What to Do When You Find a Scorpion in Your Home

Scorpions are very common in the southern United States, as they prefer desert climates. Because they hide in dark, cool areas, they may find the perfect residence in the attic, basement, or crawl spaces inside your home. Seeing a scorpion inside your home is not a pleasant experience, and while most aren’t dangerous, there is one to be wary of in the Las Vegas area. Bark scorpions are the most common and, unfortunately, most venomous type of scorpion in North America. If you spot any type of scorpion in your home, give the experts at Western Exterminator a call to find out how they can be removed safely and effectively.

Identifying a Bark Scorpion in the Home

Because bark scorpions are so common in the Las Vegas area, it may be likely that scorpions found in the home are of this species. They are light brown in color, grow up to 3 inches in length, and have a thin tail with a curved stinger. Bark scorpions are adept climbers, congregate in very large groups, and may be found trapped in sinks or bathtubs, climbing walls, or in a dark closet in the home. Bites are very dangerous to humans and can cause numbness, tingling, blurry vision, and twitching muscles. If you are bitten by a bark spider, it’s crucial to receive immediate medical attention.

What to Do With Scorpions Inside Your Home

No one wants scorpions scampering around in their homes. The thought of them lurking in dark, cool places in your house is enough to call a professional to check out the situation for you. The experts at Western Exterminator can help you learn how to implement some of the following prevention and elimination tips:

  1. Implement proper exclusion techniques. It’s essential to inspect and seal any holes, cracks, or crevices on the exterior of your property that may let
  2. Eliminate places scorpions may linger. Placing potted plants on stands, storing outdoor bins away from the home, eliminating yard debris, and making sure your landscaping is tidy can all help keep scorpions away.
  3. Keep a tidy environment free of food crumbs inside the home to avoid other insects. Because scorpions feed on insects, they may be attracted to homes infested with them.
  4. Remove sources of standing water and moisture. Make sure your home’s pipes and plumbing works properly without leaks, as scorpions seek out water.
  5. For scorpions already in the home, lay glue traps, carefully use pesticides, and always take caution in trying to remove them yourself. Scorpions are quick, can be dangerous, and are difficult to get rid of. It’s typically best to simply call a professional exterminator to do the hard work for you.

Professional Scorpion Prevention and Control Services

Bottom line, scorpions are one of the most dreaded pests to find inside your home. While there are certainly methods to remove them yourself and plenty of tips on preventing them in the home, sometimes it’s best to call a professional, especially if you believe the scorpions in your house to be bark scorpions. At Western Exterminator, our expert technicians have the training and experience required to get rid of scorpion infestations and keep them away for good. Give us a call today to learn more about what to do with the scorpions in your home!

How to Reduce the Risk of Scorpion Stings

Scorpions are an unfortunate reality for most Las Vegas homeowners. While the scorpion “bite” is a myth, scorpions stings are very real! Whether scorpions are crawling in your backyard, or across your bedroom wall, you need to know how to reduce the risk of stings! Here are Rentokil’s best tips for reducing stings–both inside and outside of your home.

Basic Tips to Avoid Scorpion Stings

Daily living around scorpions requires a bit of extra thought. Whether you’re folding laundry or climbing into bed after a long day, here’s some advice on avoiding those painful stings:

  • Always keep fingers and toes where you can see them.
    • Seems easy, right? It applies to every situation–reaching into a bag, putting slippers on, checking underneath a bed for a lost sock–they all require a bit of thinking before doing!
  • Shake out clothes and shoes.
    • Every time, and in every situation. By making it a habit, you can keep yourself–and your family!–away from harm.
    • Don’t leave clothes on the floor, either. It’s a perfect hiding spot for scorpions.
  • Look at your sheets and blankets before getting into bed.
    • This is one that makes our skin crawl too, but it’s absolutely necessary. Remember: scorpions want to hide, and they want to be undisturbed. If you jump into bed on top of a hiding scorpion, you will get stung.
  • Never go barefoot outside.
    • This one is easy. Put as much shoe between you and a scorpion as possible!
  • Wear gloves when doing yardwork or putting hands in dark corners.
    • This is a very easy way to prevent being stung.
    • Make sure the gloves are thick enough so the stinger can’t penetrate through the glove itself. There are various companies that make scorpion-proof gloves.

