7 Tips for Getting Rid of Scorpions

Scorpions are arachnids renowned for their unique shape. With six legs and two claws like crabs, scorpions are most famous for their tails, which possesses a poisonous stinger. A scorpion’s stinger releases venom into a host to finish a meal or if it feels threatened.

There are almost 2,000 scorpion species, but only 30 to 40 that have strong-enough poison to kill a person. Having this creature in your backyard or home around the ones you love is not comforting at all. So, the question becomes: how can you get rid of scorpions? And how can you prevent them from coming into your home?

Scorpions are very resilient creatures, surviving through the coldest nights in the desert. Some can freeze overnight, only to revive once the sun thaws them out. They are capable of surviving an entire year without a meal at all. Scorpions often prey on insects and other arachnids, so it may seem useful to have this critter around to clear your property of unwanted insects, but there is also a risk to having them around: the smaller the scorpion is, the deadlier they are.

Scorpions prefer to find shelter in dark spaces; in your yard, that means places like logs, caves, and holes outside. Within the home, scorpions often hide in cabinets, closets, and under the bed.

These are the most common scorpions found in the United States of America, with the bark scorpion being the deadliest.

• Arizona bark scorpion: Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Nebraska, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas, Illinois, Arizona, California
• Striped bark scorpion: Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Arkansas, Arizona
• Stripe tailed scorpion: Arizona, Southern California, western New Mexico
• Paruroctonus boreus (northern scorpion): Arizona, California and parts of New Mexico
• Giant Hairy Scorpion: Arizona, Nevada, Utah and California
• Baja California Bark Scorpion: Southern Arizona, Southern California, Western New Mexico, Baja California

The bark scorpion causes severe pain, numbness, tingling, and vomiting in adults lasting up to 72 hours.

7 Ways to Prevent Scorpions from Living In & Around Your Home

1. Keep piles of wood at least 30 feet away from your home.
2. Eliminate standing water.
3. Keep mulch and yard debris leveled and clear to make sure scorpions cannot bury themselves and make a home.
4. Seal holes and spaces beneath doors and floors. Some scorpions can fit anywhere a credit card can fit.
5. Replace your outside light with a yellow bulb to prevent insects from coming up to the house.
6. Check dark places on a regular basis.
7. Control any pest that may have access to your home. Crickets, roaches, ants and other insects are a tasty treat for scorpions.

With no insects coming up to the house at night, scorpions will be less attracted to finding a meal near your home.

For ultimate scorpion control, Mosquito Squad technicians can protect your home and yard from scorpions by targeting their favorite hiding places every three weeks. If scorpions aren’t a pest in your area, contact your local Mosquito Squad office to learn what regional outdoor pests they can help you combat.