Arizona Bark ScorpionCited field reference
Comparison

Arizona bark scorpion vs. the other Arizona scorpions

Direct answer

Of the three scorpions Arizonans most often meet, only the bark scorpion has slender pincers, a slender tail, and a medically significant sting; the stripe-tailed scorpion is stockier with a thick striped tail, and the giant desert hairy scorpion is far larger, darker, and hairy.[1][2] Only the bark scorpion climbs walls.[3]

By Devon "The Scorpion Guy" at ArizonaBarkScorpion.orgPublished 2026-09-12Last reviewed 2026-09-12Editorial policy
Three Arizona scorpions compared at relative scale Left: Arizona bark scorpion, slender pincers and thin tail, 5 to 8 centimeters. Middle: stripe-tailed scorpion, stout pincers and a thick striped tail. Right: giant desert hairy scorpion, the largest in the United States at up to 14 centimeters, with thick hairy pincers and tail. Arizona bark scorpion Centruroides sculpturatus subaculear tooth 5 to 8 cm. Thin pincers, thin tail, subaculear tooth. Climbs walls. Stripe-tailed scorpion Paravaejovis spinigerus Stout pincers; thick tail with dark stripes. Ground-dwelling. Giant desert hairy scorpion Hadrurus arizonensis Up to 14 cm. Heavy, hairy pincers and tail. Burrows.
Figure 1. The three species at relative scale. Original illustration from the descriptions in Arizona State Parks and UArizona AZ1768.[2][1]

How do the three compare feature by feature?

FeatureArizona bark scorpion
Centruroides sculpturatus		Stripe-tailed scorpion
Paravaejovis spinigerus		Giant desert hairy scorpion
Hadrurus arizonensis
Adult size5 to 8 cm; slender[4]Similar length; much stockier[2]Up to 14 cm; largest US scorpion[2]
ColorUniform pale yellow to tan[5]Tan with dark stripes on a thick tail[2]Dark olive to brown body, yellowish legs, coarse hairs[2]
PincersThin, elongated[5]Stout[1]Large, robust, hairy[2]
TailThin; subaculear tooth; often laid to the side[3]Thick, banded[2]Thick[2]
Burrows?No; shelters in crevices and under bark[3]Shelters under rocks and debris[2]Yes; digs deep burrows[2]
Climbs walls?Yes, including glass and stucco[3]PoorlyPoorly; ground-dwelling[2]
StingMedically significant; systemic neurotoxic signs possible[1]Painful, local; like a bee sting[1]Painful, local; like a bee sting[2]
UV glowYes[6]YesYes

Bark scorpion vs. stripe-tailed scorpion

This is the pair that confuses people, because both are tan and both are common around Phoenix and Tucson homes. Look at the tail and the hands. The stripe-tailed scorpion's tail is thick, with two dark longitudinal stripes on the underside of each segment, and its pincers are chunky. The bark scorpion's tail is about the width of a pencil lead relative to its body, without stripes, and its pincers are long and slim.[1][2] A stripe-tailed scorpion on the ground is the expected place to find one; a scorpion on a wall is almost always a bark scorpion.[3]

Bark scorpion vs. giant desert hairy scorpion

Size settles this one. A giant hairy scorpion is 10 to 14 cm, dark-bodied with yellow legs, and visibly hairy. It burrows in sandy soil and is rarely found indoors.[2] Its sting is painful but comparable to a bee sting.[2] It is also a predator of smaller scorpions, including bark scorpions.[4]

Is the "striped bark scorpion" the same animal?

No. The striped bark scorpion, Centruroides vittatus, is a Texas and central-US relative with two dark stripes down its back. It is in the same genus and shares the slender build, but its sting is much less severe and its range barely overlaps Arizona's.[3] Searchers often mix the two names; if you are in Arizona, Nevada, or Sonora, the animal in question is almost certainly C. sculpturatus.

What about the other 50-odd Arizona species?

Arizona is home to roughly 40 to 60 scorpion species, most of them small, ground-dwelling, and rarely encountered.[7] The Arizona Department of Agriculture and UArizona Extension both state that only the bark scorpion is considered a serious medical hazard to a healthy adult; other species can cause painful stings and, rarely, allergic reactions.[7][8]

Cite this pageDevon "The Scorpion Guy" at ArizonaBarkScorpion.org. "Bark vs. Stripe-Tailed vs. Giant Hairy Scorpion: Compared." 2026-09-12. https://arizonabarkscorpion.org/compare/

Related

Sources for this page

  1. Gouge DH, Li S, Bibbs C, Nair S. Scorpions of the Desert Southwest United States. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, publication AZ1768, 2018. acis.cals.arizona.edu/community-ipm/community-ipm-output/publications/publications-view/scorpions-of-the-desert-southwest-united-statesTier 1
  2. Arizona State Parks. Arizona Scorpions. azstateparks.com/arizona-scorpionsTier 1
  3. Agnew J, Bowers K, Bundy S, Romero A. Distribution, biology, and management of medically relevant bark scorpions, with emphasis on Centruroides sculpturatus. Journal of Integrated Pest Management 17(1), 2026. academic.oup.com/jipm/article/17/1/pmag029/8724371Tier 1
  4. Wikipedia contributors. Arizona bark scorpion. Wikipedia (cross-reference; consult its citations for primary sources). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_bark_scorpionTier 2
  5. Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner / Weights and Measures. Arizona Bark Scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus) identification bulletin, 2008. file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/acwm/215638_ArizonaBarkScorpion.pdfTier 1
  6. Arizona State University, Ask A Biologist. Ultraviolet Scorpions. askabiologist.asu.edu/ultraviolet-scorpionTier 2
  7. Arizona Department of Agriculture. Scorpions (Household Pests). agriculture.az.gov/pests-pest-control/household-pests/scorpionsTier 1
  8. Schalau J. Scorpions. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Backyard Gardener #184, June 13, 2024. www.extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/attachment/Scorpions.pdfTier 1