Scorpions are creatures that have been on the earth for millions of years! Unfortunately though they are best known for their sting. In some areas of the world scorpions are extremely dangerous and can result in human fatalities from their stings. Because of this scorpions frequently get a lot of media attention and most people believe that all or most scorpions are deadly creatures. This is exactly why people often panic when finding a scorpion in Georgia.
Many scorpions are found in Georgia residents, especially in sinks, bathtubs, or toilets where once they fall in, they have difficulty crawling out due to the slippery sides of porcelain. They also like dark places so basements are another place they like to hide out. However, our native scorpions are fairly small with large ones only slightly over 1 inch in length.

In Georgia there are only two species the southern devil and the striped bark scorpion. Both are found in different regions of the state and to the best of my knowledge there are no Counties in Georgia where both species occur. The southern devil scorpion is the one that is found in Mountains of Central and North Georgia. Any disturbance where the scorpion is unable to escape, sat on, or a persons hand is placed on a scorpion stings will usually occur. Scorpion stings will typically produce a burning pain but it usually does not last long and is completely gone within a half an hour. This being said, just with any type of sting it should be watched carefully as many people are hypersensitive to various venoms and those people may be compromised very quickly due to an allergic reaction. For those people seek medical attention immediately!
Scorpions play a very important role in nature. They are in fact predators that prey on large numbers of insects, including many they could easily become pests. Because they are a form of natural pest control, scorpions should not be killed just becasue they are scorpions. They are not out there looking for people to sting but rather prefer to live a very quiet life and usually only venture out in search of food and/or mates in the darkness. So in short if you happen to find a scorpion don’t be afraid, and feel free to save a life and relocate it outdoors if possible.
VistaScapes is a Complete Home Services division providing Landscape Design, Installation, Maintenance, Fertilization, Sod Installation, Turf Seeding, Mulching, Lot Cleanup, Erosion Control and Retaining walls. Serving Union County Georgia, Fannin County Georgia and Towns County Georgia. For your Home Maintenance needs visit our Complete Home Services website at www.CompleteHomeServicesUSA.com