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Are there scorpions in Missouri?

Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.

On this page
  1. The answer
  2. Which ones
  3. Sources

Yes.

MDC: the striped bark scorpion is the only scorpion species in Missouri; MDC lists it as venomous.

MDC: “It is the only species of scorpion in Missouri.” Source

How we answer questions

Missouri

Think you have seen one in Missouri? Keep your distance and contact the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

On Missouri's official list

Striped Bark Scorpion
Photo: Meghan Cassidy · CC BY-SA 4.0 · iNaturalist · resized

Striped Bark Scorpion

Centruroides vittatus

Venomous per MDC

Danger to people
“Scorpions are venomous, and although the sting of this species is quite painful, it is almost never life-threatening.” MDC
Size
Usually about 2.5 inches. Sources range from 1 to 1.5 inches on average (Missouri Department of Conservation) to up to 3.5 inches (Oklahoma State).
How to recognize it
  • Slender pincers and a long, slender tail. The tail is longer on males than females.
  • Tail ends in a stinger, usually carried up and over the body.
  • Glows under ultraviolet light.
Where in Missouri
Primarily in the Ozarks and other parts of the southern half of Missouri where glades and other sunny dry habitat suit them. MDC
44 records by month.
What the sources say

Habitat: It occurs in glades and other dry, warm, rocky areas, and sometimes in buildings and shelters and under piles of wood, brush, or garbage. (MDC)

Full Striped Bark Scorpion guide

All scorpions in the state: Missouri scorpions.

When scorpions are seen in Missouri

44 records (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY).

Other questions about Missouri

Sources

  1. MDC Field Guide: Land Invertebrates and Butterflies and Moths (selected species accounts). Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
    Quoted passages (2)
    “It is the only species of scorpion in Missouri.”
    “Scorpions are venomous, and although the sting of this species is quite painful, it is almost never life-threatening.”
  2. MDC Field Guide: Safety Concerns > Venomous (14 results). Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  3. GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.