Reduce the Risk of Scorpion Stings Inside Your Home

Scorpions want three things: food, shelter, and water. It’s your job to make sure they can’t get any of that from your home!

  • Stop water leaks in walls, around faucets, and from pipes.
    • Scorpions are small, and if there’s water nearby–they will find it.
  • Block all holes and cracks.
    • This is an easy concept, but it can be difficult to know exactly where the holes are.
    • Commit to regular inspections to look at caulking and entry holes around utility pipes.
  • Seal your foundation.
    • This is a big one. If you have a major scorpion problem, or you want to avoid a major problem, get your foundation sealed by a company that specializes in these services. It can make a big difference!
  • Put away all food when not used, including pet food.
    • No, scorpions don’t typically eat pet food or table scraps. But they do eat some animals that eat food–including mice.
  • Make sure all other pests are controlled, so scorpions don’t have a food source.
    • By controlling mice and insects, you eliminate a potential food source for scorpions, thereby reducing the attraction your home holds for them.
  • Don’t let clutter accumulate.
    • Scorpions want to hide. Don’t let them!
  • No cardboard storage.
    • Don’t store items in loose cardboard boxes that scorpions can rest in.
    • Store any items in clear plastic containers with tight lids. Scorpion-proof peace of mind!
  • Always inspect items before bringing them inside–especially the underneath.
    • Scorpions love undisturbed objects, and they will hitch a ride inside.
    • Arizona bark scorpions actually enjoy being upside down. They can hide under furniture and be carried inside very easily.
  • Optional: use netting around beds.
    • This is up to your discretion. Some people feel safer with netting, and others don’t like it.

Avoid Scorpion Stings Outside of Your Home

  • Get rid of standing water.
    • Clean up any old tires, plant pots, wheelbarrows, and any other objects that could have standing water in them.
  • Remove extra bark, tree limbs, or other yard debris.
    • Some scorpions live under bark in the wild. Don’t fool them into thinking that your yard is a safe place for scorpions!
  • Never leave pet food on the back porch.
    • Again, scorpions won’t eat pet food–but they eat the small mammals that do!
  • Look for potential threats with scorpion “hunts” at night.
    • Scorpions glow under UV light (blacklights).
    • Grab a UV flashlight and shine it around your yard. Hunt those scorpions down, before they find a way into your home!
    • If you see a lot of scorpions one night, it’s time to double down on your efforts to keep them out of your house. Check your foundation, windowsills, and doors for possible entry points.

Professional Help to Get Rid of Scorpions

If you’re finding scorpions in your home on a frequent basis, you need professional help. Fighting scorpions on your own can be overwhelming and exhausting, and there are a lot of elements that go into removing scorpions completely. If you need help with your scorpion problem, give Rentokil a call today!

10 Facts You Need to Know About the Bark Scorpion

Las Vegans are no strangers to scorpions, and most of us know about the baddest one of all: the bark scorpion! Also known as the Arizona bark scorpion, this tiny devil packs a punch as the most poisonous scorpion in North America. While bark scorpions live in infamy, there may be a couple of facts you don’t know–facts that could help you identify and even prevent these scorpions from stinging you! Rentokil is always looking for new ways to protect you and your family, so we’ve come up with a list of 10 facts you need to know about the bark scorpion.

Identify and Prevent Bark Scorpions

With effective pest control, proper identification is half the battle! Arm yourself with these facts about Arizona bark scorpions, and learn more about preventing them.

