Scorpions, Rattlesnakes and Javelina: Living with Desert Wildlife

1.Which desert animals should a Queen Creek household know? A species table

The table pairs each animal with the activity window and the action its own source publishes. Where a source gives no activity window, the cell says so; we did not fill the gap with outside material.

2.Scorpions in Arizona: the bark scorpion and when stings happen

The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center is located in Tucson at the University of Arizona and administratively directed by the College of Pharmacy. It says only one of the 30 species of scorpions found in Arizona is regarded as life-threatening: the bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus). Banner Health says the Arizona bark scorpion typically measures between one and 1.5 inches in length.

On timing, the poison center says the majority of stings reported to it occur at night during the warm summer months. On risk, it says small children are at the highest risk of severe reactions.

Banner Health says that every year over 8,000 people in Arizona who were stung by a scorpion called a poison center. Banner does not date the figure, so read it as the hospital system's general statement rather than a count for any one year.

Around the house, the poison center's prevention list starts with one task: clear away debris, trash, logs and bricks where scorpions like to live.

3.Rattlesnakes in Arizona: season, species and what AZGFD says to do

The species count depends on the source. AZGFD's March 25, 2025 release says 13 species of rattlesnakes call Arizona home, while the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center says there are 15 different types. AZGFD names the species most often encountered, depending on location, as the Western diamondback, sidewinder, Mojave and black-tailed rattlesnakes.

AZGFD says that in warm desert areas, rattlesnakes are most active from March through October, and that as days get hot, usually around early May, they tend to move around more at night. Banner Health also gives March through October, the poison center says reptiles in Arizona are most active April through October, and Banner adds that baby rattlesnakes are venomous from birth and can bite just like adults.

• Always stay on marked trails and be aware of your surroundings (AZGFD).
• Carry a flashlight at night, especially on warmer nights when rattlesnakes can be most active (AZGFD).
• AZGFD says more than half of all rattlesnake bites are provoked by the person who was bitten.
• Never handle a venomous reptile, even after it is dead (Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center).

Maricopa County Parks posts similar trail advice for Usery Mountain Regional Park: be alert for rattlesnakes, especially at night or during cooler temperatures. For desert hiking closer to town, our San Tan Mountain Regional Park guide covers the county park about 5.1 miles straight-line from the Census internal point of Queen Creek, and our Usery Mountain Regional Park guide covers the park those rules come from.

4.Javelina: not pigs, and why they show up at houses

AZGFD says that though some people think javelina are a type of wild pig, they are actually members of the peccary family, and that they are common in much of central and southern Arizona, including the outskirts of the Phoenix area. The agency lists them at 40 to 60 pounds and approximately 19 inches tall, and says they form herds of two to more than 20 animals.

AZGFD says javelina usually visit homes to find food, water or shelter, and that people should never feed them. For aggressive javelina after hours and on weekends, it lists its radio dispatcher at 623 236-7201, the same digits it prints as 623-236-7201 for its 24-hour Communications Center.

• Scare them off with loud noises (bang pots, yell, stomp), by throwing small rocks in their direction, or by spraying vinegar or water from a garden hose (AZGFD).
• Keep dogs on a leash and/or inside a fenced yard to prevent defensive attacks (AZGFD).
• Javelina have very poor eyesight and may appear to be charging when they are actually trying to escape (AZGFD).
• Javelina are classified as a big game species, and it is unlawful to trap them (AZGFD).

5.Coyotes: what AZGFD will and will not do

AZGFD says coyotes are common in rural and suburban areas across Arizona, that Arizona coyotes typically weigh 20 to 30 pounds, and that they are usually timid animals that run away if challenged.

The agency does not respond to calls to relocate or remove coyotes unless they are a public safety concern. It says coyotes are classified as predators with a year-round hunting season and that a valid hunting license is required, but that state law bans firing a gun, bow and arrow or crossbow within a quarter mile of an occupied residence or building while taking wildlife, unless you have the owner's permission.

• Never leave small pets unattended, especially at dusk and dawn when coyotes are most active (AZGFD).
• Do not turn and run from a coyote; AZGFD says running may stimulate its instinct to chase.
• Remove pet food, water sources, bird feeders, fallen fruit and garbage, which can attract the rodents and birds coyotes eat (AZGFD).
• Feeding wildlife, including coyotes, is unlawful in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties under A.R.S. 13-2927 (AZGFD).
• AZGFD says anyone bitten by a coyote must immediately seek medical attention from a qualified health care provider.

6.Gila monsters: rare, venomous and protected

The National Park Service's Saguaro National Park page says the Gila monster is one of only two venomous lizards in North America and the only one found in the United States, and calls it one of the rarest to encounter of all the Sonoran Desert reptiles.

On legal status, the same NPS page says federal and state protections mean it is illegal to possess or relocate (dead or alive), harass, injure or cause the death of a Gila monster, and that Gila monsters are protected by state law in each of the states where they occur, Arizona included. AZGFD's Gila monster species page did not load when we checked, so this section relies on the NPS statement, attributed.

If you are lucky enough to see one, NPS says to enjoy the sighting and take photos, but not to attempt to touch or otherwise bother it.

7.Gambel's quail, bird feeders and the feeding ban

AZGFD says the Gambel's quail is found throughout the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, and that quail populations depend on seasonal rainfall and may fluctuate greatly from year to year.

Here is the trade-off. AZGFD's feeding ban under A.R.S. 13-2927 excepts birds and tree squirrels. Yet the agency's coyote guidance lists bird feeders among the attractants to remove, because they draw the rodents and birds that coyotes eat. The two statements do not conflict; they describe different risks.

The desert plants these animals live among have their own state rules; see our saguaro and native plant rules guide.

8.What the agencies say to do around the house: a checklist

1. Remove outdoor attractants: pet food, water sources, bird feeders, fallen fruit and garbage (AZGFD coyote guidance).
2. Do not feed wildlife other than birds and tree squirrels; AZGFD says it is unlawful in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties under A.R.S. 13-2927.
3. Clear away debris, trash, logs and bricks where scorpions like to live (Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center).
4. Never leave small pets unattended, especially at dusk and dawn (AZGFD).
5. Keep dogs on a leash and/or inside a fenced yard (AZGFD javelina guidance).
6. Carry a flashlight at night, especially on warmer nights (AZGFD).
7. Save three numbers: the poison center at 1-800-222-1222, AZGFD's 24-hour Communications Center at 623-236-7201, and 911 if a wild animal has attacked or bitten a person.

AZGFD sums up the logic behind most of that list: the root cause of most human-wildlife conflicts is giving wildlife easy access to food, water and/or shelter. If you are still setting up a new address, add these items to our Queen Creek moving checklist.

9.Who to call: poison center, AZGFD or 911

Banner says assistance on its poison line is available in more than 150 languages. For emergency departments and urgent care near town, see our Queen Creek hospitals and urgent care guide.

10.When to watch for what: the seasonal windows the sources give

For the temperatures behind those windows, see Queen Creek weather by month, and for the hot season itself, our guide to summer in Queen Creek. For the trade-offs of desert living alongside everything else, read the pros and cons of living in Queen Creek.