Bug FAQIndian Red Scorpion
Hottentotta tamulus · Order: Scorpiones · Family: Buthidae
Source: Wikipedia
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The Indian red scorpion is 5 to 9 cm long and has orange-yellow legs and pincers with three distinct ridges on its back plates. It lives in humid lowland areas of India, eastern Pakistan, eastern Nepal and Sri Lanka, often near homes, and its sting can cause severe cardiovascular and pulmonary problems, sometimes leading to death. Medical treatment usually involves the drug prazosin to lower blood pressure.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The middle body segments have three clear ridges.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure about 50 to 90 mm in total length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
It often lives near rural homes, and people may find it in beds or falling from ceilings during night or early morning.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
The venom attacks the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, causing pulmonary oedema that may lead to death.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Prazosin is the drug usually recommended for treating its sting. The medication helps lower the rising blood pressure caused by the venom.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is rarely found under tree bark, where its sister species dominates. It is common in vegetated lowlands with humid subtropical to tropical climates and often lives close to or inside rural human settlements.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Like other scorpions, it is nocturnal and hunts small invertebrates and small vertebrates such as lizards.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Encounters with people mainly happen at night or early morning when the scorpion may crawl into beds or fall from ceilings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It occurs throughout most of India, eastern Pakistan, the eastern lowlands of Nepal and has recently been recorded in Sri Lanka.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is seldom found under tree bark, a niche dominated by its sister species Hottentotta pachyurus.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
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Questions people ask
How should a sting from an Indian red scorpion be treated?
Medical care typically includes the drug prazosin, which reduces the venom-induced rise in blood pressure.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the Indian red scorpion found?
It lives in humid lowland areas of India, eastern Pakistan, eastern Nepal and has recently been reported in Sri Lanka.
Source: Wikipedia
Is the sting of this scorpion dangerous?
Yes, the venom can affect the heart and lungs and may cause fatal pulmonary oedema.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Buthidae)
Striped Bark ScorpionCentruroides vittatusCan sting
Arizona Bark ScorpionCentruroides sculpturatusVenomous
Slender Brown ScorpionCentruroides gracilisVenomous
Edward's Bark ScorpionCentruroides edwardsiiVenomous
Hentz Striped ScorpionCentruroides hentziCan sting
Common Yellow ScorpionButhus occitanusVenomousSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hottentotta_tamulus
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Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.