Prevent infestation with Scorpions

scorpions arachnida prevent infestation with

As with any other kind of pests, the most important mean of prevention is by eliminating the food source of the scorpion. Scorpions prey on insects, so if you can eliminate an insect infestation, the scorpions will have nothing to prey on. Take any precautionary measures such as caulking up any cracks you may have in your foundation or siding of the house, so that the scorpions cannot enter it. Make sure your screens do not have any holes in them and also remove any rubbish from your property, so that the scorpion is not attracted to it. Keep your lawn and landscaping short and trimmed and make sure that there are no branches overhanging above your house. These are all steps that need to be taken in order to make your property an inhospitable environment for these pests.

scorpions arachnida prevent infestation with

Further methods of keeping scorpions away from your property:

  • remove excess moisture, especially from floors, corners, closets, and any crawl spaces, so as to avoid giving scorpions a source of water;
  • fix any leaky faucets, pipes, roofs, and pour bleach down the drains of your septic system;
  • check the mesh over the dryer vent and any holes around it, also any place where you can find cables, wires, and pipes entering the house, as well as any holes in the walls, doors, and windows, and also check your heating and air-conditioning outlets;
  • make sure that pet dishes are empty overnight;
  • deal with any type of other pest infestation (e.g. ants, roaches, slugs, etc.) around your home, in order to avoid giving scorpions a source of food:

– clean up any crumbs and food spills so as to avoid giving the insects themselves a convenient source of food;
– use borax or diatomaceous earth;
– use insecticides.

Apply the above methods outdoor as well, since scorpions that may be attracted to a large insect population living in close proximity to your house may very easily wander indoors. Outside, you can also remove any possible scorpion shelters, both in and outside of your home:

  • store cardboard boxes on shelves, not on floors;
  • remove any unnecessary clutter from all around the house and especially from dark places, such as underneath beds, and try to maintain a neatly organized environment;
  • trim bushes, foliage, lush grass, vines, etc., especially those in close proximity to your house;
  • remove debris and any piles of wood, rocks, yard clippings, any landscaping pieces, even children’s toys, etc.
  • seal any possible entry points, such as cracks and holes in the walls, as well as places where pipes and wires pierce through the walls;
  • ensure that all doors and windows close securely, as well as fit securely inside their frames; keep in mind that scorpions can enter a home through an opening the size of a credit card.

Based on the fact that scorpions do not appreciate certain smells, you can use plants and products such as cinnamon, lavender or citrus, in order to deter the scorpions away:

  • sprinkle cinnamon around the house, especially on windowsills, around baseboards, and in dark, difficult to access spots, seeing as scorpions are repelled by the strong smell;
  • plant fresh lavender around the foundation of your house;
  • citrus is also considered to be a deterrent, so you can grow it in pots near your entrance areas and use citrus oil cleaners in bathroom and other wet zones of the house.
  • mix around 20 drops of cedar essential oil with water, and spray the mixture around possible entry points.

It’s important to avoid the occurrence of scorpions in your yard and home, as if they should infiltrate inside your house, they can live within the walls for years, breeding and making it nearly impossible to eliminate an infestation.
Remember to always maintain a clean yard by moving woodpiles away from your home and by getting rid of any other possible hiding spaces that the scorpion might use, such as piles of firewood, rocks, and lumber, and can also be found in compost heaps. Also keep your lawn mowed at all time and keep garbage containers on bricks above ground level, so that the scorpions do not have a place to hide. Large rocks also provide shelter from the sun and a space for pests to hunt. The many nooks and crannies that are created by those landscaping features supplies an almost endless amount of living space. Scorpions will use the rocks during the night to ambush prey. Many pools are surrounded by rocks, be very cautious while playing around pools as they are often prime locations for scorpion activity.

Keep in mind that scorpions are most active at night when they start hunting. If you prefer manually removing scorpions, you will have better chances doing it at night. Scorpions fluoresce under ultra-violet light, so use a black light or an ultra-violet light to look for them. Also, wear sturdy boots and use long barbecue tongs to collect the scorpions into a container for removal from your yard.
You can also keep pets such as cats or dogs, as they have been known to catch and kill scorpions around the home. However, do not force your pet in doing this, as they will do it at their own will. You can also use chickens around your yard, to feed on the insects roaming round, as this way you will avoid scorpions gathering around in search for a food source. Rodents such as mice and rats will feed on them if they get the opportunity, and also birds will. They have the ability to see very well and they are fast moving. Before a scorpion really even knows that occurred they can be consumed by a bird. So by building and taking care of some bird feeders around your yard, you can attract birds and they will take care of your scorpion problem. In many locations bats will feed on Scorpions too. They are also active at night and thrive in many of the same living conditions. The size of the species also affects what will be coming after them too, as the larger ones tend to have fewer predators to worry about.

If the scorpions you are dealing with are indeed in a larger number, and you are confronted with a true infestation, visit our relevant article where you can find details about “How to get rid of a scorpion infestation“, either by using natural or chemical methods. Remember that even after you have dealt with the infestation, you still need to apply the prevention measures presented here, in order to avoid another generation of scorpions from invading your home.

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