It's the beginning of scorpion season here in Arizona. The Bark Scorpion is the most common and most deadly scorpion in all of Arizona. Now that the Spring temperatures are consistently in the high 80's and low 90's these hibernating desert dwellers are coming out of their hiding places to feed. They cannot handle the daytime heat so during the afternoon they stay hidden under rocks, wood or brick piles, in a persons home, or any cool shady place. Bark Scorpions can climb so they've also been known to hide in trees. Scorpions are predators. They feed on all types of insects, spiders, centipedes, and even other scorpions. Scorpions will generally sneak into your home looking for either, shade, food, or water.
The venom from a Bark Scorpion sting can be life-threatening especially in young children. Some early symptoms of a Scorpion sting are pain, warmth, and swelling at the sting site. Other more severe signs and symptoms of a Scorpion sting are muscle twitching, unusual head, neck, and eye movement, drooling, sweating, vomiting, high blood pressure, restlessness, and accelerated heart rate. These symptoms can last from 24-72 hours.
Scorpions aren't like crickets. They don't make any noise alerting you to their presence so how can you find them and protect yourself? Bark Scorpions glow a fluorescent green when under an ultraviolet light. Walking around your entire property at least a few times a week shining a UV light on the ground, fencing, trees, and on the sides of your home will instantly show you where any scorpions are hanging out.
Since Scorpions feed on other insects that can be hanging around your home, one of the best ways to alleviate Scorpion infestations around your property is to eliminate their food source. Hire a reputable pest control company to have your property sprayed once a month during the Spring and Summer or purchase a high quality pest control solution and spray your property yourself. Either way, the goal is to take away their food source. Get rid of any unnecessary piles of rocks or wood around the outside of your home and avoid clutter on floors or under beds inside of your home. Scorpions can slip through an opening as thin as a credit card so make sure your doors, windows and screens close tightly.
Scorpions have a tough outer skeleton but they will squish just like any other bug. Use a long-handled tool, knife, or the bottom of a shoe to quickly rid yourself of any scorpions you may come across.
Living in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona means you share your environment with some potentially dangerous and poisonous creatures but with the right maintenance and treatments in and around your home you can sleep easy knowing you're protected against these unwanted intruders.
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