Arizona Bark ScorpionCited field reference
Biology

Reproduction and lifecycle

Direct answer

Arizona bark scorpions court with a grasping walk called the promenade à deux, the female gives live birth to 12 to 38 pale young that ride on her back until their first molt, juveniles molt five or six times before maturity, and adults live about six years.[1][2][3]

By Devon "The Scorpion Guy" at ArizonaBarkScorpion.orgPublished 2026-09-12Last reviewed 2026-09-12Editorial policy
Lifecycle of the Arizona bark scorpion A six-stage wheel: courtship, gestation, live birth of 12 to 38 young, the young riding on the mother's back until their first molt, five to six juvenile molts, and adulthood with a lifespan of about six years. 1Courtshipthe promenade à deux; spermatophore deposited2Gestationlive-bearing; several months3Birth12 to 38 scorplings, pale4On mother's backuntil the first molt, 1 to 3 weeks5Juvenile molts5 to 6 molts to maturity6Adultlifespan about 6 yearssubaculear tooth
Figure 1. Six stages of the bark scorpion lifecycle.[1][2]

How do they mate?

The male grasps the female's pedipalps and the pair walk together, the promenade à deux, while he deposits a spermatophore (sperm packet) on the ground and maneuvers her over it.[1] Mating occurs mainly in the warm months.

Do scorpions lay eggs?

No. Bark scorpions are viviparous: the young develop inside the female and are born alive after a gestation commonly cited at several months.[1][2] Litters of 12 to 38 are reported for C. sculpturatus; Wikipedia's summary gives 25 to 35 as typical.[1][2]

Female Arizona bark scorpion on a block wall under UV light carrying a cluster of about 20 pale scorplings on her back
A female bark scorpion carrying a cluster of about 20 scorplings on her back, photographed on a block wall under UV light in the Phoenix area. The young stay aboard until their first molt. Photo: Devon "The Scorpion Guy", arizonabarkscorpion.org. Field observation, Phoenix area.

Why do babies ride on the mother's back?

Newborn scorplings are pale, soft, and cannot feed. They climb onto the mother's back and stay there, protected, until their first molt one to three weeks later, after which they disperse.[1][2] A female carrying young is the sight most people describe as "a scorpion covered in babies."

How long until they are adults?

Like other buthids, they pass through five or six molts before sexual maturity; extension guidance puts maturity at roughly one year, though detailed wild life-history data are thin.[1][4] A freshly molted scorpion is pale and does not fluoresce under UV until its new cuticle hardens over several days.[5]

How long do they live?

About six years in the wild is the commonly cited figure; the National Park Service gives five to seven.[2][3]

When are babies born?

Mostly in summer, which is why sightings of mothers with young cluster in July and August around the monsoon.[1] Reports of "baby scorpions everywhere" in late summer are usually one or two dispersing broods.

What is not knownPrecise gestation length and age at first reproduction in wild populations; whether urban populations breed faster.[1]
Cite this pageDevon "The Scorpion Guy" at ArizonaBarkScorpion.org. "Arizona Bark Scorpion Lifecycle: Birth, Molts, and Lifespan." 2026-09-12. https://arizonabarkscorpion.org/lifecycle/

Related

Sources for this page

  1. 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
  2. Wikipedia contributors. Arizona bark scorpion. Wikipedia (cross-reference; consult its citations for primary sources). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_bark_scorpionTier 2
  3. National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park. Bark Scorpion. Updated April 2025. www.nps.gov/grca/learn/nature/bark-scorpion.htmTier 1
  4. 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
  5. Arizona State University, Ask A Biologist. Ultraviolet Scorpions. askabiologist.asu.edu/ultraviolet-scorpionTier 2