Scorpions are a common pest in Arizona, and for good reason – the hot, dry climate provides the perfect habitat for them to thrive. These small, predatory arachnids are known for their painful stings and can be dangerous to pets and humans alike. There are more than 60 kinds of scorpions found in Arizona. The most common, and dangerous, is the bark scorpion. No need to panic though, it is possible to keep them out of your home with these five tips.
1. Seal Your Home
Scorpions are great climbers and can enter your home through small openings like cracks in the walls or gaps in doors and windows. To keep scorpions out, it’s essential to seal your home as best as possible. Apply weather stripping to windows and apply caulk to any cracks or gaps you find. Make sure to also seal around pipes, vents and any other openings around your home. It’s also important to make sure all the doors in your home have door sweeps. Scorpions can easily crawl under most doors, so installing proper door sweeps will help keep them out. The door sweeps need to be snug against the ground without any gaps.
Scorpions can easily climb up walls and doors, but they are incapable of climbing up slick surfaces. Bug and Weed Mart carries Slick Barrier, a product that you paint onto vertical surfaces such as the wall around your home to prevent scorpions and other insects from crawling up and getting inside. When Slick Barrier dries, it becomes too slick for the scorpions to maneuver and it lasts for up to two years before you need to reapply.
2. Sprays and Granules
Barriers are one of the best defenses against scorpions trying to invade the safety of your home. Bug and Weed Mart carries spray-on barriers that you can apply around your entire house using a pump sprayer. It is best to spray all the way around the outside perimeter of your home on the ground and 3-5 feet up your exterior walls. This creates a protective barrier that will kill bugs for up to three months. These sprays are completely safe and can be applied to rocks, shrubs, walls and anything else around your home.
Granules are another good barrier product to use,. They can be easily applied with a spreader around the outside of your house and yard and then watered into the soil. Granules are safe for dogs, kids and plants but keep bugs away for up to 3 months. The granules get rid of the insects that are a food source for scorpions. Combining the spray barrier with the granules is the most effective way to create a scorpion-proof barrier for your home.
3. Keep It Tidy
Scorpions are attracted to clutter and debris, so it’s important to keep your home clean and free of excess clutter. Sweep or vacuum regularly, and avoid leaving piles of clothes or other items on the floor. In addition, make sure to take out the trash regularly and keep any food stored in airtight containers.
Your yard is also a potential habitat for scorpions, so it’s important to keep it tidy as well. Remove any piles of wood, rocks, or debris from your yard, as these can provide hiding places for scorpions. Trim back any overgrown vegetation, and keep your grass mowed short. The fewer places they have to hide, the fewer scorpions you will have.
4. Be Careful with Outdoor Lights
Scorpions are nocturnal creatures, which means they are primarily active at night and rest during the day. They are also attracted to artificial light. Many outdoor lights can attract scorpions and the bugs they prey on. Bright white lights are most attractive to scorpions and bugs. Installing yellow or amber lights that face away from your home can reduce this effect and help to keep them away from your home.
Since lights left on tend to draw such creatures in, installing motion sensor lights can reduce the odds of inviting scorpions into your house. The sudden burst of light when the sensor is triggered will also startle scorpions, making them hide from the light instead of drawing them closer to the source.
Another type of lighting that can help in your quest to eliminate and prevent a scorpion invasion is black lights. While black lights don’t actually deter scorpions from your home, they do cause scorpions to glow when the light hits them. There are many different types of black lights available for purchase, including flashlights. Using a black light to inspect areas of your yard and home is a good tool to evaluate whether your preventative measures are working. It can also help target scorpion-infested areas when using a handheld spray.
5. Reduce Hiding Places
Reducing the number of places scorpions have to hide is another important step to take if you want to keep scorpions out of your home. Because scorpions are very sensitive to light, they have to find somewhere to hide during the day. Some of their favorite places to hide are under rocks, in and under vegetation and even burrowed in loose sand. Essentially, anything that provides a cool shelter from the outside elements is a potential hiding place. A quick walk around your house to evaluate and move any of these potential shelters will help you keep scorpions away.
While the thought of encountering a scorpion is scary, it’s important to remember that scorpions are a natural part of Arizona’s ecosystem, and it’s unlikely that you’ll ever be able to completely eliminate them from your yard or neighborhood. However, by taking steps to keep them out of your home, you can protect yourself and your family from scorpions and their painful stings.