G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

Well, good luck. My scorpion infestation runs from an occaisional sighting to
one or two every day. Everyone in the house has been stung except me. We've
read a lot about scorpions but have come to the conclusion that the best way to
kill one is to step on it (wearing shoes, of course). Scorpions are tough,
don't eat much, don't need water and are not affected by many poisions.
Interestingly enough, we now have a cat that EATS scorpions. Again, good luck.
Gary Brady
Austin, TX

I've lived in a very scorpion-prone area outside town for the last 14 years
and during that time I've tried pretty much everything, including several
different approaches to poisoning. The best solution I've found, by far, was
to plug up all the weep holes in the exterior walls of my house and garage
with copper wool (like steel wool, but copper and hence does not rust; also
has lasted 7 - 8 years at this point), and caulk the heck out of the entire
exterior. The idea is to seal everything extremely thoroughly so they cannot
get in via two of their major routes (weep holes and any other external
openings on your house).

Early on, I poisoned them. In fact, the first night I spent in my house, 14
years ago, I was awakened by a LARGE scorpion crawling on my bare arm as I
slept in my bed. I totally freaked out and started calling pest control
companies at daybreak. I poisoned them for years before I gave up.

Now, with the house sealed as I describe, I still get one now and then -
maybe 4 - 5 over the course of the entire summer. I've declared peace with
them, telling them that I won't kill them unless they sting me, in which
case they are dead meat. When I find one in the house, I pick it up using a
paper towel and take it outside. So far the truce seems to working - I
haven't been stung in years.

And btw, getting stung by one of our local scorpions is really not that bad.
It's not even remotely in the same league as being stung by a wasp (I've
been stung by both). I'm not suggesting that you walk around barefoot in
your house (I NEVER do this, and I always tell houseguests to bring house
shoes so they don't either), but rather letting you know that a scorpion
sting is nothing to be terrified of. It hurts mildly to moderately for 45
minutes or so and that's it. You can lessen the "sting" reaction by quickly
taking an antihistamine (like Benadryl) and/or putting either ice or a
tobacco poultice on the sting for 5 - 10 minutes.

The net: you probably will not be able to eradicate scorpions with poison.
Your best bet is to seal up your house as best you can. Put your child's bed
in the center of the room but away from any air conditioning ducts or vents
(I have seen them literally dropping out of these).

The good news: scorpions are insectivores. If you have scorpions, you will
not have roaches. All in all, I have actually been pretty happy with this
trade-off, especially now that I don't have to contend with them inside my
house on more than an occasional basis.

good luck,
alternate


"Ruth Shear" wrote in message
news
G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

One other note on scorpions and other critters.

We had a significant problem with scorpions and other pests
(especially those giant cockroaches). Much of the problem was
eliminated when I ripped down the English Ivy that the previous owners
had all over one side of the house. Apparently plants up against the
house (especially vines like English Ivy) are like insect and/or
arachnid highways, or so I was told. Taking these down certainly
helped us out. Our problem went from probably 2-4 scorpions a week to
1-2 per month or less. We especially noticed a decrease in those
cockroaches that my wife hates.

But pulling that stuff down was a chore. It kept coming back, all
told it took about 2 years to finally kill it off. It was ruining the
wood shingles and other stuff too, so it was time for it to go anyway.

andyd


On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 23:28:01 -0500, Ruth Shear
wrote:

G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

I have only one point to mention on sealing up the weep holes mentioned in
this post. I work for a city entity in the area and we recently hired out
some great contractors to take care of some bat problems we were having. I
spoke with the contractors at great length about all the problems we have
with insects and the like. The contractor mentioned the sealing of the weep
holes work only if you don't seal the entire weep hole. Please leave a
small amount open at the bottom so they can work properly. The weep holes
are in your homes to do a job. Sealing them up may cause problems down the
road. Just a thought.

I think sealing in some copper wool is outstanding! Great idea and I might
try it next time we have a problem like this.


