Scorpions... (Gilbert: work, moving, live)

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by ms973

My husband and I just came back from Arizona. We stayed in the Litchfield Park/Goodyear areas and drove from west to east of the Valley. Except for traffic, we really liked what we saw. So we came back to NY and decided to really consider making the move to AZ. Until last night!! The Discovery Channel aired a program called the BIG STING! I freaked out. I started to reconsider. This couple and kids got bitten in bed by a scorpion! I have a toddler and 2 dogs (sharpei). I did some research on the internet and I heard about chickens. That having them actually helps. LOL. I found that hysterical. Do people actually have chickens in AZ?? I am normally not scared of bees, insects, roaches etc.
Should i be this scared? I really appreciate your help. Good or bad news, I liked to hear about it. Thanks!!!

I live in the Phoenix area on an acre lot and we have literally thousands of scorps. My fiance would go out and kill 50 every night (he used carburator or brake fluid and a blacklight to see them). We used to have at least 30 chickens, but a bunch were killed by the neighbor's dog (grrr). When we had that many, we had no scorp problem inside the house. Once we were down to about 8 chickens, we started to see one per month or so inside the house. We now have a 6 month old baby who's very strong and active, so he's going to be crawling and walking soon. We don't like exterminators because of the chemicals, and they haven't kept the scorps away from our neighbor's house anyway. I do know a couple of adults who have been stung, and it really is horrible. It can be deadly for small children and the elderly because the kind we have out here are bark scorps, which are supposed to be the worst. so, your fear is somewhat justfied, however, it's not as hard as you think to get rid of them.

Keep in mind that the areas which have scorp problems are areas like mine, with lots of natural space, and areas next to mountains or open desert. I have never seen a scorp in or around any of the other places I've lived, which were in denser areas.

Killing mass quantities of scorps, hunting them, does help because they live a long time, so they don't reproduce as fast as spiders or roaches. There are several things you can do to get rid of them.

1. get rid of any dense vegetation where they might hide.
2. make sure you don't have any holes or cracks in your house from the outside (you can use foam seals to make sure it's all tight)
3. get rid of any scorp food (insects)
4. use food grade dimataceous earth around the perimeter of the house (don't use pool grade). This is the absolute best stuff! It basically dehydrates the scorps. My fiance put some down last week and he went from finding more than 20 around the house, to 1 if he's lucky (didn't find any last night). It's non toxic, but wear a face mask when you sprinkle it. You can also use some around the house, just like you would use boric acid for roaches (we don't have any of those, by the way...thanks again to the chickens)

It's really not that big of a deal. I walk around in flip flops all the time. They can only sting you if you're really close to them, and I've never had one chase me. They usually try to run away or sit still.

Oh, also, we have our son in a crib, and if you're using one, you can put the legs in mason jars so that no scorps can crawl up.

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by ms973

So what about those chickens? (I cant help but laugh when i write that!!)

I think scorps are a chicken's absolute favorite meal. I've seen them chase and eat them.

Oh, please be careful if you want to have chickens though. Most dogs kill them (for fun). Chickens are very fun pets though. I know it sounds weird. I never was a huge fan of any bird until my fiance's mom found an egg with a little beak popping out. The hen had already left her nest, but this little runt still wanted to hatch. We incubated the egg, and we still have our Turbo now. He is soooo sweet and friendly, and he'll actually chase a stick around if you drag it on the ground. We named him Turbo because when he was a little tiny chick, he thought I was his mom (since he'd never met his real mom and I took care of him..I had to teach him how to eat and drink), and I'd run around the yard and he'd chase me with his head ducked as if to be more aerodynamic. He also loves to be held and petted. And he loves to eat scorps

I probably should have read all the posts before posting my own reply. I just wanted to let you know that I live in Gilbert on a horse property. There are a lot of older horse properties and there's a lot of open land being developed in Gilbert, so that may be why we have a lot of scorps. The cities on the outside of the Phoenix Metro area are going to have more scorps, but no place is immune to critters, because my parents live in south scottsdale and have the occasional black widow and a decent roach problem despite having an immaculate house. But like others said, it's not something most people worry about.

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

stinging themselves to death, coming out of the drain while youre taking a bath,

One of the "facts" stated that if you pour alchohol on a scorpion that it will sting itself to death. LOL Thats impossible seeing that a scorpion is immune to its own venom.

Well, you're wrong there. I found a scorp in the shower while I was in it. I've worn flip flops in the shower ever since, but I'm not worried in the least since you're right, they don't chase you. It probably didn't come up from the drain, though it could have (I read that scorps can survive in water for 20 days), but regardless, it was in my shower.

You're also wrong that they can't sting themselves to death. I've seen it happen. