Scorpions in Tri-Cities? (Richland, Pullman: house, scorpion, living)

[edetore]

My family is looking at a very possible relocation to the Tri-Cities ares by fall of this year, and while I was pretty excited to be rid of the bugs in the south (particularly the fire ants), now I see that there are scorpions in the area and that weirds me out.

We have bark scorpions in GA, but I have only seen on in my 6 years living here and they are tiny. So to see that, from what I have read online, y'all have inch plus scorpions in the area is a big negative for me. So are they a real problem or just something you are going to encounter in unpopulated areas? What about the black widows...are they commonly found in homes?

TIA~

[j_k_k]

I haven't seen many of either. I know they're out there, though. We get a ton of spiders, but haven't seen a black widow here. Spray a spider barrier.

[skinem]

Edetore, as someone who has spent much of his life in eastern WA and in the south, let me tell you one thing...
If you move to Tri-Cities, you will be able to actually sit on your lawn. Lay on it and look at the sky. Take a nap on it.

Now, I thought when I moved to the area from NE Washington that there were a lot of bugs in the TC area...and there are, compared to NE WA. Then I moved south. Holy cow...between the fleas, chiggers, ticks, and 2 million types of ants and 10 million other unidentifiable insects I try to avoid the outdoors during the summer. Well, because of that and the humidity.

Specifically, there are a few scorpions, but they are little and rare. The only time I'd ever see them was when we'd have to have dirt brought in to "re-fill" the softball and baseball fields before the seasons started because the wind would scour out the dirt making the infields rough. The scorpions would be in the dirt we brought in...small, non-aggressive. Never ever saw one in a home or even around a building.

Would see a few black widows, but never in a home...they're pussycats compared to brown recluses down south.

Don't let it weird you out...if you survived Georgia insect life, it'll seem empty...and quiet at night without the cicadas. (You might miss the lighting bugs, though.)

[coastalsteelheader]

If you find any just cut their tails off and boil them like Dungeoness Crab. Dip the legs and claws in butter and you'll be set.

[edetore]

Originally Posted by skinem

Edetore, as someone who has spent much of his life in eastern WA and in the south, let me tell you one thing...
If you move to Tri-Cities, you will be able to actually sit on your lawn. Lay on it and look at the sky. Take a nap on it.

Okay, now that sounds lovely! I was really hoping that I was worrying over nothing.

My son will miss the lightening bugs for sure though...but not having to scan the yard for fire ant mounds before going barefoot should make up for it.

[M3 Mitch]

Agreed, we have spiders out the ying-yang, mostly they make a mess with webs but are not biters. I have seen black widow spiders around, they do exist in the area but are not that common.

If I have seen a scorpion in my 20 years in this area though, I can't recall the episode.

Yeah, we commonly spread out a moving blanket and eat in the yard like a picnic (rural area) - mosquitoes can be an issue dawn and dusk, but around here the bugs are not that bad.

[heymikey]

Lived here most of my 53 years—the only scorpion I've seen was out near Horn Rapids 40 years ago and I was LOOKING for them. They're no more venomous than a wasp, from what I hear.

One species no one has mentioned is the aggressive house spider, which we do have. Their bite can be nearly as bad as a brown recluse (and are often mistaken for them). One of my physicians lost his whole pinky finger to one several years ago. Rare but it can happen.

Other than mosquitoes, the only other nuisance bugs are "gnats" that swarm around our front door and bushes, but they seem to be worst near the rivers (we're ~4 blocks away). All in all, certainly nothing to compare with other parts of the country.

Regards,
HeyMikey

[ProStager]

Not to worry! After growing up in Michigan I moved to Savannah, GA where the sand gnats were the worst but NOTHING compared with the "Palmetto Bugs" better known as ROACHES! Scorpions (I've seen none here) might bite but the roaches can scare you to death! At least here you won't need The Bug Man every month.

[skinem]

Shoot the little scorpions I referred to earlier I don't think could get you...they were only about a half-inch to an inch long...

Aren't the palmetto bugs the flying roaches? Another joy of Florida...not only are they bug infested but they have a roach that can fly and is ATTRACTED by light...at least that way you're more likely to see them.

[heymikey]

Per Wikipedia, palmetto bug = American cockroach (Periplaneta americana). it's the same species found all over back east and the adults do indeed fly, as we learned to our horror when we lived in Ohio years ago. They were in all our belongings when we moved back, but after a couple of nights in an unheated Pullman garage, we thankfully never saw them again. I used to think they couldn't live around here, but learned otherwise when I worked at a pet shop in Uptown Richland 40 years ago. Spraying didn't help because, unless everybody else sprayed at the same time, they'd just move next door for a few days. Tough little buggers…