If you're seeing these unwanted critters in your backyard or even your house - you're not alone! Several valley exterminators say they've seen an unusual surge in scorpion complaints over the past three weeks.

The culprit is the heat, which can drive them into your house. They wander around at night in search of food, water and shelter. You may not see them until you feel the sting.

"It just looks like a puncture wound. It just looks like you got pricked by a needle," said Sara Sweeney, a mother of two young children.

Sweeney says her 2-year-old son Daniel was stung by a scorpion this past Friday. She didn't know a scorpion was behind his symptoms, until the unwanted critter was spotted her garage.

According to her, he was paralyzed for two days, and it took doctors 24 hours to diagnose the problem.

"When you have a healthy child, and one second he's fine, the next he's not able to walk, and he didn't have any broken bones. It's terrifying," she said.

That fear is something Leticia Anguiano can relate to. She says she's spotted at least three in her home every week since the temperatures climbed into the triple digits.

"We caught like four here on the kitchen window, and on the stairs, and right here by the glass door," said Anguiano.

Anguiano has been killing the scorpions, worried they'll go after her son and daughter. She can't forget getting stung in her sleep.

"It hurts really bad. I had to go to the hospital and everything."

Experts say the scorpions indigenous to Nevada do not pose a threat to humans. However, they say the species being brought in from nearby states can give a serious sting.

That includes the Arizona bark scorpion.

"The Arizona bark is the species that we seem to be getting the most complaints about. Those are the one of the most dangerous," said Alan Squires, with Mountain View Pest Control.

Squires can't explain why the sightings seem to be off the charts this year. He believes construction in the west part of the valley and landscaping shipments has something to do with it.

"If you find one scorpion, that's generally 20 percent of the population. So if you find one, there's generally 5 in the area," he said.

He says scorpion stings are most harmful to children under the age of three and the elderly. Scorpions tend to be drawn to piles of debris. That includes piles of rocks and garbage.

A number of local pest control companies say scorpions are almost immune to chemicals. They say the best way get rid of the creepy crawlers is by eliminating their food source, which is mainly crickets and roaches.

Also, getting rid of any excess water is important in keeping scorpions away from your home.

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