Finding a scorpion in your home can be absolutely terrifying. These creepy crawlers with their menacing pincers and curved tails are enough to make anyone jump on a chair. If you live in the southwestern United States, you’ve probably dealt with this scary situation at least once.
The good news? Most scorpions in the US aren’t deadly. Only 2 of the species in the United States, both found in the Southwest region, have been deemed dangerous to people. The bad news? Even non-deadly scorpions can deliver painful stings that hurt for hours or even days.
The Arizona bark scorpion is the only scorpion species in the U.S. that is considered dangerous. This little guy is responsible for most of the serious scorpion stings in America. But whether you’re dealing with dangerous bark scorpions or their less harmful cousins, nobody wants these creatures scuttling around their home.
This guide covers some methods to get rid of scorpions and keep them from coming back. You’ll learn everything from simple prevention tricks to professional treatments that really work. Let’s get started!
1. Seal Entry Points and Keep Them Out
The best way to deal with scorpions is to stop them from getting inside in the first place. The smallest crack is large enough for a scorpion to slip through, and not just a baby scorpion, either. These sneaky creatures can squeeze through gaps you wouldn’t believe possible.
Start by walking around your house with a flashlight and really look at every possible entry point. Check the weather stripping around all your doors and windows. If you can see daylight underneath a door, a scorpion can probably get through that gap too. Replace worn weather stripping and add door sweeps if needed. Make sure your window and door screens do not have any tears in them. Even tiny holes can let scorpions inside.
Look for any cracks in your foundation, no matter how small. Seal all cracks you find in your home’s foundation or siding. Use caulk or expanding foam to fill these gaps completely. Check where pipes, electrical wires, and cables enter your home. These spots often have gaps that scorpions can use as highways into your house. Seal these areas with caulk or steel wool.
Don’t forget about attic vents, foundation vents, and other openings. Arizona bark scorpions are among the few that can climb, which means you need to seal upper areas too, not just ground level entry points. The cost for sealing entry points is usually between $50 and $200 if you do it yourself. That’s a small price to pay for keeping these unwanted guests outside where they belong.
2. Get Rid of Their Food Sources
Here’s something that might surprise you: The biggest deterrent against a scorpion infestation is eliminating their food source. Scorpions don’t come into your house looking for you. They come looking for dinner. Scorpions eat insects, spiders, centipedes, earthworms, and other scorpions. If your home has lots of these small creatures, it’s like hanging up a “Free Buffet” sign for scorpions.
The main foods scorpions hunt for include crickets (their absolute favorite), cockroaches, spiders, ants and beetles, centipedes, and termites. Keep your kitchen spotless to avoid attracting these insects. Wipe up crumbs right away and don’t leave dirty dishes sitting around. Store food in sealed containers so you don’t attract the insects that scorpions love to eat.
Fix any moisture problems in your home. Leaky pipes, damp basements, and standing water all attract insects. Less moisture means fewer bugs, which means fewer scorpions. Regular pest control to keep other insects from inhabiting your property means a scorpion will be uninterested in hanging around. You can use boric acid or diatomaceous earth around baseboards and under sinks to kill small insects.
Vacuum regularly, especially in areas where crumbs might hide. Pay attention to under appliances, in corners, and around pet food areas. When you remove their food sources, scorpion populations drop quickly. It’s like closing down their favorite restaurant.
3. Remove Places Where They Like to Hide
Scorpions are creatures of habit. During the day, they look for dark, cool places to hide. Remove debris such as loose rocks, stacks of firewood, boards, piles of leaves, tree bark, trash and other unnecessary things around the home. Scorpions like to keep out of the sun by hiding beneath objects, so remove these ideal places to hide.
Move rock piles and woodpiles away from your house. If you need to keep firewood, store it at least 30 feet from your home and up off the ground. Clean up leaf litter and organic debris around your property. Trim vegetation away from your house foundation. Plants touching your home create bridges that scorpions can use to get inside.