"Alternate Personality" wrote in message
.. .
I've lived in a very scorpion-prone area outside town for the last 14
years
and during that time I've tried pretty much everything, including several
different approaches to poisoning. The best solution I've found, by far,
was
to plug up all the weep holes in the exterior walls of my house and garage
with copper wool (like steel wool, but copper and hence does not rust;
also
has lasted 7 - 8 years at this point), and caulk the heck out of the
entire
exterior. The idea is to seal everything extremely thoroughly so they
cannot
get in via two of their major routes (weep holes and any other external
openings on your house).

Early on, I poisoned them. In fact, the first night I spent in my house,
14
years ago, I was awakened by a LARGE scorpion crawling on my bare arm as I
slept in my bed. I totally freaked out and started calling pest control
companies at daybreak. I poisoned them for years before I gave up.

Now, with the house sealed as I describe, I still get one now and then -
maybe 4 - 5 over the course of the entire summer. I've declared peace with
them, telling them that I won't kill them unless they sting me, in which
case they are dead meat. When I find one in the house, I pick it up using
a
paper towel and take it outside. So far the truce seems to working - I
haven't been stung in years.

And btw, getting stung by one of our local scorpions is really not that
bad.
It's not even remotely in the same league as being stung by a wasp (I've
been stung by both). I'm not suggesting that you walk around barefoot in
your house (I NEVER do this, and I always tell houseguests to bring house
shoes so they don't either), but rather letting you know that a scorpion
sting is nothing to be terrified of. It hurts mildly to moderately for 45
minutes or so and that's it. You can lessen the "sting" reaction by
quickly
taking an antihistamine (like Benadryl) and/or putting either ice or a
tobacco poultice on the sting for 5 - 10 minutes.

The net: you probably will not be able to eradicate scorpions with poison.
Your best bet is to seal up your house as best you can. Put your child's
bed
in the center of the room but away from any air conditioning ducts or
vents
(I have seen them literally dropping out of these).

The good news: scorpions are insectivores. If you have scorpions, you will
not have roaches. All in all, I have actually been pretty happy with this
trade-off, especially now that I don't have to contend with them inside my
house on more than an occasional basis.

good luck,
alternate


"Ruth Shear" wrote in message
news
G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

Hi Starlia, you make a good point about needing to let the weep holes do
their intended job. But an advantage of using copper wool (instead of
something like aluminum foil, which I think some people have tried) is that
the copper wool is porous, so moisture can continue to escape even if you
stuff the holes completely. Bugs, on the other hand, are kept out by the
abrasiveness of the fibers. My $.02...

btw, plugging up my weep holes helped, but I really think what made the
biggest difference was the 40+ tubes of caulk my handyman used when he
caulked and painted my house a couple of years ago. I had a lot of gaps
where materials of different types came together (like bricks, roofing, wood
siding, windows, and doors). The person who posted about clearing away any
vegetation that touches the house made a good point too. I have also heard
this advice from pest control professionals. In addition to keeping out
scorpions and spiders, they say this keeps out ants and termites too, so it
seems like a really good idea.

We live in Texas, and figuring out how to live with insects is just part of
the deal. I applaud anyone who rejects insecticides. They are tempting
because they provide a quick fix, but since I quit using them I have noticed
an enormous increase in the number of lizards and toads I see on my
property. I don't think this is a coincidence.

cheers,
alternate


"starlia" wrote in message
...
I have only one point to mention on sealing up the weep holes mentioned in
this post. I work for a city entity in the area and we recently hired out
some great contractors to take care of some bat problems we were having.
I
spoke with the contractors at great length about all the problems we have
with insects and the like. The contractor mentioned the sealing of the
weep
holes work only if you don't seal the entire weep hole. Please leave a
small amount open at the bottom so they can work properly. The weep holes
are in your homes to do a job. Sealing them up may cause problems down
the
road. Just a thought.

I think sealing in some copper wool is outstanding! Great idea and I
might
try it next time we have a problem like this.


"Alternate Personality" wrote in message
.. .
I've lived in a very scorpion-prone area outside town for the last 14
years
and during that time I've tried pretty much everything, including
several
different approaches to poisoning. The best solution I've found, by far,
was
to plug up all the weep holes in the exterior walls of my house and
garage
with copper wool (like steel wool, but copper and hence does not rust;
also
has lasted 7 - 8 years at this point), and caulk the heck out of the
entire
exterior. The idea is to seal everything extremely thoroughly so they
cannot
get in via two of their major routes (weep holes and any other external
openings on your house).

