How to Control Scorpions

SCORPION CONTROL

To prevent stinging encounters with scorpions, do not leave shoes, boots, clothing items, or wet towels outdoors where scorpions can hide. Shake towels around the swimming pool and shake all clothing and shoes before putting them on. Wear gloves when working in the yard. Wear shoes outdoors, especially during the evening hours. A portable black light may be used to survey for scorpions in and around the home. Scorpions glow brightly under black light and are therefore easily found and removed.

Scorpions can enter buildings through openings around plumbing fixtures and loose-fitting doors and windows, and cracks in foundations and walls. Outdoor lights attract insects and thus the scorpions that feed on insects. Yellow outdoor lighting is less attractive to insects and is recommended in areas where scorpions are prevalent. The first strategy for control is to modify the area surrounding a house because scorpions are difficult to control with insecticides. Use the following checklist to protect your home:

* Clean the yard by removing all trash, logs, boards, stones, bricks, and other objects from around the foundation of the home.
* Prune overhanging tree branches away from the house because they can provide a path to the roof for scorpions.
* Don’t store firewood inside the house; bring in only wood to be directly placed on the fire, and check for scorpions before bringing it inside.
* Install weatherstripping around loose-fitting doors and windows.
* Caulk around roof eaves, pipes, and any other cracks that allow entrance into the home.
* Make sure window screens fit tightly in the window frame and keep them in good repair.

Pesticides are not always effective against scorpions because they hide in cracks and crevices during daylight hours. Adult scorpions are more difficult to kill with pesticides because of their larger body size and thicker cuticle. Read and follow label directions and use pesticides only in combination with other control measures outlined above. Do not overuse pesticides out of frustration just because they appear to be working too slowly at label rates of application. If you choose to use pesticides, apply them to exterior walls around the foundation of the house from the ground up to 1 foot; also make applications around doors, window eaves, and other potential points of entry. Follow directions on the package for dosage, mixing, and application methods.

UC ANR Publication 74110