Scorpions come inside to seek shelter, warmth, water and food.
Standing water, food, crumbs etc all attract scorpions into a house.
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones.
They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always ending with a stinger.
Scorpions are arachnids and have eight legs like their cousins—spiders, mites, and ticks.
They can quickly grab an insect with their pincers and whip their telson, the poisonous tip of their tail forward and sting their prey.
Worldwide, only about 30 of the estimated 1,500 species of scorpions produce venom toxic enough to be fatal.
But with more than a million scorpion stings taking place each year, deaths from these stings are a significant public health problem in areas where access to medical care is limited.
Most of the scorpions that enter dwellings are not poisonous; their sting is similar to bees or wasps.
Scorpions are found on every continent except Antarctica, in habitats ranging from tropical rain forests to grasslands and deserts.
As adults, most scorpions are nocturnal and solitary, usually staying in the same territory throughout their lives.
Many live in burrows they dig or claim and defend from other wildlife.
Scorpions don't only use their stings to kill their prey – they use it to defend themselves against predators, too, such as snakes, lizards and birds.
Whilst the venom of most scorpions is only powerful enough to kill small creatures, there are around 30-40 species with a sting strong enough to kill a human.
A Scorpions tiny pincers allow them to grip onto rough surfaces.
Remember, in nature, scorpions prefer to climb around in rocks and on trees.
However, they can also climb the walls of your home if there is sufficient rough surface for them to grip.
Scorpions are not capable of climbing glass or even smooth metal.
Scorpions are unusual amongst invertebrates because they give birth rather than laying eggs.
Unlike mammals which have true births, scorpions are “ovoviviparous”.
This means that eggs hatch inside the mum and the babies are born separately.
Look around the outside of your home.
Standing water or a leaking hose next to the house can be inviting to scorpions. Inside your house, bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms are common water sources.
Leaking pipes are the usual culprits but even damp spaces, like basements, are enticing.