Early on, I poisoned them. In fact, the first night I spent in my house,
14
years ago, I was awakened by a LARGE scorpion crawling on my bare arm as
I
slept in my bed. I totally freaked out and started calling pest control
companies at daybreak. I poisoned them for years before I gave up.

Now, with the house sealed as I describe, I still get one now and then -
maybe 4 - 5 over the course of the entire summer. I've declared peace
with
them, telling them that I won't kill them unless they sting me, in which
case they are dead meat. When I find one in the house, I pick it up
using
a
paper towel and take it outside. So far the truce seems to working - I
haven't been stung in years.

And btw, getting stung by one of our local scorpions is really not that
bad.
It's not even remotely in the same league as being stung by a wasp (I've
been stung by both). I'm not suggesting that you walk around barefoot in
your house (I NEVER do this, and I always tell houseguests to bring
house
shoes so they don't either), but rather letting you know that a scorpion
sting is nothing to be terrified of. It hurts mildly to moderately for
45
minutes or so and that's it. You can lessen the "sting" reaction by
quickly
taking an antihistamine (like Benadryl) and/or putting either ice or a
tobacco poultice on the sting for 5 - 10 minutes.

The net: you probably will not be able to eradicate scorpions with
poison.
Your best bet is to seal up your house as best you can. Put your child's
bed
in the center of the room but away from any air conditioning ducts or
vents
(I have seen them literally dropping out of these).

The good news: scorpions are insectivores. If you have scorpions, you
will
not have roaches. All in all, I have actually been pretty happy with
this
trade-off, especially now that I don't have to contend with them inside
my
house on more than an occasional basis.

good luck,
alternate


"Ruth Shear" wrote in message
news
G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around),
but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

One final comment (I think): don't forget to make sure the weather stripping
around your doors is absolutely flush and tight. I think it sort of loses
its elasticity after a few years, but it's cheap and easy to replace. You
can also get special foam pads to put between your electrical receptacles
and the wall which seal them off. And, if you really want to go "whole hog,"
have your AC/heating duct system checked and any leaking areas sealed. The
idea is to KEEP THE BUGS OUT.

alternate


"Ruth Shear" wrote in message
news
G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

I poisoned them for years before I gave up.

Do you mind letting me know what you've tried that didn't work?

Unfortunately, I don't remember. I think it's been 8 - 10 years since I've
had a pest control company come out. I know I tried both "organic" and
"non-organic" pest control companies and as I recall, they tried several
different approaches. For a couple of years I had a service contract, I
think with ABC Pest Control, such that they came out and did their thing
every 3 months. Whatever they used, it killed everything, but after a couple
of months the scorpions were always back. I didn't like the fact that in
addition to the scorpions, it was killing the big spiders (including some
tarantulas) outside my house. (They applied something to the exterior as
well as the interior.) Plus, I still had scorpions inside after a couple of
months went by... I also became worried that one of my cats or dogs would
eat a poisoned bug and get sick. All in all, the chemicals just seemed like
a bad thing to use over a long period of time, but at this point I have
completely forgotten the chemical names.

I've heard from a friend that the diatomaceous earth worked well for fleas,
but she did say that it took a while (several months, at least). Sealing up
your house and trying some of the organic approaches like this could help a
lot, though, and certainly seem worth a try. Since you've already got the
receptacle-sealing wall pads, I wonder if the previous owners of your house
may have had trouble with scorpions too? This in turn might suggest you're
in a scorpion-prone area... are you west of town, outside 360? That's where
I live, and they truly are endemic here.

btw, caulking your house, making sure your ducts aren't leaking, replacing
the weather stripping, and even the wall pads should all help improve the
energy efficiency of your house as well as helping to keep out the bugs. So
it's an overall good thing to do, anyway.

