Arizonans- question about scorpions

[luvflorida]

Well, it happened. We found a scorpion in our house today.

We just spent a year in Tucson and never saw a scorpion, inside or outside. A few weeks ago, we moved to a town away from the city, in a little more remote area. This afternoon I found a scorpion on the wall of a second floor eek bedroom. I'm still freaking out!

I immediately did some online research about scorpions and I believe it was a bark scorpion. They seem to be the only ones that can climb walls. They are also the smallest scorpions with the worst sting. This particular specimen was no bigger than an inch or an inch and a half long.

For those of you that have lived in Arizona for awhile, how common is it to find scorpions inside the house? If you found one (or more), and then used a pest control service, did it take care of the problem?

My husband was on the phone with a pest control company within fifteen minutes of me finding the scorpion. They are coming out first thing in the morning to spray inside and outside the house. They will return again in a month to spray inside and outside, then every other month they'll spray outside the house.

PLEASE tell me that a pest control service will get rid of scorpions and we'll never see another one inside again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[surfergirl602]

we live in Oklahoma and we have had three in the house already.

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

The pest control service will probably get rid of scorpions inside your home. We had a problem with brown recluse spiders two years ago due to all the flooding our area was having. We hired Terminix for a year, and they got rid of the spider problem, although it would probably have been over once the flooding stopped. What I found most useful were the sticky glue traps you place along your baseboards. Your pest control service should provide you with 20-25 of these each time they spray your home. If not, ask for them.

My horse farrier is from Arizona, and he gave me a wonderful tip to reduce pain if you are stung by a scorpion. He said to put lemon or lime juice on the sting site, and it will immediately reduce the pain. We lived in the mountains at the time and had quite a few scorpions outside due to all the rocks. I got stung by a scorpion right after he told me about the sting remedy. All I had on hand was the artificial lime juice in the little green plastic lime container, and sure enough, it reduced my pain instantly as soon as I applied it to the sting site. You should keep some lemon or lime juice on hand in case someone in your family gets stung.

 

[luvflorida]

we live in Oklahoma and we have had three in the house already.

I've never associated scorpions with Oklahoma. When I found the scorpion this afternoon, I was ready to pack up and head back east. The thought of anyone here getting stung terrifies me. From what I've read, the sting is extremely painful and the side effects from the sting can last for days.

The pest control service will probably get rid of scorpions inside your home. We had a problem with brown recluse spiders two years ago due to all the flooding our area was having. We hired Terminix for a year, and they got rid of the spider problem, although it would probably have been over once the flooding stopped. What I found most useful were the sticky glue traps you place along your baseboards. Your pest control service should provide you with 20-25 of these each time they spray your home. If not, ask for them.

My horse farrier is from Arizona, and he gave me a wonderful tip to reduce pain if you are stung by a scorpion. He said to put lemon or lime juice on the sting site, and it will immediately reduce the pain. We lived in the mountains at the time and had quite a few scorpions outside due to all the rocks. I got stung by a scorpion right after he told me about the sting remedy. All I had on hand was the artificial lime juice in the little green plastic lime container, and sure enough, it reduced my pain instantly as soon as I applied it to the sting site. You should keep some lemon or lime juice on hand in case someone in your family gets stung.

Thank you so much for the info about the glue traps, and I've just added lime juice to my grocery list!

 

[RadioNate]

We got them frequently in Texas. Pest control did help but they need to target them directly. Regular baseboard spraying won't cut it. They need to dust and treat the exterior too.

Check your shoes!

That is 1 Thing I don't miss from Texas

(via iPhone)

 

[Pakey]

We live in Central California, hot and dry climate, perfect for scorpions and rattlesnakes (both of which we have had in the house).

After finding a handful of scorpions in the house, including one on the wall right above our headboard, we started pest control and have not seen one since. That's been 4 years now. I'm back to being able to sleep at night.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

5 years in AZ and we have found 4 scorpions total: 2 dead ones in the house, and 2 in the pool (obviously dead!) And our property backs up to a wash. Haven't seen any in probably 3+ years.

We also have Terminex spray for bugs every 3 months and termite treatments every year. So I do believe that regular pest treatments are beneficial!

 

[cjlvsccm]

I've never associated scorpions with Oklahoma. When I found the scorpion this afternoon, I was ready to pack up and head back east. The thought of anyone here getting stung terrifies me. From what I've read, the sting is extremely painful and the side effects from the sting can last for days.

I never thought there were scorpions in North Alabama, either, until...

Before DH and I married, just a couple weeks after he bought a house, he saw what he thought was a leaf on the floor. Kicked at it with his toe as he went to pick it up, and IT CURLED UP ITS TAIL and started looking for something to sting!!!

He caught it in a jar (!!!) , and showed it to me. I said, you WILL contract for monthly pest control before I spend a lot of time in this house!!

Turns out, the kind of scorpions here have a venom that's not much different from a wasp sting... but that doesn't help me, as I'm terribly allergic to wasp stings. Regardless, it's unwelcome inside the house.

Glad to say that the pest control works fine, never found another one! It's a good thing, as there are so many critters and creepy-crawlies here, on the edge of the woods at the bottom of a mountain.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

We had little ones in our old house south of Atlanta... freaked me out the first time I saw them too. I was also told they are attracted to cedar

Anyways, fwiw, my old boyfriend at the time wondered what it feel like to be stung.. he said he'd rather be prepared than surprised, so he picked one up and had it sting him ( he's a bit of an idiot, and an ex...lol). He said it wasn't much worse than a bee sting... These scorpions were about an inch long and black.