If you have palm trees, pay extra attention to them. Scorpions frequently hibernate at the roots of palm tree trunks during the daytime. Trim dead palm fronds regularly since cutting this bark will eliminate scorpions’ dwellings. They love these areas not only because they provide harborage but because they can find other pests here that they can eat.
Keep garages, basements, and closets organized and clutter-free. Regularly sweep and tidy areas in your garage or on your patio where small bugs could decide to nest. Store items in plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes. Put storage containers up off the floor when possible.
According to pest control experts, success in scorpion control is more about changing the scorpion’s path and less about trying to constantly exterminate them. This approach works because you’re making your property less attractive to scorpions in the first place.
4. Hunt Them Down with UV Blacklights
Here’s a cool fact that can help you fight back: Scorpions glow under black light due to a substance in their exoskeleton called the hyaline layer, which fluoresces under ultraviolet light. This makes them light up like glow sticks under UV light. The aqua glowing color comes from fluorescent reactive compounds that are found in the scorpion’s exoskeleton.
Scorpions are best hunted or collected on nights when the moon is new or less than half full. They’re more active on darker nights, and the UV light works better when there’s less competing light. Get a UV flashlight with 395 NM black lights that plug in or portable, which work best for seeing scorpions. Look for one with at least 51 LEDs for good coverage. It is best to use amber glasses when using the UV tracker light.
Always wear protective gear before heading out: long sleeves, long pants, boots, and gloves. Get long-handled tongs for safe removal. Never try to pick up a scorpion with your hands. Move slowly and check common hiding spots like under rocks, in cracks, and around your foundation. Additionally, scorpions that are well hidden in a crack, crevice, under a leaf or other hiding area can best be detected if only a pincer or other body segment is barely visible.
Be careful out there. In the cities, Black Widow Spiders are very common. Use caution to not accidentally walk into their webbing. Many pest control clients would never consider scorpion hunting themselves, and experts often don’t recommend it. The goal of professional pest control is not only to help keep them out, but also to help clients feel comfortable in their homes. If hunting scorpions sounds too scary, professional services can do this for you. A good UV flashlight costs between $15 and $60, which is a small investment for the peace of mind it provides.
5. Use Diatomaceous Earth as a Natural Killer
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural powder made from fossilized algae. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural substance derived from the fossilized remains of diatoms which are microscopic aquatic organisms. It’s completely safe for humans and pets but deadly to scorpions. When the scorpion comes into contact with the DE, the powder will attach to the exoskeleton of the scorpion and begin to dehydrate. The tiny sharp particles cut up their exoskeleton, causing them to dry out and die.
Use only food-grade diatomaceous earth. Use a duster to spread a thin, even layer of food-grade diatomaceous earth along baseboards, in cracks, and at entry points. Apply just a light dusting. More is NOT better with DE. Focus on outdoor areas like rock beds or woodpiles where scorpions might travel. A proper application creates a lasting barrier that protects your home while being safe for pets and people.
This method takes time to work. Killing scorpions, with sufficient amounts DE, generally takes 1-2 weeks of exposure, which is too long for most Phoenix-area residents who want immediate results. DE isn’t permanent either. It stops working when it gets wet or disturbed. You’ll need to reapply after rain or cleaning.
It is recommended that, when laying diatomaceous earth, you and anyone around it wear a mask. The powder can irritate your lungs if you breathe it in. Even though it may be food grade, diatomaceous earth is dangerous to inhale, it’s not meant to be inhaled; it’s meant to eat. Don’t apply on windy days, or the powder will blow away before it can do any good. DE costs between $20 and $40 for enough to treat your home.
6. Try Essential Oil Repellents
Essential oils can help keep scorpions away, but they’re not magic bullets. Cedar oil, derived from the wood, leaves, and berries of cedar trees, has been used for centuries for a variety of purposes. Some oils are more effective than others, with cedarwood oil being the clear winner.
