I've recently moved into a new house in the dripping springs/bee cave area. Since we moved in about 6 weeks ago I've found 4 scorpions in the house. The first 3 were downstairs so I wasn't too worried but the last one I found was in our room right next to our bed (which is one the floor - we don't have a bed frame yet) So I am freaking out a little, firstly because I have two small kids (7.5 months and 3) and secondly because I want to be able to sleep in my bed and not spend the night worrying about scorpions. Anyone have any advice on getting rid of them or with similar experiences??? I am going a little nuts here so any words would be helpful.
My mother lives in Marble Falls....she had her house built there a few years ago. She has had scorpions since the day she moved in!!! She has been stung a couple of times and woke one night to one crawling across her chest!!! She doesnt seem to think there is much you can do about it other than making sure your house is "sealed up" so to speak. You know, all those open cracks and crevices?
Good Luck to you!
I know that everytime we go visit I NEVER TAKE MY SHOES OFF!!!!
Hi Julia,
We had the same problem since we back up against a green belt as well. We called ABC pest control and they put glue traps on the floor next to every door in our house. Since then, the traps have caught 2 scorpions. Also the pest control dusted our backyard and attic with some sort of powder that either kills them or keeps them away. I have been very pleased with the service. I haven't found any scorpions in my house besides what got caught in the traps. They seem to come in at entry points including the garage door.
good luck...I know what your going through since I have 2 young ones as well. I hate scorpions!!!
Asked my hubby, a pest control professional and he said: "Use wetable powdered pesticides (best found at a feed supply store) and cover an area at least 10 feet around the outside of the home on the ground and the walls. Scorpions are excellent climbers, that why you treat the walls. It takes a lot of pesticide to get them, that's why you treat so far out. Any piles of debris, wood particularly, near a home, get it away from the home off the ground. Make sure you wear gloves. Treat well around and under landscaping and rocks if you can. Also, make sure scorpions are listed on the product you pick. You can also use glue boards (not trays) if you like. Heater a/c closet is a good place for those."
We had some years ago when we lived in Amarillo (and before he knew about the pesticides). I'm still traumatized. LOL! We co-slept with our baby. I had gotten in bed first and got stung. A scorpion was on the pillow and in the middle (where the baby usually rested.) I'm just glad it got me and not the baby!
Well I think I would just call an exterminator. I used to live in Mexico and the area I lived in had scorpions, I too had one right by my bed one night. It is nerve racking for sure! I was pretty young with no kids at the time so I just killed them as I saw them. BUT with kiddos, I would definitely call out professionals. We had termites in our current house and got a service out and now they come once a quarter. We never have bugs, I was concerned because the area I am in has brown recluse spiders, so it is a big weight off my mind to know that we are taken care of with kids in the house. Best wishes, hope you get is resolved soon!
I have a pretty strict live-and-let-live policy with outside critters, but any in my house are pretty much marked for death (except scorpions, who are fair game if they're anywhere NEAR my house). I don't have any trees right up against the house, and I spray what I call "the ring of death" around my house.
The stuff I get is called Cy-Kick.
I don't know if you can find it closer, but I got it at the pool supply store at Manchaca & Slaughter (next to Tres Amigos). You mix it in a sprayer, then go around the house, 3 feet up, and 3 feet out (I also go really good around door jambs and windows). We've used it since we've lived here (spraying maybe once a year, maybe twice if it's really rainy), and haven't had any problems, seeing maybe one or two per season, tops. The two I've found in my house this season have been dead or near-dead, and I don't remember the last time I sprayed.
You might also have a problem with them in the attic, and the only other solution I've heard for that is (I think) Boric Acid, a powder that you sprinkle all around.
You're going to need to get routine preventative treatments. Depending on who does it, they come out about 4 times a year and that should keep most bugs out of your home. If they get it, they will die quickly after. Good Luck.
it's a pain to remember they are there but my dad uses fly paper at all the thresholds on the floor and roach motels. they actually get stuck to these. about the only thing that works. also, they will always be in pairs of 2 (1 male, 1 female) and 1 slightly larger than the other. if you find one, i'd look for the other. it's around there somewhere. good luck!
We also live where there are scorpions and one of the best pesticides out there is called Demon. I get it at the feed store. Just wear gloves when handling the package and spraying. Don't waste your money on an exterminator. We had a lot of spiders on our patio and that is one of the best things for them too. You mix one package for the scorpions and two for the spiders. It will kill centipedes as well. I just spray it on the bottom outside of my house and the doorways into the house. My daughters bathroom toilet area was an attraction so I always sprayed around there too. They are drawn to the water. Welocme to South Texas!! I am more freeked out by the huge centipedes than the scorpions. We have lived here eight years and thank goodness none of us have ever been stung by a scorpion or had one in bed with us. Oh, I forgot, I spray the perimeter of the beds too.