Also, someone wrote me offline and said that a paste of baking soda + water
would kill the sting in a couple of minutes. It's still best not to get
stung, of course, but if you do, that's another simple home remedy to try. A
tobacco poultice also works, but you need to have some pretty fresh tobacco
on hand, and if you don't smoke, that can be tough. I found out the hard way
that the tobacco in 15-year old cigarettes doesn't work (I've kept a pack
that long specifically to make poultices from). Having recently watched a
47-year-old 2-pack-a-day smoker die horribly from lung cancer, I don't
particularly want to support the tobacco industry anyway, even to the extent
of buying a new pack of cigs each year. Next time I'll try the baking soda.

Good luck!

alternate

That's great seeing such a long summary of soooooo much info!

Can we further discuss a few points?

Boric Acid: Powder. More or less organic, low toxicity and one of the choice
'non-toxic' roach killers in Houston (at least it was when I lived there).
Never heard of using it against scorpions but will give it a try. Roaches
have sticky stuff on their legs that it sticks to then eats through their
crusty exterior. My understanding was that, since Boric Acid is close to its
elemental form, putting it outside the house usually leads to its breaking
down and has to be re-applied often. Although inside the house it can last
for months.

Diatomaceous Earth: aka DE. Microscopically rough shells from an historic
algae. Works by scoring the hard shells of hard insects. My understanding is
that it only works dry and once it has been wetted (dew, even) it doesn't
work so well.

Aztec Pest Control: Knew the owner about 8 years ago so at least she's been
at it awhile and isn't fly-by-night.

Caulk: This month our local middle school reported gusts up to 61 mph. The
house moves so much, I don't care how much you pay for 25 year caulk, it
won't last in a crack. We buy builder's quality cheap caulk by the (small)
case at Home Depot and it comes out pretty dang cheap.

Copper Mesh: Now that is a great idea...lets the weep holes weep but will
last forever. I know we used it (well, copper pan scouring pads from the
grocery store) to keep rats from coming around the gas pipe around the
stove. They had big gallon-sized bags of them pretty cheap.

Orange Oil: I usually use orange oil I mix up from concentrate for cleaning
around the house. It kills our red/fire ants on contact (well, they curl up
and squirm anyway, then die) and they will not cross a path if I spray it in
front of the back door...but that only lasts a couple of hours. Could be a
(very) temporary barrier, but I don't think Boric Acid nor DE will last past
the next dew either.

John T. Jarrett


"Ruth Shear" wrote in message
news
G'day

Thanks for the helpful comments everyone...

Gary Brady wrote:

Interestingly enough, we now have a cat that EATS scorpions.

I'm allergic to cats 8-(

Alternate Personality wrote:

I poisoned them for years before I gave up.

Do you mind letting me know what you've tried that didn't work?

Since I wrote the email I have spoken to two "organic" pest control
groups (anyone have any experience positive or negative with ChemFree or
Aztec?). I don't have my notes here with me on exactly what they say
they would do, but I'm going to wing it from memory.

The best solution I've found, by far, was to plug up all the weep
holes in the exterior walls of my house and garage with copper wool
(like steel wool, but copper and hence does not rust; also has lasted
7 - 8 years at this point),

That is one of the main suggestions from the two pest control groups. In
addition to the physical barrier of copper mesh (to allow the weep hole
still to weep), they also add diatomaceous earth and/or silica aerogel
which physically (rather than chemically) damages the body of the creepy
crawly guys, leading to their dessication (I think).

what made the biggest difference was the 40+ tubes of caulk my handyman
used when he caulked and painted my house a couple of years ago.

Hmmm. They didn't mention this, but it sounds like a good plan. Think
I'll go buy me some caulk. We have a relatively new house (built it 5
years ago), but I'm sure there are some gaps. Thanks for the suggestion.

The person who posted about clearing away any vegetation that touches
the house made a good point too.

This is not a problem for us. But I'll remember it in future.

don't forget to make sure the weather stripping around your doors is
absolutely flush and tight. I think it sort of loses its elasticity
after a few years, but it's cheap and easy to replace.

This is definitely something I need to replace. One of the pest
companies does this as part of their service.

You can also get special foam pads to put between your electrical
receptacles and the wall which seal them off.

We have these. I always wondered what they were for!

Put your child's bed in the center of the room but away from any air
conditioning ducts or vents (I have seen them literally dropping out
of these).

I know they are in our attic because they come through into our light
fixtures, are trapped there and die. As soon as I read this I looked up
and sure enough it's the ducts (makes me think of "Brazil").