Cedarwood oil is particularly effective against scorpions. Scorpions hate cedarwood oil! In fact, it will almost kill them on the spot. Cedarwood oil is a natural insecticide that works against scorpions. The oil disrupts their respiratory system, leading to death over time. Other essential oils, such as lavender, peppermint, and citrus, have also shown promise in deterring scorpions. Essential oils like lavender or peppermint can be used as a spray around the home to deter scorpions.
Mix a few drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle. Spray around door and window frames. Spray along edges of floors. Do this every couple of weeks. Cedarwood chips can also be placed near doors and windows as a natural barrier against these pests. Homeowners have reported success with essential oil treatments, finding dead scorpions after applying cedar oil sprays around their homes.
Essential oils have important limitations though. Essential oils, such as lavender and cedar oil, are volatile organic compounds. This means they evaporate quickly and need frequent reapplication. While essential oils like cedar, lavender, or citrus oils have repellent properties, using them alone may not be sufficient to eliminate scorpions from your home. Essential oils should be used in conjunction with other preventive measures.
Make sure you’re using potent essential oils. Avoid cheap versions that don’t work as well. High-quality essential oils cost between $30 and $80, but they can be an effective part of your scorpion control plan.
7. Set Up Sticky Traps in Key Areas
Sticky traps are a simple, safe way to catch scorpions. Scorpion sticky traps cost $5 to $8 for a two-pack. They won’t solve a big infestation, but they’re great for monitoring scorpion activity and catching individual invaders. Sticky traps are an effective and non-toxic method to capture scorpions. The scorpion walks onto the sticky surface and gets stuck.
Place these traps near areas where scorpions are likely to travel, such as walls, baseboards, or corners. Scorpions tend to walk along walls rather than across open areas. Put traps near entry points like doors and windows. Also place them in garages, basements, and anywhere you’ve seen scorpions before.
Check your traps regularly and replace them when they get full or after the time period recommended by the manufacturer. Always use tongs to dispose of trapped scorpions since they might still be alive. Read the instructions on the label, then dispose of them after use. Keep sticky traps away from children and pets. The adhesive can be messy if kids or animals get into them.
Never assume a trapped scorpion is dead. They can survive for a long time on the sticky surface. Sticky traps catch scorpions, while black lights help you spot them at night, as scorpions glow under UV light. Use traps along with other methods for the best results. Sticky traps cost between $20 and $40 for enough traps to monitor your entire home. They’re a cheap way to keep tabs on whether your other control methods are working.
8. Let Natural Predators Help Out
Sometimes the best way to control one animal is to let another animal do the work for you. Several creatures are natural scorpion hunters and can help reduce the population around your home. They play a pivotal role in the control of ticks, flies, locusts, scorpions, and other invertebrates.
Guinea fowl are like feathered pest control machines. Guineas can nearly eliminate ticks, grasshoppers, snakes, caterpillars, scorpions, spiders and more. During the summer months, free ranging Guineas often do not need supplemental feed as they are able to fill up on bugs and wild seeds. The downside? They’re very noisy. If you live in a residential neighbourhood or a rural property with neighbours close by, Guinea fowl are not the best pets to have. They can be noisy and cause severe upset with your neighbours.
Research shows that chickens are excellent scorpion predators. Studies have shown that hens are voracious scorpion predators and that they may react aversively in different ways to scorpion defenses. Hens clearly fit this criterium, having attacked up to 11 scorpions in less than 40 min. The study found that hens do not exhibit atypical behaviors after 1, 7 and 30 days and are all alive after 30 days.
Cats are known for their hunting prowess and can effectively dispatch scorpions. However, some cats, especially outdoor or feral cats, are excellent scorpion hunters. However, this is not a guaranteed solution. While some cats can kill scorpions, others may get stung in the process. It’s best to rely on other scorpion control methods rather than putting your pets at risk.
These predators work best at lessening the dangers from ticks and scorpions on ranches and rural properties. This shows these birds work best in rural areas where you have room for them to roam. Natural predators work best if you have a large property in a rural area. They’re not practical for most suburban homes, but they can be incredibly effective on farms and ranches. The cost varies but expect to pay $50 to $200 or more for the birds, plus ongoing care costs.
