Scorpions in Queen Creek & San Tan Valley Homes: What Every Homeowner Should Know

By Dallin Brown, owner of Three Suns Pest Control. Dallin founded Three Suns in 2020 and has 15 years of experience in the pest control industry.

If you live in Queen Creek or San Tan Valley, you've probably already had "the moment." Maybe it was a scorpion on the garage floor, one crawling up the bathroom wall, or one tucked inside a shoe you almost put on. Scorpions are part of life at the foot of the San Tan Mountains, but that doesn't mean you have to get used to sharing your home with them.

In this guide we'll cover which scorpion you're most likely dealing with, why our area has so many, when they're most active, what to do if someone gets stung, and how our scorpion control service is built for East Valley homes.

Meet the Arizona Bark Scorpion

The scorpion that shows up most often inside homes in Queen Creek and San Tan Valley is the Arizona bark scorpion. It's also the one that matters most for your family's safety. Here's how to recognize it:

• Size: Adults are small, usually around one to one and a half inches long.
• Color: Typically a light tan or yellowish brown, with a slim body and a long, thin tail.
• Glow: Bark scorpions light up a bright greenish color under a UV (black) light.
• Climbing ability: They can scale block walls, stucco, tree trunks and even interior walls, which is why homeowners so often find them on ceilings or high up on a wall.

Bark scorpions are nocturnal. They spend the day hidden in tight, dark spaces and come out at night to hunt other bugs, especially crickets and cockroaches. That detail is important, and we'll come back to it.

Why Am I Seeing So Many Scorpions in My Queen Creek or San Tan Valley Home?

So, are there scorpions in San Tan Valley, AZ, and in Queen Creek? Absolutely. Neighborhoods like Cortina, Sossaman Estates and Queen Creek Station in Queen Creek, along with the many newer communities across San Tan Valley, were built on land that was open Sonoran Desert not long ago. Scorpions were here first, and many of them simply stayed.

A few local factors make our homes especially appealing to them:

Block walls everywhere. Almost every backyard in Queen Creek and San Tan Valley is surrounded by cinderblock walls. Those hollow block columns are a perfect scorpion hideout: dark, protected, and stable in temperature. University of Arizona research found that the overwhelming majority of bark scorpions tested chose hollow block walls over other hiding spots.

Close to the desert and the San Tans. Homes near the San Tan Mountain Regional Park, trailheads, washes and open desert lots sit right next to natural scorpion habitat.

Water and food from our yards. Irrigation, grass and landscaping create moisture and attract the insects scorpions like to eat. Where there are crickets, there will be scorpions following them.

When Are Scorpions Most Active in the East Valley?

In the low desert, bark scorpions can be active for most of the year. They are especially busy when nighttime temperatures stay above about 70 degrees, which in Queen Creek and San Tan Valley covers a big chunk of spring, all of summer, and well into fall.

In the cooler months, roughly November through March, scorpions slow down and bunch together in protected spots, like inside block walls, to wait out the cold. That's one reason consistent treatment throughout the year matters: the scorpions hunkered down in your block walls in January are the same ones climbing your walls in May.

What to Do If Someone Is Stung

Bark scorpion stings are extremely painful and can be much more serious for young children, older adults, and people with certain health conditions. Symptoms can include intense pain, numbness or tingling, and in serious cases, especially in children, unusual eye movements, drooling, trouble swallowing, or difficulty breathing.

If you or someone in your family is stung, don't wait it out or guess:

• Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Arizona's poison centers are staffed around the clock by specialists who can guide you on what to do next.
• Call 911 right away for trouble breathing, a severe reaction, or if a young child is showing symptoms.

Always follow the guidance of medical professionals when it comes to stings.

Simple Everyday Habits for Scorpion Country

A few easy habits help protect your family day to day:

• Shake out shoes, clothes and towels before using them, especially items left on the floor or in the garage.
• Pull beds and cribs a few inches away from the wall, and keep bedding off the floor.
• Use a black light at night to spot scorpions around your yard, patio and walls.
• Wear shoes and gloves when working in the yard or reaching into storage boxes in the garage.

How Three Suns Treats Scorpions in Queen Creek and San Tan Valley

Standard pest control that only sprays a line around the house often isn't enough, because scorpions spend most of their time hidden where a surface spray never reaches.

We take an offensive approach. We don't just wait for bugs to come to our defensive barriers; we take the products TO the bugs at their source.

Block Wall Flush Out. Since most neighborhoods throughout Queen Creek have block walls, our unique flush out methods are crucial for effective scorpion control. Not only do we spray the base of the walls around your property, we actually inject the products INTO the columns of the walls throughout the entire backyard, every single service.

Foundation treatment. One of the most common ways bugs get inside homes in San Tan Valley is by getting inside the walls of the home. We treat the foundation of your home each visit to help stop pests before they make it indoors.

Interior and garage treatment. When needed, we treat baseboards and floor edges inside the home and garage.

Knocking out the food supply. Our general pest control service also targets crickets, spiders, earwigs, silverfish, ants and more. For real grass, we apply a granular product that's activated by water, so when your sprinklers turn on, so do the products. Fewer bugs means less for scorpions to eat.

Front curb to back fence. We hold both Structural and Lawn/Ornamental licensing, which allows us to treat your property from the front curb to the back fence. And our products are safe for your family and pets.

No Contracts, Just Great Service

With Three Suns Pest Control there are no long-term contracts, no inflated initial fees, and no gimmicks. Your first service is the same price as every other service. Learn more about our contract-free services. All of our services also come with our satisfaction guarantee: if the pests come back in between scheduled visits, so will we!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there scorpions in San Tan Valley, AZ?

Yes. San Tan Valley sits right next to the San Tan Mountains and open Sonoran Desert, and the Arizona bark scorpion is common in homes and block walls throughout the area.

When are scorpions most active in Queen Creek?

Bark scorpions are most active on warm nights above about 70 degrees, which covers much of spring, summer and fall. They slow down in the cooler months but don't go away.

Is Three Suns scorpion treatment safe for kids and pets?

Yes. Three Suns Pest Control specializes in pet and family friendly pest solutions, and our products are safe for your family and pets.

Do I have to sign a contract for scorpion control?

No. Three Suns offers contract-free service with no inflated initial fee, backed by our satisfaction guarantee.

Ready to Take Back Your Home?

If you're finding scorpions in your Queen Creek or San Tan Valley home, you don't have to just live with it. Call or text us at 480-435-0339 or fill out the contact form on our website to get a free estimate. We proudly serve Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, and the surrounding East Valley, including Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa, Apache Junction and more.

Sources

• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, "Bark Scorpions" (AZ1768)
• Banner Health Poison and Drug Information Center, "Bark Scorpions"