And, if you really want to go "whole hog," have your AC/heating duct
system checked and any leaking areas sealed.

I think this is worth looking into thanks. Both pest companies say they
would spray the attic with boric acid plus one of the physical
deterrents (e.g., diatomaceous earth).

Other things included in their services include using pyrethrin, boric
acid, etc to treat the perimeter of the house after making it well
sealed. I'm not sure I'd do this because I like having bugs outside my
house.

The idea is to KEEP THE BUGS OUT.

amen brother.

Now, with the house sealed as I describe, I still get one now and then -
maybe 4 - 5 over the course of the entire summer. I've declared peace
with
them, telling them that I won't kill them unless they sting me, in which
case they are dead meat. When I find one in the house, I pick it up
using a
paper towel and take it outside. So far the truce seems to working - I
haven't been stung in years.

This has been our strategy up till now. The wee one makes that a little
harder, but maybe we'll just make sure that one of us goes downstairs
and checks the floors well each morning.

a scorpion sting is nothing to be terrified of. It hurts mildly to
moderately for 45 minutes or so and that's it. You can lessen the
"sting" reaction by quickly taking an antihistamine (like Benadryl)
and/or putting either ice or a tobacco poultice on the sting for
5 - 10 minutes.

Thanks for the reassurance

The good news: scorpions are insectivores. If you have scorpions,
you will not have roaches.

We don't have roaches. Interesting correlation..

We live in Texas, and figuring out how to live with insects is just part
of
the deal. I applaud anyone who rejects insecticides. They are tempting
because they provide a quick fix, but since I quit using them I have
noticed
an enormous increase in the number of lizards and toads I see on my
property. I don't think this is a coincidence.

Agreed. Off to home depot this weekend for caulk and weather stripping.
I'll probably get one of the services come spray the attic and do the
copper wool thing, and I'll consider the A/C service which is probably
well worth it.

Thanks a bunch everyone

DrRuth

"amjordan" wrote in message
...

Ruth Shear wrote in message
news
G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

Just wanted to add a tiny bit of advice that my mom gave me on a daily
basis
for years (since I didn't see it mentioned here). I grew up in an old
house
that had scorpion tenants (but absolutely no roaches) and the one thing my
mom was always saying was, "Shake out your shoes before you put them on!"
Just a small change in behavior, but it saved me several scorpion stings a
year.

Good luck with your war!

jordan



I think equally (if not more) important advice is to shake out your
underwear prior to putting it on. I learned this living and working
overseas for 20 years and it has proven itself out a couple of times. I've
lived back here in the states now for 20+ years and still cannot stop the
habit of shaking my clothing (especially my underwear) a little prior to
putting it on.

Shamus

Ruth Shear wrote in message
news
G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

Just wanted to add a tiny bit of advice that my mom gave me on a daily basis
for years (since I didn't see it mentioned here). I grew up in an old house
that had scorpion tenants (but absolutely no roaches) and the one thing my
mom was always saying was, "Shake out your shoes before you put them on!"
Just a small change in behavior, but it saved me several scorpion stings a
year.

Good luck with your war!

jordan

shaking things out, don't forget towels. It hasn't happened to me, but a
friend once told me of an incident where there was a scorpion hiding in his
bath towel, which when he was drying himself off after a shower, went on to
sting him in a very sensitive spot...

"Shamus" wrote in message
. ..

I think equally (if not more) important advice is to shake out your
underwear prior to putting it on. I learned this living and working
overseas for 20 years and it has proven itself out a couple of times.
I've
lived back here in the states now for 20+ years and still cannot stop the
habit of shaking my clothing (especially my underwear) a little prior to
putting it on.

Shamus

Is there any time or situation that seems to drive them in?

Ants come in during droughts, deluges and freezes, for instance.

John

"amjordan" wrote in message
...

Ruth Shear wrote in message
news
G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

Just wanted to add a tiny bit of advice that my mom gave me on a daily
basis
for years (since I didn't see it mentioned here). I grew up in an old
house
that had scorpion tenants (but absolutely no roaches) and the one thing my
mom was always saying was, "Shake out your shoes before you put them on!"
Just a small change in behavior, but it saved me several scorpion stings a
year.

