Scorpions thrive after southern Utah’s recent rainstorms

Aug 29, 2022, 6:36 AM | Updated: 2:02 pm

Rocks and vegetation cover Highway 70 following a landslide in the Dixie Fire zone on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Plumas County, Calif. Heavy rains blanketing Northern California created slide and flood hazards in land scorched during last summer's wildfires. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

(AP Photo/Noah Berger)

BY ADAM SMALLS

KSLNewsRadio

SAINT GEORGE, Utah — Residents in Saint George are seeing more scorpions during monsoon season. The arthropods appear to be popping up more and more down South.

Southern Utah University Biology Professor Bill Heyborne tells St. George News scorpions tend to burrow underground to hide from the daytime sun, but, during monsoon season, they tend to show up more because they like the cool/humid nighttime to hunt for food.

Amanda Barth with the Department of Natural Resources says scorpions will also spread out when it rain…and on top of that, the city’s been expanding into their territory over time.

Heyborne says thankfully, most of the local species are pretty harmless and just want to be left alone.

Barth says scorpions are more likely to want to hide than to sting so if you see one in your house, sweep it into a dustpan and put it outside.

If you’re worried about running into one at night, you can see them with a blacklight.

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