If you live west of I-35 — Buda, Dripping Springs, Wimberley, Driftwood — you already know the striped bark scorpion. It nests in limestone, cedar and rock, hunts at night, and squeezes through gaps as thin as a credit card. The good news: scorpions are one of the most preventable pests in Central Texas once you understand how they get in.

Seal the ways in

Scorpions follow insects and moisture indoors through the smallest openings. Focus on these first:

  • Door sweeps and thresholds. A worn sweep under an exterior door is the single most common entry point. Replace them and add weatherstripping.
  • Weep holes and utility penetrations. Screen brick weep holes and seal around pipes, cables and A/C lines where they enter the wall.
  • Window frames, soffits and the slab. Caulk gaps around windows and where the slab meets the frame — pier-and-beam homes need extra attention underneath.

Make the yard less inviting

Scorpions want cool, dark harborage close to the house. Move it away:

  • Keep firewood, stone and lumber piles off the ground and away from the foundation.
  • Trim shrubs and tree limbs so nothing touches the roof or walls.
  • Clear leaf litter and reduce heavy mulch right against the foundation.
  • Fix outdoor moisture — dripping spigots, A/C condensate and poor drainage all draw prey insects that scorpions feed on.

Cut off their food supply

Scorpions go where the crickets, roaches and spiders are. A consistent exterior pest barrier removes the prey, which quietly removes the reason scorpions come close in the first place. This is why treating only the scorpions you see rarely solves the problem.

When to call a professional

DIY sealing helps, but Central Texas limestone gives scorpions endless harborage that spray alone can't reach. A licensed technician treats the perimeter and known harborage, targets the insects they feed on, and seals the entry points that matter — the same exclusion-first method that keeps them out for the long term. If you're seeing scorpions indoors, especially in bathrooms and closets, it's worth a professional inspection before the weather drives them in.