DO-IT-YOURSELF SCORPION CONTROL SERVICE

Helpful things you can do to prevent scorpions from entering your home.

Here are some do-it-yourself scorpion control recommendations:

Outside Scorpion Prevention

• ​Keep it clean and tidy. Keep all sides of your home free from debris, leaves, wood piles rock, piles and trash.
• Fill in any holes in your foundation or cracks in your walls that might provide an entrance into your home.
• Check window, door and vent screens. Make sure screens are tight fitting and in good repair.
• Caulk around doors, windows and plumbing pipes to eliminate entry points into the structure.
• Install door- sweeps in order to prevent scorpions from sneaking in under garage doors or interior doors.
• Eliminate excess moisture. Scorpions enter homes looking for water. Keep floors, corners, closets and crawl spaces dry and free of leaks. Refrain from allowing water to stand in puddles or containers near the exterior of your home. Don’t overwater.
• Eliminate other insects that bring scorpions on the hunt. Keep people and pet food in air tight containers inside the home, and trash in closed, locking cans outside the home. By curbing an invitation to these other pests, you will reduce the potential for a scorpion to follow them into your home.
• Trim back bushes, vines and other foliage that scorpions can hide under.  Let the sunshine in!
• Remove mulch or wood chips from around foundations.
• Remove clutter from inside your home. Remove cardboard boxes, piles of clothes. Anything a scorpion might hid in.
• Natural predators keep their populations in check.  Birds, lizards and bats can be counted upon to dine on scorpions.  Cats will also hunt them down and chickens will eat them along with all kinds of other insects.

Natural Repellent: Lavender and cedar essential oils are said to be the best repellents. You can mix 20 drops of the essential oil of your choice, with water. Spray this mixture around window casings, doorframes and around foundation areas.  Inside, spray around baseboards (may stain so test it first) and inside closets or anywhere else that could be used as a hiding place.

Better Safe than Sorry: Always shake out shoes, clothing and bed clothes. Don’t put your hands or feet inside anything that you can’t see into. Wear gloves when moving firewood, rocks and debris.  Most people are stung by a scorpion that’s just trying to defend itself.