We moved to a house out in the country back in mid-March and have already killed 3 scorpions. We live in East Texas (Jacksonville). The house is on slab and was built about 6 years ago. We have no debris, rocks, or wood piles near the house. I spray Demon WP inside and out.

Anyone have a similar experience where you were able to get rid of them once and for all? We have two young children: 3 and 8 months old so it mainly concerns me for them, but my wife and I hate the little suckers too! What say you OB?

Get a cat, best scorpion early warning system there is.

Early detection, yes, but they also like to "share" their catch with mom and dad by jumping up on the bed and putting them up on top of the comforter.

Ask The EntomologistTM says....

Seal up any weepholes or possible entries into your house (window screens, doors not properly sealed, etc). Try & dry up damp spots (I know this can be difficult in east Texas!). Chickens are apparently good scorpion hunters too. Keep grass near the house mowed short. Some people even destroy all vegetation a foot, 18" from the structure. Finally, get twice-a-year pest control from a professional. This will eliminate a potential food source and they can apply wettable powders around the building to get the scorpions.

Has anyone ever been stung by one in Texas? I heard it's not painful. I'm tempted to find out the hard way...

Nah, they feel good. Almost like a mini-massage.

As a kid I lived in a house outside of Liberty Hill were we had alot of them. The worst is walking at night when the lights are out. Hopefully you have light colored floors so they can be easily spotted.

I have been stung many my life. They do hurt, but not unreal pain or anything I'd say about as much as a yellow jacket or red wasp.





[This message has been edited by pv (edited 5/22/2011 6:26p).]

another note. if you get shoes wet and then leave them out to dry at night. DO NOT put them back on the next day without checking for scorpions first. I've been stung that way a couple times.

quote:

---

Has anyone ever been stung by one in Texas? I heard it's not painful. I'm tempted to find out the hard way...

---

Let me punch you in the face. It will feel much better.


Gig'em

If you do get stung get ice on the spot as quicly as possible and keep it there for at least 10-15 minutes. The sooner you get ice on it the less it will hurt. This information is based on practical experience.

Got tagged by one at camp when I was 12 on the ankle. Feels very much like a nice wasp sting in pain. But the actual hit felt much harder. IMO...

I've been stung two or three time in my life, all as a kid under 15 years old. First one was probably when I was 7 or 8.
I'd say the comparison to a bee sting is pretty accurate. Actually a bee sting may be a bit worse.

growing up in Austin, been bit too many times to count. less than a bee sting, more than an ant bite.

Usually come in pairs. NEVER leave your pants on the floor and put them on in the morning. nothing like a scorpion tagging you multiple time on the inner thigh while you try to get your pants off.

I always thought they traveled in pairs...

quote:

---

Usually come in pairs. NEVER leave your pants on the floor and put them on in the morning. nothing like a scorpion tagging you multiple time on the inner thigh while you try to get your pants off.

---

Kinda like a couple red hot coals in your pants? Sounds like you've done that before .

I'm laughing just envisioning it.

Gig'em

I got hit 4 times in bed about 2 nights ago

Neck, Armpit, wrist, and hip. I work up at 12:30 wondering what in the hell is happening as it feels like burning needles are being twisted in my body. I repeatedly ask my wife to wake up and check the bed but I didn't elicit a cognitive response from her until I said scorpion.

We use glue traps In the corners and spray tempo around the house and it works pretty good

Did they rock you like a hurricane?

Duval County : We use Cypher WP outside the house and 1 gallon with 3 scoops of chemical works for 3 months.

Inside we use Home Defense Max from Home Depot, same thing, every 90 days.

I find anywhere from 2 to 5 dead ones/week either outside or barely inside the house. Haven't found a live one around the house in 2 - 3 years (since I started this regimen)

Like someone mentioned above, seal up all the entrance points : doors, windows, outside outlets, utility and water entrances etc and we don't even keep potted plants or any of that stuff within 10-15 ft of the house.

We built a house a couple of years ago out in the country. Scorpions love rock houses. We had them pretty bad almost immediately after moving in. We have sprayed the yard and the house. But, dusting the attic works the best. I have an exterminator "dust" the attic about twice a year. Had it done a couple months ago, and have not had a scorpion in the house this year. I have killed several in the barn though.

Edit: Keep outside lights off as much as possible. Lights attract bugs. Scorpions like bugs.

[This message has been edited by Micky80 (edited 5/22/2011 9:25p).]

I met an old lady several years back (80 years old), and she swore by putting crushed limestone around her house. I personally witnessed three dead scorpions next to the crushed limestone.

Disclaimer: I have no proof that it was, in fact, crushed limestone but it was a powdery white substance and she claimed it to be lime.

My dad was home alone while our family went on a trip. He told us that while we were gone he'd been trying to sleep when he heard a thump on the bedroom ceiling fan and then felt a thump on the bed. Then he heard another thump on the fan and then the bed. He was stung by one of the scorpions that fell from the vaulted ceiling beam and into their bed.

Found out there was a nest in there somewhere. Had many prior scorps in the house, but killing them in the ceiling seemed to cut their numbers the most.

Sadly, they are practically a pet in my office. At any given time, I have about 3-5 under desk chair mat. After a while, you just get used royally them.

Maroonblood, I'm betting the old lady was using diatomaceous earth.


Now the thing that I call livin' is just bein' satisfied with knowin' I got no one left to blame

When we first moved into our house (Spicewood area) I killed over 100 of them bastages in one weekend just walking around the outside of the house with a flashlight. That's when I decided to get nuclear with them. Go to a feed store and ask for Tempo. Spray it along the outside of the house foundation, around the windows/doors, and any cracks. They love to hang out where the trim boards meet the rock walls on our house. Been stung several times....it's not any worse than a wasp sting.

If you can find the discontinued (thanks, Kalifornia!) insecticide Ficam W, it is an outstanding product against scorpions or other predator insects.
Also keeps wasps/yellowjackets from nesting, when it is applied to eaves or other areas used by the flying types.

wow....grew up in lufkin and never saw them at all.

Only 3 in a couple months really isn't too bad, used to have to kill one a day at our house in New Braunfels. Just kept killing them and they eventually go away or move next door or something. Haven't seen one in years.

Rolling over on one in the middle of the night while sleeping isn't fun.

In my experience, they don't adapt well to disturbed habitats. I encountered them nearly daily in our newly constructed rural home, but now, after three years, they are a rarity.....haven't seen one in months. I've never applied chemical treatment for them.

Bad news, yeah their sting does hurt. Good news, the ones around here (central Tex) don't deliver a sting that requires medical attention unless the victim is (highly unusually) hypersensitive. My understanding is that death due to scorpion sting has never been recorded in the state.

Don't most of them illuminate under blacklight?

yes.

I agree. Been stung several times and they are about like a pretty good wasp sting. I've stepped on them while barefoot. I thought I had stepped on a straight pin. But the worst was when they fell from the ceiling onto me while I was asleep. "Death from Above" but it was death to him when I woke up. It did make it hard to go back to sleep though.

quote:

---

Did they rock you like a hurricane?

---

quote:

---

But, dusting the attic works the best. I have an exterminator "dust" the attic about twice a year. Had it done a couple months ago, and have not had a scorpion in the house this year.

---

Good advice.

I've only seen one in my house since I did this last fall.

Their sting is similar to a bee sting, but they keep hitting you, which makes it worse.