I hate those things. We use to find them alot in our bathtub and sinks. I have had the best luck with Demon, I think you drop the whole pkg into the spray bottle and the whole thing dissolves. Good luck and always wear your shoes, I have steped on a couple of them.
My pest control company is Bulwark. They come every 2 months, but if you see any pests between treatments, they will come out for free and treat. They told me that you need to treat around the perimeter of your home and they also treat inside the walls by taking off the switch plates and putting pesticide in there. I was told that you need to treat the attic also to prevent scorpion infestations. I haven't seen any scorpions yet, but my neighbor sees them regularly. Also, if there is any new construction around your house, it will stir them up and they will start coming in your house.
We moved into our scorpion infested house 9 years ago. My first step was to panic and call the exterminator.
1st- relax. TX scorpions are NOT deadly like the ones in Arizona. BUT the sting is very painful (I am talking from experience!).
2nd- if you are comfortable with pesticides, then call the exterminator to come out a treat specifically for scorps. They have to use different chemicals for scorpions than for the other bugs because they are so stinkin' hard to kill. They will ask you where you see them most and if you have any breeding that you have noticed. THey are arachnids so the females are the larger ones. Usually, I do not have the exterminator come unless it is a particularly bad year (like last year). I have only seen 2 in the house this year and they were dead when we found them.
Only one of my boys has ever been stung. I was stung once, DH was stung once and a family friend was stung once. So in the last 9 years, only 4 stings. They are nocturnal but will move about during the day. One thing I noticed early on- a live scorpion will have its tail curled unless it is moving. A dead one will have its tail straight out sitting still.
Usually, we just squish them when we find them (mostly in the kitchen or dining room. If we get more than one or 2 a week, for a couple weeks, then we know it is time to call the bug man.
I try to let the natural order of things take over. Scorpions and spiders are natural enemies and some birds will eat them (guineas). We have lots of lizards as well doing their job. One reason I do not like to call the exterminator unless it is necessary. We live in east central TX.
I used to be in the same boat as you all. That's one of the main reasons we sold our house and bought another one, in an area that doesn't have any scorpions.
We had World Wide come out every 3 months to exterminate. When, I would see a scorpion before the month was up, I would call them out again. My husband filled the holes in the house with scarring pads. He also sprayed with pesticide every month starting in May. They hibernate during winter and come out when it gets warmer.
Our son got stung in two areas of his body. It scared me half to death! Ever since that happened, he started sleeping with us in our room. I didn't want him to get stung again.
Good Luck and contact me, if you have any questions.
Julia,
I stuffed all of our weep holes (the spaces between bricks around the outside of the house) with steel wool and that completely stopped our scorpion problem. The pest control company was wanting about $200-300 to do it, but I read online and went to Home Depot, bought the steel wool (they sell it in small pads), cut it into appropriate size pieces, gave my two older sons a screwdriver and had them stuff the wool into the holes. Took about 1 hour, cost about $30 for materials and a new game for the boys as payment for services! It was a win-win! Easy fix.
We also live in a scorpion-infested area and use Pest Shield's services. We were told that there are very few chemicals on the market that will kill scorpions - the best way to treat is to kill their food source (other bugs) and they'll tend to stay out. Whatever they're putting down, it's working - we have service every 3 months and when we near the 3 month mark, we definitely start to see more inside. I'm looking forward to colder weather so I can wear slippers around the house, wearing shoes definitely helps! And just be careful - I have 2 little ones as well. My 4 yr old can spot scorpions and knows to come get me or DH, which helps a lot. And DH is the first to get up in the morning - he kind of does a "scorpion check" around the house before he leaves in the AM. We find most of them later at night or early in the morning.
I don't have any suggestions for scorpions as I haven't had a run in with one since moving to Austin. I am responding because of your use of the word "firstly." It's awesome! Most people don't know that if they intend to use the word "secondly" then they need to use "firstly" and not first. Bravo!
If you haven't ever been stung, don't freak out. It feels like a bee sting. If you put some moistened Snuff (yes, Copenhagen or Skoal) on the sting it takes the boo-boo out of it within a few minutes. This works on bee stings too. As for the babies, it is just scary to them The tobacco neutralizes the poison in the sting. As for prevention, you need to call the exterminator. Or put bug poison all around the foundation of your house to keep them from coming in. With the drought I expect them to be looking for water along with all the other bugs. Watch for ants too. CB
Well, I don't know what to do to get rid of them, but until you find a good solution to that problem, I do know that they will glow under a blacklight. So if you are worried about stepping on one in the dark, you might want to get a small blacklight for the room at night. This actually saved me from stepping on one once.