9. Apply Professional Grade Chemical Treatments
When other methods aren’t cutting it, professional-grade insecticides can provide the serious firepower you need. Residual Insecticides and Residual Dusts are the best methods of scorpion control. These products are much stronger and longer-lasting than anything you can buy at the hardware store.
LambdaStar UltraCap 9.7% is the gold standard for scorpion control. Homeowners have reported excellent results using LambdaStar to target Arizona Bark scorpions. When applied as a perimeter spray 3 feet out and 3 feet up around walls, many scorpions come scampering out from under walls and are clearly affected by the treatment. The outdoor residual for LambdaStar UltraCap 9.7% is 21-30 days. If spraying indoors it would be 90 days.
Cyper WSP is another excellent choice. Cyper WSP is the best insecticide to kill scorpions, black widows and other spiders because it is a larger crystallized formulation. Cyper WP controls pests for up to 3 months after being sprayed. Users have reported finding around 40 dead scorpions after application, with only one or two acting sickly afterward.
When spraying for scorpions, spray a band around the structure (about 3-10 feet) and spray into potential harborage areas to get rid of scorpions. Apply around all windows and doors, along baseboards, around plumbing, inside closets, and in garage and basement areas. You may also use a dust like D-Fense or Drione Dust in attic areas, if you need to get rid of scorpions in your attic.
When using Lambdastar Ultracap 9.7%, or any other insecticide, it is recommended for people to be out of the treated area until dry, typically 30 minutes to 1 hour. Cyper WP is very toxic to fish. Do not apply near bodies of water or where there may be water run-off. Also remember that Lambdastar does NOT kill on contact. Use wasp spray for that. These products work by leaving a residual barrier that kills scorpions over time.
Homeowners report dramatic success with these professional products. After applying treatments to baseboards and door areas, the only scorpions found in homes are typically deceased ones. Professional-grade products cost between $45 and $80, but they provide much better results than anything you can buy at the hardware store.
10. Call in Professional Exterminators
Sometimes you need to bring in the big guns. If you live in an area known to house scorpions, many pest control companies will charge a monthly fee of around $50 to handle repeat invaders. A one-time scorpion treatment typically clocks in at $150 to $200. Scorpion treatments typically cost around $500 to $1000, depending on the severity of the infestation.
If you see a baby scorpion, however, that likely indicates a nest somewhere in the home. Baby scorpions mean you’re dealing with a breeding population, not just random invaders. If you find your scorpion infestation to be serious enough to the point where you are not confident you can handle the pest control on your own, it may be worth contacting local professional pest control companies. If you’ve tried multiple DIY methods without success, it’s time to call for backup.
Professional exterminators will be able to use methods that are much more powerful than generic, over-the-counter sprays. By utilizing superior flushing agents such as black lights, technicians can easily find where these scorpions are hiding. They have professional-grade UV lights that are much more powerful than consumer versions. Professional scorpion exterminators can provide specialized solutions tailored to your situation which can range from manual scorpion hunting to pesticide applications.
Professionals use multiple approaches to control scorpions. They use traps, glue boards, and removal devices to reduce pest populations. Once the current generation is removed, pest control experts can apply powerful pesticides in a barrier around your home or business, which will keep any new scorpions from entering. They may use residual insecticides that penetrate the pests’ tough exoskeletons and provide 90 days or more of protection.
Professional success rates for removing scorpions are high with regular treatments. Most companies provide guarantees and will return if scorpions show up between scheduled visits. If scorpions make an appearance between visits, the company will return and take care of it at no extra cost. Monthly maintenance programs typically cost around $50 per month. Consistent, year-round service is the most effective way to keep them under control.
For comprehensive scorpion eradication, expert intervention is recommended. While DIY methods can provide temporary relief, ensuring a scorpion-free environment requires a more specialized approach. Remember, it’s important to remember that communities are built on top of scorpions’ natural habitat. That means there is scorpion activity in every neighborhood throughout the Phoenix metro area.
