The Scorpion can be fun for the Do ItYourself Pest Control Person, this pest will get you get you to remove any clutter around the home or business, this will remove the scorpion habitat, also by getting rid of other pest, (scorpions eat many other pest) you have less of a problem with any other critters. This will make your spouse or coworkers happy.
Scorpions are generally nocturnal, will hide in burrows, under rocks, under tree bark, in cracks and other dark areas. Scorpions come out and hunt when the sun goes down. Although they are normally associated with hot, dry areas like deserts, scorpions are found in almost any habitat including grasslands, savannas, deciduous forests, mountain pine forests, rain forests, and caves. Scorpions are predators that feed primarily on insects. Considered an "occasional invader", they may forage into clothing, shoes, or a bed which in turn may lead to a sting. Stepping barefoot on a scorpion is probably the most common way to be stung.
Despite their bad reputation, only one species in the U.S. and about 20 others worldwide have venom potent enough to be considered dangerous to humans. The US species, Centruroides sculpturatus, is found in the southwestern region of the nation. The venom of this scorpion usually produces a localized burning sensation without tissue response, numbness at the site of the sting, and sometimes around the mouth and over the face, hyperactivity, profuse salivation, synocopy, dysphonia, dysphagia, and in some cases, convulsions. Respiratory distress may follow. The venom of Centruroides sculpturatus can sometimes be life threatening and it is recommended for anyone receiving a scorpion sting in Arizona and surrounding areas should contact a physician or the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-12222 National).
The common Striped Scorpion is found very abundantly in the southern United States. Outdoors it can be found under loose bark of large trees, under rocks and logs on the ground. It seems to prefer the wood piles, stacked stone on homes, and other areas that give it harborage. This is the scorpion that most of us see and feel (the hard, way by stinging).
Size varies between species, but most measure about 2 inches fully grown. Color can vary widely between yellow, blue, reddish brown, and black (when a UV light is used the scorpion will fluorescence or glow). All scorpions possess a poisonous sting that contains a pair of poison glands that paralyzes their prey and may deliver a painful sting to unwary persons.
Control:Your first defense should be harborage elimination
- Remove trash, debris, unnecessary rocks and eliminate clutter
- Store firewood and lumber off the ground
- Seal any openings or crevices in outside walls
- Screen and or weatherproof doors, windows, and vents
- Remove dense ground cover as it provides harborage and restricts pesticide penetration
- Shrubs need to be pruned to expose the trunk and ground around the plant
- Strip palm trees
Treatment
