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Scorpions in Missouri: Species, Stings & Lookalikes

Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.

On this page
  1. Which scorpions can hurt you
  2. The one scorpion
  3. When they are active
  4. If you are bitten or stung
  5. Common questions
  6. About this list
  7. Sources

MDC: It is the only species of scorpion in Missouri. … This is the only one that occurs naturally in Missouri.

This page lists 1 scorpion: all from MDC's MDC Field Guide: Striped Bark Scorpion. 1 is venomous by official accounts.

Not every species: no complete official list of Missouri scorpions exists, so this page covers the ones state and Extension sources name. How lists are built.

Which scorpions can hurt you

Official sources single out these scorpions in Missouri, in their own words:

The one scorpion on the list

Venomous species first, then A to Z. Do not handle them.

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

When scorpions are active in Missouri

Records of scorpions in Missouri peak in May to June. They show when people record scorpions, not how many there are (about month bars).

44 records of scorpions in Missouri by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).

If you are bitten or stung

Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.

Common questions

About this list

The species list comes from MDC Field Guide: Striped Bark Scorpion ("It is the only species of scorpion in Missouri.") (Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), undated field guide account; page footer 'Copyright ©2026 Conservation Commission of Missouri'; retrieved 2026-11-03).

Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.

Sources

  1. Snake Facts (MDC Wildlife Facts). Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  2. 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. … This is the only one that occurs naturally in Missouri.”
    “Scorpions are venomous, and although the sting of this species is quite painful, it is almost never life-threatening.”
  3. MDC Field Guide: Safety Concerns > Venomous (14 results). Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
  4. 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.