More than 3,000 people die every year from scorpion stings. That incidence is more than 10 times the number of individuals who die from venomous snake bites.
The good news is that the vast majority of scorpions are harmless. Regardless, they can still be a major nuisance as a frequent presence in Houston, Texas, homes.
This article covers how to get rid of scorpions, make them stay away, and prevent them in the first place. Keep reading to find out what attracts these pests and what to do if you should find yourself confronted with one.
Scorpion Basics
Scorpions are arachnids. There are almost 2,000 species of scorpions, but common characteristics include eight legs that they use for walking and climbing. They have segmented tails tipped with stingers, though not all are venomous.
Scorpions have multiple pairs of eyes and sensing hairs, called “trichobothria,” all over their bodies. They have a pair of grasping pinchers that they can use to grasp prey. These can also be used for self-defense and for sensing their surroundings.
Scorpions are predatory carnivores. They generally subsist on crickets, cockroaches, spiders, centipedes, and worms.
Scorpions have an exoskeleton that provides protection. Scorpions periodically shed these, also known as “molting.”
Are Scorpions Dangerous?
Some scorpions can harm and even kill human beings. However, only 25 species–or fewer than one percent–are dangerous.
Approximately 18 species of scorpions live in Texas. Most of them are not venomous. Even the ones that are pose no serious threat to humans.
The most common scorpions you will find in the Houston area include the striped bark, the lesser striptail, and the Texas cave scorpions. These are all about as dangerous as an ant or a bumble bee.
What to Do if You Find a Scorpion in Your Home?
If you come across a scorpion inside your home, the most important thing to do is to stay calm. As mentioned, most scorpions in the Houston area are not dangerous to humans.
Put on some protective gloves. Heavy-duty work gloves are best, but thick gardening gloves will also suffice.
If you have a pair of long-handled tweezers, you can use these to grab the scorpion and put it into a plastic tub or glass jar. You can otherwise try to trap it in a container you can use to transport it. Once outside, release the scorpion away from your home.
How to Get Rid of Scorpions
If you want to know how to get rid of scorpions, there are several approaches. These include preventative as well as aggressive treatment approaches. Here are the main ones to consider.
Eliminate Hiding Spots
Scorpions prefer dark, cool, dry places to live, like under debris. Wood or dead vegetation are particularly attractive, as are stacks of rocks or bricks. Indoors, they might move into cracks in walls or floors.
Doing your best to get rid of such spaces in or near your home is not a 100-percent guarantee to keep scorpions away, but it can help, and it is easy. Decluttering your home is a good first step.
Wood or brick piles near the building can allow scorpions to get close enough to your home that moving inside becomes effortless. Getting rid of these concealed spaces can go a long way toward eliminating this threat.
Address Food and Water Sources
Seeking shelter is the main reason that scorpions move indoors. Finding food and water is a close second.
As mentioned, scorpions eat insects and other anthropops. Cockroaches, spiders, centipedes, beetles, and crickets in your home may be enough to entice scorpions indoors. Ridding your home of them eliminates the scorpions’ food source.
Be sure you are securing food stored in pantries and not leaving crumbs out on surfaces. While scorpions may not be attracted to this, some of their favorite prey, such as cockroaches, are.
Finally, get rid of standing water throughout your home. Pool in sinks, bathtubs, or showers, as well as in crawl spaces or basements, can attract scorpions.
Seal Up Potential Entry Spaces
Sealing up cracks or gaps between bricks is another way to keep scorpions from entering your home in the first place. Caulking around windows or doors is worth the effort, as can replacing old weather stripping. This has the bonus of keeping other pests out as well.
Put In Deterrants
There are particular smells that scorpions dislike. These include peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and citronella. Spraying essential oils with these scents near entryways or spaces where scorpions may like to hide can help stave them off.
Look for Them at Night
Scorpions are nocturnal. For that reason, you may not easily spot them around your house until after the sun goes down.
If you suspect you have a scorpion lurking about, the best time to look for them is at night. A black light is an inexpensive yet handy tool to help you spot them around your home.
Call a Professional
If you are seeing more than a few scorpions every once in a while, you may have a more serious issue. For this, you should call a professional. Experienced bug exterminators will be able to assess the problem and recommend quick, effective solutions.
This has the added benefit of being able to address other pest issues. As mentioned, insects in your home could be enticing scorpions indoors in the first place. A trained technician will be able to identify and offer solutions, no matter the cause or severity of your scorpion problem.
Find Scorpion Control Solutions Near You
Now that you understand how to get rid of scorpions in Houston, TX, you can put together a plan of action. An experienced pest control specialist can further advise you on steps to take to eliminate scorpions and stop them from coming back.
At All “U” Need Pest Control, we strive to provide the highest level of customer service and pest control solutions to Houston and the surrounding areas. We formulate tailored treatment plans based on each unique home, business, and pest problem. Reach out to us to schedule scorpion extermination or other services today.