Dense ground cover, such as leaf litter or mulches, tall grass, wood piles, or general clutter provide excellent protection for scorpions and the small creatures that they eat. Scorpions are not aggressive but will raise their pinchers and tail in an attempt to scare away anything that bothers them. They will strike if touched or accidentally grabbed. A venom, produced by a pair of glands located near the end of the tail, is injected by the stinger. The sensation is a sharp pain that usually lasts for 15 to 20 minutes.
Reactions can vary depending on age or sensitivity of the individual and the amount venom injected.
Persons stung during early March or April by scorpions just emerging from their winter hiding places may have pain that lasts for several hours, plus a general numbness in the area. Sanitation, Exclusion, Protection, and Control Scorpions can be accidental invaders in homes and buildings where they may crawl into or under any object that affords some protection. Gaps around doors are a major entry way for these wandering hunters. Then follow up with a major cleanup to eliminate as many of the hiding places as possible that are so important for scorpions and their prey. Sanitation and exclusion are the most effective, long-term means of reducing scorpion numbers around dwellings.