Good luck with your war!

jordan

One thing I should mention while we are on this topic, although it is
slightly off the topic.

If you have problems with scorpions, you may also have the potential
for brown recluse spiders. Many people in my neighborhood don't even
know what they look like, and I know they are in our area, having
found many in my house. I found my first the day after one of my
coworkers brought one into work in a jar, I had no idea what they
looked like. These can give you a serious bite.

I did a little web search and the best photo I found was at
http://www.everythingabout.net/artic...ecluse_spider/

They are very distinctive looking and easy to ID (even at a distance)
once you are used to what they look like and how they move (they are
very fast spiders). I would recommend to everyone that you learn what
they look like and be on the lookout for these.

andyd


On Tue, 24 Jun 2003 23:28:01 -0500, Ruth Shear
wrote:

G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around), but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

I don't think I've ever seen one (scorpion) during the winter, either inside
or outside. I mostly see them during the June - August timeframe. I think
they may become inactive during cool/cold weather.

Here's what seems to be a pretty comprehensive overview of scorpions, their
habits, and recommendations for control:

http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/l-1678.html

This article states in part:

"It is common for them to climb trees and walls, and many times have been
found in the attics of homes. During periods of hot weather, scorpions may
move into living areas to escape the high temperatures in attics."

It also says that "Stings from most of these species are about as painful as
a bee or wasp sting." My own experience (and I've been stung by scorpions at
least a half-dozen times over the 14 years they've been a part of my life in
one way or another) is that they hurt much less than a wasp sting (I've been
stung by a wasp twice during the same period). I don't recall a scorpion
sting hurting for more than about an hour, whereas a wasp sting hurts for
about 12 hours and stays puffy for about a day. Being stung by our local
scorpions is not something I'd recommend, but in my experience, there is an
initial sharp pain that quickly becomes more annoying than painful,
especially if you put ice on it asap.

I also think that the bigger the scorpion, the more painful the sting - this
has been my experience, anyway. I would also think that the smaller the
person, the more they might react, so a child might have more of a reaction
than an adult. A child would certainly be frightened and hurt enough by a
scorpion sting to cry. Apply ice right away and/or try the baking soda +
water home remedy. But you should also watch for signs of a more severe
(allergic) reaction and if these appear, get to a doctor right away.

btw, I have seen only two scorpions in my home so far this summer. Before I
had everything sealed up (weep holes w/ copper wool; many, many tubes of
caulk to seal the exterior; new, very tight weather stripping; etc.), I used
to see them - sometimes several of them - inside my house daily. I know they
are still around because I see them outside pretty regularly, particularly
under rocks and around my brush pile. But they aren't nearly as able to get
into my house now. I still don't go barefoot, however, and I check my bath
towel before using it, "just in case."

I love where I live - on 2.5 acres, mostly natural, west of 360 - and I have
come to believe very strongly that dealing humanely with critters like
scorpions and wasps is a good thing. I've got birds and lizards galore,
toads and frogs, possums and raccoons, and tarantulas and other big spiders.
I hate seeing Chem Lawn and the pest control companies out here (or
anywhere, for that matter).

alternate


"John T. Jarrett" wrote in message
...
Is there any time or situation that seems to drive them in?

Ants come in during droughts, deluges and freezes, for instance.

John

"amjordan" wrote in message
...

Ruth Shear wrote in message
news
G'day

I'm generally of the school of live and let live, but when I rolled my
19 month old over on the bed yesterday and saw a tiny (1/2 inch)
scorpion scuttle out of a fold of the bedsheet, I found my limit!

My first inclination was to call a pest control company (well chemfree
who I've heard are a bit more careful about what they spray around),
but
does any one have any other suggestions that are less extreme?

DrRuth

Just wanted to add a tiny bit of advice that my mom gave me on a daily
basis
for years (since I didn't see it mentioned here). I grew up in an old
house
that had scorpion tenants (but absolutely no roaches) and the one thing
my
mom was always saying was, "Shake out your shoes before you put them
on!"
Just a small change in behavior, but it saved me several scorpion stings
a
year.

Good luck with your war!

jordan