Fact or Fiction? Here’s the Real Truth on How To Handle Scorpions

They’re myths, movie props, and in some places, delicacies — but as unwanted guests, they’re nobody’s first choice. Scorpions, especially in dry desert areas such as Phoenix, are not just creatures of legend, and you should contact professionals at the first sign of these spiky intruders. As a part of our STEPS® Total Protection System™, our Phoenix, Arizona, scorpion control service utilizes an environmentally friendly, multi-faceted approach to scorpion control.

Here are a few of our home-saving, scorpion-erasing techniques.

Seeing is Believing

You’re not the only one who prefers shelter from the inhospitable desert. While scorpions are more active in warmer temperatures, they want protection from extreme heat, and your house is the oasis they’re looking for. Here’s a scary truth to know if a scorpion turns your home into theirs: they can sting you without leaving a mark.

Most people think a scorpion sting is like a bee sting and that you’ll easily be able to find a puncture wound. Since this often isn’t the case, it can be hard to know where the scorpion was when it stung you if you never saw it. For the best chance of staying safe from these incognito invaders, annual pest control is recommended.

Keeping your home and yard insect-free will take scorpions’ food source off the table, making them less likely to stick around. Plus, general pest control will take care of any scorpions that are on your property before their presence turns into a bigger problem.

Small and Mighty

It’s long been falsely reported that baby scorpions are more venomous than full-grown ones. This myth likely came to be because the bark scorpion is one of the smallest scorpion species, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for with a powerful sting. Most scorpions found in Phoenix are only a few inches long in general, fanning this myth’s flames even further.

How is it that these unwanted invaders get inside your home? Because scorpions are so small, all it takes is a tiny opening for them to breach your walls. Some of their most common entry points are under doors, through electrical or plumbing sources, and between the J-trim and foundation on stucco homes, like the ones in Phoenix.

Even though these areas may look like a tight squeeze to you, scorpions like the bark scorpion will have no problem using them. Sealing J-trims and places where electrical and plumbing sources run makes it much harder for scorpions to get in. Replacing worn door sweeps on exterior doors will also add another layer of protection.

A Scorpion’s Real Superpower

Contrary to popular belief, it’s very unlikely that a scorpion sting will be fatal. If all it took was one sting, scorpions would be one of the scariest supervillains on the planet. However, multiple stings can do some damage. Bark scorpions in particular produce  neurotoxic venom that will seriously hurt. In the event of an infestation, it’s best to act swiftly and leave handling these pests to the experts.  

While there are many myths about what scorpions can do, there is one real superpower these arachnids have. When hit with a black light, scorpions will illuminate a bright green color — essentially glowing in the dark. Given that scorpions are nocturnal and like to hide in the dark, this makes identifying them for removal easy.

To learn more about desert pest control, or if you’re a victim to a possibly dangerous scorpion infestation, call us today. If you’re not being chased down by pointy-tailed intruders and would like to see our unique scorpion-control techniques, visit our website to learn more.