Texas may be the second largest state in the US by area, but no matter where you go in Texas, you cannot escape the native tarantulas and scorpions. This is especially true in rural areas of the state where homeowners sometimes see what appear to be hundreds of tarantulas traveling in herds across highways and properties. More troubling than the tarantulas are the scorpions, which tend to congregate and rest on a home’s exterior. When standing at a distance, these scorpion-adorned houses appear to be moving, at least this is how Jason and Victoria Fisher described their first Texas home in Bastrop. Not long ago, the Fishers moved into a home located on ten acres of land, and needless to say, they were surprised by the number of tarantulas they immediately encountered on the property. Eventually, the Fishers discovered that scorpions were the real enemy.
Jason claimed to have found at least ten tarantulas crawling near and within his home in just the first month of living in Bastrop. According to experts, the Fishers moved into Texas just as male tarantulas were traveling in large groups across the state in search of a mate. This did not come as a surprise to Jason who claimed to have found herds of tarantulas crossing roads during his commute to Austin. But tarantula populations in Texas are known for fluctuating dramatically in size from year-to-year, and this could be due to many factors, including being displaced by wildfires and the occurrence of fungal infections that affect spiderlings. While the tarantula presence at the Fisher home was particularly creepy for Victoria, the scorpions that infested their home became a serious problem for the whole family. In just one night, Jason removed at least 100 scorpions from the exterior of the home. Unlike the tarantulas, which rarely wandered inside of the Fisher home, scorpions waltzed right inside where one specimen inflicted a sting on the couple’s daughter. Jason also sustained two stings before he had a professional treat the property with pesticide. While the family was happy to see the scorpions around the home decrease after treatments were applied, they were surprised that tarantulas appeared to be unaffected by the toxic chemicals. According to pest control experts, a significant dose of pesticide is required to kill tarantulas, and there does not exist any established method of tarantula control or eradication. Luckily, the Fishers have since gotten used to sharing their property with tarantulas.
Have you ever spotted more than ten scorpions in one place?
