Scorpions are poisonous, predatory pests you can find on almost all continents. Antarctica is the only place you can’t find these arachnids because the climate doesn’t suit them. Although they are common in desert areas, it is not uncommon to see them in urban areas, as well.
The appearance of scorpions in the house is not at all pleasant. Their sting can hurt you, although only 25 of approximately 2,500 existing scorpion species are deadly to humans. Therefore, it is best to get rid of them as soon as you notice their presence in your home.
About Scorpions
Scorpions are arachnids from the Scorpiones’ order with a characteristic appearance. You can recognize a pair of grasping pincers, eight legs, and a unique narrow and segmented tail. The tail curves over the body towards the front, and you can see a stinger at its end.
These arachnids have multiple pairs of eyes, including two in the middle of the head and 2 to 5 pairs on the body sides. Paradoxically, all of them are useless, and scorpions don’t see well. Therefore, they mostly rely on their sense of smell while looking for food.
Although the desert is scorpions’ natural habitat, they have adapted well to living conditions in other areas. Official records describe over 2,500 existing species, including approximately 25 deadly to humans.
These dangerous arachnids primarily feed on insects and other invertebrates, but some species also hunt small vertebrates. They first restrain their prey with pincers and then use their stinger.
They are quite the opposite when spending time with members of their own species. For instance, males and females hold each other with pincers and dance during courtship. During that dance, males transfer their sperm package to females.
The young are born alive and are cared for by the female, carrying them on her back until their exoskeletons harden. Interestingly, scorpions’ exoskeleton contains fluorescent chemicals that glow under ultraviolet light.
What Attracts Scorpions to Your Home?
As mentioned, scorpions mainly feed on small insects such as flies and termites. If you have an infestation in your home or yard, you can be sure these insects attract the scorpions’ attention. Besides food, several other things attract them to your home:
1. Food sources
The main scorpions’ food is various bugs living in your yard or house, such as:
- Wasps
- Bees
- Spiders
- Crickets
- Termites
- Cockroaches
- Millipedes
The infestation of these insects is a warning sign that you can expect scorpions’ presence inside your home.
2. Moisture
Scorpions need water to survive, and they enjoy humid conditions. So, you can often find them:
- In wet basements
- Around pools
- Inside the drains
- Next to pipes and hoses
- In the kitchen and bathroom
- In the laundry room
Always be careful when moving around places potentially suitable to be habitats for these arachnids.
3. Dark and protected areas
Scorpions are nocturnal creatures, meaning they prefer avoiding the day heat and are active and hunt at night. During the day, they hide in cold and dark places, like:
- Under the floorboards
- In the corners of the garage
- Under stacked piles of wood and tree bark
- Under the stones
The lucky thing is that their exoskeletons glow under natural moonlight or when illuminated by UV light, so you can effortlessly spot them.
Ways Scorpions Get Into Your Home
Scorpions effortlessly enter houses despite people doing everything possible to prevent them. Believe it or not, they can find a way to get in even if you keep windows and doors closed, thanks to the ability to flatten up to 0.06 inches (1.59 mm).
As small as this, they can pass through almost imperceptible cracks in walls. On the other hand, some species are excellent climbers and can quickly get into bags, pockets, and shoes. That way, you are a carrier who brings them inside the house.
Methods to Check Whether Scorpions Live In Your House
Be aware that the presence of one scorpion in your home is sometimes a sign there are more inside. Since they are significantly more active at night, you should look for them during that period.
Thanks to their glowing body, you can use a UV lamp to spot them wherever they got into. Pay particular attention to the hidden places, such as:
- Inside the holes in the walls and floor
- In closets and under the bed
- Behind curtains and decorations like pots and vases
- Behind large kitchen appliances, particularly fridge
- Inside your shoes
Be careful during the search and wear pants, long sleeves, high socks, boots, and gloves to prevent their sting.
Ways to Get Rid of Scorpions in the House
Although most scorpions are not deadly to humans, their sting is unpleasant and can cause allergic reactions. That is why it is best to remove them from your home in the safest possible way.
The crucial thing is not to panic when you see scorpions. They never attack humans unless you provoke them in some way. Panicking, shouting, and throwing things at them may only scare them, resulting in escape and losing them from your sight.
1. Use a broom
If you have scorpions in the area, you should always have a dustbin and a broom within easy reach. That way, you can clean them from the floor or while moving across the wall. After capturing the scorpion in the bin, take it outside and make sure it is dead. Otherwise, it will probably return to the house renewing the problem.
2. Essential oils
Applying fragrant oils helps to get rid of scorpions. Take advantage of their poor sight and their reliance on the sense of smell while looking for food. Use potent scents, like peppermint, cinnamon, lavender, and cedar, repulsive for these arachnids to force them to leave.
The best option is to mix 10 to 20 drops of chosen essential oil with two cups of water. Pour it into a spray bottle and spritz corners, dark places, and potential entry points.
Be careful with some essential oils since they can adversely affect your children and pets. There is no point in causing a bigger problem while trying to get rid of scorpions, so pay attention to applying this mix to hardly-reached areas.
3. Sticky traps
These traps are highly helpful when you want to get rid of scorpions. Place them behind the fridge, under the stove, bathroom cabinets, and laundry room shelves for the best result.
4. Chemicals
Chemical spray should be your last solution, although directly spraying the scorpions quickly kills them. Be aware these products are also harmful to kids and pets even when you carefully follow the instructions on the label.
Ways to Prevent Scorpions in the House
If you live in an area where scorpions are common, you should try to prevent them from threatening your home. There are a few things you can do, including:
1. Secure all openings
Even though your home may seem well-sealed, it is never good enough since scorpions can slip through the smallest possible crack. There are a few steps to keep them out, making your home more secure:
- Use plaster to seal all visible cracks on walls you notice
- Place protective nets on the windows and solve the problem of existing cracks around the frames
- Check for cracks in the floor and seal them
- Inspect the roof and the plumbing for leaks in and around them and close them well if any
- Use masking tape to prevent scorpions from slipping under a loose door
- Cover the drain holes with netting or wire
2. Keep the yard tidy
If scorpions find suitable shelter and food sources in your yard, you can expect that their next step is to enter the house. There are several things you can do to avoid that:
- Mow the lawn regularly and avoid excessive watering
- Remove grass clippings and collected leaves from the yard as soon as possible
- Regularly trim the branches of trees, especially those close to the house, so that they don’t overhang or touch it
- Keep firewood on a stand away from the house
- Never pile building materials in the yard
- Never keep standing water in the yard or near your house
Additionally, you should follow a few general helpful guidelines to prevent the scorpions’ appearance inside your home and avoid their stings. For instance, avoiding leaving wet rags and towels in the kitchen and forgetting shoes outside overnight is wise.
Always use gloves when working in the yard or when handling firewood. Besides, use yellow lights outdoors since they attract insects less. Finally, always check shoes and bags for hidden scorpions before entering them inside.
Some people use chemicals to keep scorpions away from their homes and backyards. However, they are harmful to humans and animals and eco-unfriendly, so they should be the last solution.
If there is no better way to solve the problem, use these products carefully and moderately. Always try to make a natural mixture and apply synthetic products only when absolutely necessary.
Summary
Most people consider scorpion presence stressful and disturbing. Their sting is rarely deadly to humans but can be highly unpleasant. Once you see these arachnids inside your home, you should protect family members and pests by finding an efficient way of deterring them.