid onto a piece of card will capture it safely for release or disposal at a distance, and gives you a clear look at what species it is. Shake out shoes, check bedding and towels, and be careful reaching into boxes and dark storage in garages, since those are common resting spots. Wearing shoes at night in a house with known activity is a simple and effective precaution. Finding several over a short period suggests established harborage rather than a lone wanderer, and is worth an inspection.
Can scorpions live in my wall or attic?
Yes, and they routinely do. Wall voids, attics, crawl spaces, garages and the space under and behind stored items are all suitable — dark, sheltered, and often containing the insects they eat. Because both common Florida species climb well, attic and upper-storey activity is normal rather than surprising. That is why a proper inspection covers roof-line entry points and vents rather than stopping at ground level, and why sealing the attic envelope tends to produce a noticeable reduction in indoor sightings.
Seal it out and take away what it is hunting.
One call reaches a licensed, local exterminator who covers your address — and a real person answers, 24/7.
Free to get matched. No obligation. The licensed operator gives the quote.
Disclosure
Lakeland Exterminators is a dispatch and matching service. We connect Polk County callers with independent, FDACS-licensed structural pest control operators. We are not a licensed pest control operator. We do not perform scorpion inspections or treatments, set prices, issue warranties, or carry pest control trade insurance. All pricing, scheduling, treatment plans, warranties and service terms are determined by the independent FDACS-licensed operator dispatched to your address under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes.
Same-day and 24/7 emergency services are subject to provider participation, location, technician availability, and demand. Availability is not guaranteed and may vary by market and appointment capacity.
License status of any operator you connect with is publicly verifiable at the FDACS license search.