  1. They travel in packs.
    • Most scorpions prefer to be solitary–but not the bark scorpion!
    • While they can be found wandering alone, the real danger is in winter, when they hunker down in packs of twenty or thirty.
    • If you see one bark scorpion, chances are high that more are waiting just around the corner.
  2. Bark scorpions range from 7-8 cm long.
    • The biggest of the species is just barely 3 inches long!
  3. They can climb vertically.
    • It’s true. Unlike most other scorpions, bark scorpions can climb rough vertical surfaces.
  4. Bark scorpions typically hold their tails to the side.
    • The key is typically. Unlike a lot of scorpions that prefer to have their tails over their bodies, bark scorpions will frequently position their tails to one side.
  5. They give live birth.
    • Unlike most arachnids, all scorpions give birth to live babies, called scorplings.
    • Bark scorpions will give birth to 25-35 scorplings at a time, typically in early summer.
  6. They have terrible eyesight.
    • This is why scorpions prefer to walk along walls.
    • It’s also why they sting when startled–they can’t see you coming!
  7. They can live up to 6 years.
  8. They only need a hole the size of a credit card to get in.
    • You heard it! This is why adequate sealing of the space between your foundation and your home is so important.
    • Sealants are available that are made especially to keep scorpions out.
  9. They are nocturnal.
    • If you suspect a scorpion infestation, check out your home and yard at night.
    • Use a blacklight–bark scorpions (like most scorpions) glow in UV light.
  10. They’re drawn to moisture.
    • This last fact is a key component to fighting an infestation, especially in the hot summer months.
    • By cutting down on available or standing water, you can cut down on your chances of a scorpion infestation.

Professional Help for Bark Scorpions

If your yard, home, or business is infested with bark scorpions, you will definitely benefit from professional extermination services. At Rentokil, we handle everything from inspection, exclusion, and treatment–all so we can protect your home and family! Call today to learn more about our bark scorpion treatment options!

It’s Bark Scorpion Season – 5 Tips to Prevent Being Stung

Bark scorpions, also known as Arizona bark scorpions, are typically 3 inches in length or less, with a light brown body. They can be found in the southwest of the United States, including Las Vegas, and into northern Mexico. The venom of the bark scorpion is the most potent scorpion venom in North America. As the weather gets cooler, scorpions start to gather near homes on block walls, rocks, and near retaining walls.

Bark Scorpions and Dangerous Stings

A sting from the bark scorpion can cause symptoms for up to three days, including:

  • Severe pain
  • Numbness in the affected limb
  • Convulsions

Deaths have been known to occur after a sting, though usually only in the elderly, very young, or those with scorpion venom allergies. After a scorpion sting, medical attention must be sought immediately.

Bark Scorpion Behavior and Your Home

Bark scorpions don’t have nests or burrows, and prefer to roam, looking for food and shelter. They are nomadic, and will travel from home to home, looking for potential resources and invading any available space.

Most scorpions do not socialize or congregate, preferring to remain solitary. Bark scorpions are the exception: they will congregate in groups of 20-30 scorpions during the winter. Most scorpions that enter a home during the fall are doing so to escape the cold weather, and it’s vital to prevent them from moving inside.

5 Tips to Prevent Bark Scorpion Stings

Your home should be protected as thoroughly as possible against scorpions. Here are some basic prevention tips to “scorpion-proof” your house, and to prevent the stings themselves:

  1. Check your clothing, and shake your shoes before putting them on.
  2. Always check bedsheets and blankets before using them.
  3. Homes should be kept clean.
    • Clutter or other items that can serve as hiding places for scorpions should be eliminated.
    • Never reach into a box, bag, or other container without checking for scorpions first.
    • Thorough cleaning should also be completed to prevent other insects that bark scorpions like to eat, like ants and cockroaches.
  4. Your backyard should remain tidy as well.
    • Don’t allow standing water to accumulate.
    • Fill all holes and burrows (Carefully!)
    • Clean up any pet food
    • Remove any brush or piles of vegetation
    • Never go outside barefoot.
  5. Cracks in walls and foundations should be sealed, ensuring that small scorpions cannot enter.