 

[pigletgirl]

I've stepped on many in my lifetime, and they are terrible! I have heard that they are worse in areas that arent as built up and in newer homes. I have a friend who lives there in Tucson, and they have always been a problem for her. I think her family gets an exterminator to come and spray. Just be careful in bathrooms and closets! The babies are almost invisible (no color and they blend in), so you'll need to get a blacklight to see if their are any others.

Sorry for the rambling, probably didnt help you at all.
But, welcome to the DESERT!

 

[luvflorida]

Just be careful in bathrooms and closets! The babies are almost invisible (no color and they blend in), so you'll need to get a blacklight to see if their are any others.

The exterminator should be here any minute now. I'm driving myself crazy. Every little shadow I see, or piece of lint, is a possible scorpion.

 

[maelstrom]

I'm going to visit my aunt in Arizona (Glendale) next month before I go to Disneyland. I'm freaking out about scorpions now. My aunt isn't the best housekeeper and so her house is quite messy and even dirty in some places. I'm worried that scorpions and spiders (they have black widows and brown recluses in Arizona, don't they) can hide in her messy house. If I even *see* one, I know that I'll immediately start having a panic attack; if I got stung by one, it's quite possible that I'd faint.

 

[kkmcan]

I've lived here in Tucson my entire life (38 years). It really depends on where you live as to how many scorpions you'll get. If you live in a developed neighborhood you won't see too many or even one at all. But when I lived at home, we had 3 acres near the mountain and we had them all the time. Spraying didn't really help. Everyone in my family got stung at one time or another. I got stung on my ankle while sleeping. That booger was way down in my covers. It didn't hurt but it did itch like crazy. And then my whole leg was numb for a good 2-3 days.

Since I married and moved out I've only seen one in the last 15 years. Fluke, I think since the dirt was churned up by new houses being built around mine.

If you live on lots of acreage or near a mountain or rocky area, thats where you get them.

Keep the covers off the floor, check your shoes before putting your feet in them and do not walk around barefoot in your house.

 

[Seahunt]

To OP luvflorida believe it or not, they are also found in Florida.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/39084/bgimage

(I laughed at the poster from Ormond Beach who posted after being stung: On the advice of a local doctor, I drank large amounts of vodka )

It also says they glow under blacklight, so if you're really worried maybe you could make something like this and shine it around your rooms:

Scorpions fluoresce or glow under ultra-violate light so they are easy to find with the aid of a black light during the night. Using BLB bulbs you can construct your own portable U.V. light. Homeowners wishing to construct an inexpensive blacklight should purchase a 6-volt camping lantern with a 6-inch fluorescent tube, from a camping supply store or department store. The tube can then be replaced with an ultraviolet bulb available at many lighting stores. This kind of light will show scorpions 1-2 feet from the light. The approximate cost of constructing the 6 volt blacklight will be $30.

My husband's friend found a couple in some shoes his kids had sitting in the garage by the door leading into his house. He was worried about spiders, etc. not scorpions! I remember he said was glad he checked the shoes before his kids slipped their feet back into them. After I heard about it I was paranoid about them for a while, but have never seen any at my house. I always shake my shoes now before putting them on though

 

[S. C.]

<----- Is starting to appreciate living with ice, snow and freezing cold.


Excuse me while I go and put some shoes on. (after checking inside the shoes of course)

Spiders, Snakes, and Scorpions OH MY

 

[Calliaz]

I have lived here all my life and never in a house where we had an exterminator. I've had a few scorpions in the house and I do hate it, but not enough to get an exterminator. The best thing to get is a cat. Even if they don't catch them (which mine do most of the time) they will usually point them out for you.

Scorpion problems tend to be worse when there is construction going on within a 1/2 mile radius and/or where there is less population.

My husband has a patented scorpion-killing process. He stabs it with a fork and then cuts off the tail with a knife. It prevents post-death stinging.

 

[luvflorida]

I have lived here all my life and never in a house where we had an exterminator. I've had a few scorpions in the house and I do hate it, but not enough to get an exterminator. The best thing to get is a cat. Even if they don't catch them (which mine do most of the time) they will usually point them out for you.

Well, we already have a cat and now we have an exterminator. I'm not taking any chances. I'm covering all the bases.

 

[maelstrom]

I have lived here all my life and never in a house where we had an exterminator. I've had a few scorpions in the house and I do hate it, but not enough to get an exterminator. The best thing to get is a cat. Even if they don't catch them (which mine do most of the time) they will usually point them out for you.

Scorpion problems tend to be worse when there is construction going on within a 1/2 mile radius and/or where there is less population.

My husband has a patented scorpion-killing process. He stabs it with a fork and then cuts off the tail with a knife. It prevents post-death stinging.

01. My aunt has five cats... hopefully that means there's no scorpions in her house.

02. Post-death stinging?! They do that?

 

[Calliaz]

Well, we already have a cat and now we have an exterminator. I'm not taking any chances. I'm covering all the bases.

I don't blame you. It also appears you have a baby. My six-year-old is trained to stay away.

 

[Calliaz]

01. My aunt has five cats... hopefully that means there's no scorpions in her house.

02. Post-death stinging?! They do that?

RE: 02...Yes, they can still sting while dieing or just after they die as a reflex.