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Get a tarantula.
And Im not talking about the band. Last night I was awaken by a tow truck flashing its lights outside my apartment. I went outside to see what was going on. When I got back inside I was greeted by a scorpion on the top of my wall near the ceiling. I have seen several of these outside, but this is the first that dared to enter my home. I was able to knock him off the wall and swat the out of him with my chancla. But had I not woken up, me or my daughter may have been stung. I stayed at my moms house for the night. Does anyone know how to kill/control these bas s?
Get a tarantula.
Thanks, but no thanks I have a two year old daughter.
Ya. I don't even know if they eat scorpions. I just thought it would be cool to add a giant spider to the mix.
Scorpions are pretty common in TX ... especially in newly developed areas. If you have a fireplace this one may have crawled down the chimney.
I used to live in an apartment complex that was located right next to the Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin ... these suckers came up all the time. They're not easy to control because they usually don't live in your home, they are visitors. Here is what Wikipedia has to say:
Scorpions are difficult to control with pesticides alone. Therefore, the first control strategy is to modify the area surrounding a house.
* Remove all trash, logs, boards, stones, bricks and other objects from around the home.
* Keep grass closely mowed near the home. Prune bushes and overhanging tree branches away from the house. Tree branches can provide a path to the roof for scorpions.
* Store garbage containers in a frame that allows them to rest above ground level.
* Never bring firewood inside the house unless it is placed directly on the fire.
* Install weather-stripping around loose fitting doors and windows.
* Plug weep holes in brick veneer homes with steel wool, pieces of nylon scouring pad or small squares of screen wire.
* Caulk around roof eaves, pipes and any other cracks into the home.
* Keep window screens in good repair. Make sure they fit tightly in the window frame.
Wettable powder formulations provide better residual control for crawling pests when applying perimeter sprays. When using pyrethroids or other insecticides labeled for scorpion control, be sure to use the highest permissible label rate.
Apply pesticides around the foundation of the building and up to 1 foot above ground level on the exterior walls. Also apply pesticides around doors, window eaves and other potential points of entry.
Cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, and bendiocarb are effective pesticides.
http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg364.htmlCommon Name: Striped bark scorpion
Scientific Name: Centruoides vittatus (Say)
Order: Scorpionida
Description: Scorpions are non-insect arthropods. Adults average about 2-3/8 inches (60 mm) in length, with the tail being longer in the males than in the females. Body color of adults varies from yellowish to tan, marked with two broad, blackish stripes on the upper surface of the abdomen. Populations in the Big Bend area may be only faintly marked or completely pale. There is a dark triangular mark on the front (anterior) portion of the head region (carapace) in the area over the (median and lateral) eyes. Younger specimens may be overall lighter in color, and basis of the pedipalps and the last segment of the body (postabdomen) is dark brown to black. The key recognition characters for this species are the slender pedipalps and the long slender tail.
Life Cycle: Scorpions are capable of reducing their metabolic rates to very low levels. Mating apparently takes place in the fall, spring and early summer. All scorpions are born live (viviparous), and embryos are nourished in the female’s body (in utero or via a "placental" connection). Development (gestation) is estimated to take about 8 months, but varies depending on the species. Young are born in litter sizes from 13 to 47, averaging about 31. The young climb to the mother’s back after birth and soon molt. After the first molt they disperse to lead independent lives. Immature scorpions molt an average of six times before maturity. Some species may live for 20 to 25 years but the typical scorpion probably lives between three and eight years. Adults may produce several broods.
Habitat, Food Source(s), Damage: Scorpions use the pincers to capture and hold prey. This species occurs under rocks, under boards, and in debris. It can be found indoors or outdoors in a wide variety of habitats (pine forests in East Texas, rocky slopes, grasslands, juniper breaks in other parts of the state).
Centruroides are active foragers and do not burrow. They are considered "bark scorpions" with a distinct association with dead vegetation, fallen logs, and human dwellings. It is common for them to climb, and many reports in homes are associated with attics. Scorpions remain sheltered in the daytime and become active at night. This behavior helps with regulating temperature (thermoregulation) and water balance. Their bodies are covered with a waxy cuticle which also helps reduce water loss. For reasons yet unknown, the scorpion cuticle fluoresces under ultraviolet light i.e., a blacklight.
Pest Status: Most common and widespread scorpion in Texas; stings are painful and produce local swelling and itching that may persist for several days. Reaction to the bite may vary based on sensitivity of the individual. Non-lethal stings may be mild to strong and produce edema (swelling), discoloration, numbness, and pain which may last for several minutes to several days. Deaths attributed to this species are not well substantiated. There are no scorpions in Texas that are considered lethal to man.
Was this what it looked like?
Thats him. I boxed him up so I could indentify him later.
i lived in an apartment near 71 and mopac for a few years, and they would always show up inside the apartment. usually pretty small, and my brother's dog would always sniff them out. kinda creepy though, i live in NW austin now and rarely see them.
Interesting that the Wikipedia "how to control scorpions" apparently was copied almost verbatim from a page at TAMU:
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/l-1678.html
From what I have read thus far I think this to be the most useful. I have also heard of just hunting at night before bed with a black light. Apparently they show up bright yellow under black light.
Yup. They are flourescent. That is how they get them in teh desert.
I've cried every time a scorpion has stung me. It feels like a million tiny ants biting you at one time.
When we lived around 281/Evans we had a lot of scorpions come in the kitchen. But at this house, I never see them.
Does Texas have fire ants like Florida. Those things are es.
I wouldn't know, I've never been to FL.
I'm glad we don't have any scorpions here. I don't think so anyway.
They are like little tiny ants, smaller then your little black house ants. You touch one of their ant hills, a bajillion of the things come out the holes, will crawl onto your foot and up your leg and sting you. Not the funnest thing in the world...luckily, I haven't met this fate. Although I saw a live lizard get turned into ant food.
Did you do anything to keep them under control?
I had one crawling on my desk at work the other day. Just a small brown one. I just swept it off with a piece of paper and ground it into the carpet.
Is is true they travel in pairs?
I was in Naples, Florida a few years ago and stepped on a fire ant hill on a golf course. That was not a pleasant experience.
Hey Butta, buy Home Defense at your local Home Depot or Lowes. That is good stuff to help keep scorpions and spiders away. I am not saying you will never get one in your house ever again, but it really helps. I see a lot of scorpions where I live and where I am building. They like to stay in cool places. Underneath rocks and such. Its always a good thing to shake your towels before you use them, your sheets, pillows, and blankets before hopping into bed. Just as a precaustion because of your little girl. Anyway, Home Defense is a good way to help keep them away.
Here is a picture of what it looks like. You can spray it inside and outside.
The Scorpions Rock...
here i am .... rockin like a hurricane....
Man, I can't stand Scorpions. Except for that "Still Loving You" song, that one's pretty catchy.
But seriously, waking up to a scorpion in your shoes will freak you out when you're only half awake!
Take me to the magic of the moment
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