Professional Help for Bark Scorpions in Las Vegas

If you have experienced multiple bark scorpion sightings, or you find them frequently in your backyard, you need to get professional help as soon as possible. Bark scorpions are a major and dangerous problem, and they should never be allowed to remain anywhere near your property. If you’re not sure what species of scorpion you’re seeing, give Western Exterminator a call! We can inspect your property, identify the species of scorpion, seal your home against future problems, and treat any possible scorpion infestation.

Why Fall Pest Control is Important

When the long days of summer draw to a close and the cooler weather of fall approaches, so do fall invading pests. At Western Exterminator we realize that we all have some kind of bug that plagues us, and to understand why fall pest control is so important, you first have to look at the problem. And it’s not pretty.

Mice and rats can get into your walls, chew on wires, and nibble on sheet rock. So, besides being disease carriers that can run through your garage, pantry and food drawers, they can also create problems with your electric, phone, internet, and television wiring. Rodent control discourages and eliminates mice and rats from your home.

Fall invaders also bring viruses and disease.  Cockroaches can passively transport microbes on their body surfaces including pathogens that are potentially dangerous to humans. Cockroaches have many negative consequences for human health because certain proteins (called allergens) found in cockroach feces, saliva and body parts can cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma symptoms, especially in children.

Cockroaches will eat almost any organic matter no matter how rancid. Once inside the home, they will seek out food scraps, unsealed food containers, sugar and grease deposits, pet food, rancid meat, glue and even bookbindings. If you see a clump of pepper-like specs in your kitchen cupboards, it is likely cockroach feces marking their courtship and nearby nesting territory.  Cockroach control can rid your home of these disease producing pests.

In fall, bugs and rodents are looking for a place to hibernate or overwinter and that’s why fall pest control is so important. A pest professional can treat your property and set up devices that watch for harmful insects, like cockroaches, scorpions and spiders. Monitoring insect activity can help to prevent many bugs from entering your home.

Fall Pest Prevention Tips:

  • Screen attic vents and openings to chimneys, and any other areas where homes may be open to the outdoors, like mail slots and animal doors.
  • Keep basements, attics and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry. Pests are attracted to areas of moisture, something they need to survive. Using dehumidifiers in basements and garages will help keep these areas dry.
  • Seal cracks and crevices on the outside of the home using caulk and steel wool. Pay close attention to where utility pipes enter the structure. Some rodents can fit through a hole the size of a dime.
  • Keep kitchen counters clean, store food in airtight containers and dispose of garbage regularly in sealed receptacles. Crumbs and a buildup of garbage are attractive to pests scrounging for food. It is recommended to clean up after each meal and to properly close garbage cans when they are stored in the home or garage.
  • Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around the foundation and windows. These are easy ways to keep not only pests, but also cold air out of the house.
  • Store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house and keep shrubbery well trimmed. Removing areas where pests can hide near your home can reduce the chance of them finding a way inside.
  • Install door sweeps and repair damaged screens. Torn window screens and cracks under doors are an ideal entry point for household pests. When you open the window, you could be letting in more than just fresh air.
  • Inspect items such as boxes of decorations, package deliveries, and grocery bags before bringing them indoors. Pests can find creative ways to get inside a home. Shake out or inspect anything that has been left or stored outside.
  • Avoid leaving pets’ food dishes out for long periods of time. Pests don’t discriminate between people food and cat food. Pet dishes that have been left sitting out are enticing for all kinds of insects and rodents.
  • Have a proper outdoor drainage system. Installing gutters or repairing an existing system will help draw water and moisture away from your home, preventing any leaks or build up that might attract pests.

 

If you live in Las Vegas or Henderson, you don’t have to live in fear of bugs and rodents. Proper fall maintenance can keep your home and your family safe, and bug free. Don’t make the common mistake of stopping pest services during this time of year, a mistake that could easily lead to more serious pest problems. To learn more about protecting your home and family from pests year round, contact us today at 702-385-1269.