Why do we need to control Scorpions?
Scorpions have been around since the beginning. As far back in history as you want to look there have been Scorpions. Scorpions are very resilient and surprising survivors. A Scorpion prefers a warm climate and the hotter it is the more they seem to thrive. The fact is that a Scorpion sting from some species is enough to kill. Most of the time a Scorpion sting will be very painful, but will pass within 24 hours. As a rule however we would not like to get stung. It will ruin your day.
Do we need to control all kinds of Scorpions or just certain kinds?
All Scorpion stings are painful and all Scorpions have venom. The larger species such as the Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion is less poisonous, but still painful. The smaller version known as the Bark Scorpion is very poisonous and can be deadly in infants, elderly, and sensitive people. There are several other species of Scorpions in the middle that vary in poison and pain. The bottom line is that yes, they all need to controlled from our properties.
Tips to reduce the Scorpion population on your own
So what can you do as a home or business owner to reduce the population and get some control of your Scorpions?
Reduce clutter around your property
The first thing on your list should be reducing the amount of clutter on your property outside the home or building. Scorpions love piles of debris. Any kind of debris stacked up is gonna be a magnet for Scorpions. The biggest example would be wood. Any pile of any kind of wood in a Scorpion neighborhood will have Scorpions living inside. Get rid of those. If it’s firewood, place the pile away from the home and get it up off the ground. We will get into what else can be done for firewood piles in a minute.
This simple step can bring tremendous relief all by itself. Scorpions need a safe place to hide and if you eliminate these they will have to hide somewhere else.
Keep your landscaping done and trimmed up
Scorpions love to live under overgrown bushes and trees. They will have shade, water, and food underneath. The crickets and roaches also will be living underneath these places. Food, water, and shelter are critical needs even for Scorpions.
Don’t overwater your landscaping
If you live in the Desert, where the Scorpions live you can inadvertently create a microhabitat for all kinds of pests. Over watering, or a leak, may have a byproduct of attracting Scorpions and the food they eat. If you are able to correct the excess water on your property you will automatically reduce the amount of pests (food) and thereby reduce the number of Scorpions in the area.
Choose what kinds of plants and trees are on your property carefully
Some kinds of plants are very attractive to Scorpions. Desert trees for one. Mesquite trees are well known to attract Scorprions. The number one plant though that Scorpions are almost always living on is the Spanish Palm Tree. Tree trimmers have all been stung even at heights of 100′ trimming palm trees. So if you have Spanish palms keep them trimmed all the way to the top at all times, or get rid of them.
Do your research before you pick your landscape plants and it could save you the headache of dealing with Scorpions completely.
Seal up your home or building
Scorpions have the amazing ability to become very flat. Like a piece of paper. Not quite, but you get the idea and they can squeeze through the smallest of cracks. If your home or business is not sealed very well the Scorpions will get in. Consider sealing up these cracks and crevices to prevent access to the inside of the structure. It’s one thing to get stung walking around barefoot outside in the evening. It’s quite another to get stung in your bed in the middle of the night when you roll over onto a Scorpion who has crawled into your bed.
Places to seal are going to be:
- Doors
- Windows
- The bottom edge of a stucco built home or building
- Cracks in slump block or other similarly built structures
- Seams between two kinds of construction products such as a transition from wood to block or stone
- Block walls
Do Blacklight searches during the hot months
A regular blacklight search can reveal exactly how bad your Scorpion problem really is. Physically removing these Scorpions from society is going to make a huge difference on your property. Your pest control company can do it for you as well if aren’t inclined to go out and do a search.
On top of finding the Scorpions, this will also help you to find the hotspots where you need to focus more effort. A blacklight may quickly reveal exactly where your Scorpion problem is coming from.
What can your Pest Control company do for you?
Your pest control company can create a barrier around your property to protect your home or business from Scorpions. Completely eliminating a Scorpion problem may be difficult or even impossible based on where your property is located, but it can be controlled and reduced to a very functional and stress free level. It is important to hire someone who knows what they are doing. Scorpions are among the most difficult pests to kill and control.
Your trained pest professional will be able to help guide you and get you to the highest level of Scorpion control available.
At Green Beard Pest Control we recommend monthly treatment to keep the barrier at it’s strongest and control at the highest level.
Why choosing the right company for the job matters?
A good pest control technician can do wonders for your Scorpion problem. Notice we are talking about the technician here and not the company. What matters is who comes to your home. If your technician doesn’t care, your problem will not be reduced. Do they do a thorough inspection, or a thorough treatment? Are they knowledgeable about the pesticides they are using? Are they mixing correctly at the correct strength. Do they have real world experience dealing with Scorpions?
A good Pest Control Company will train their technicians and hold them accountable to the type of service they give their customers.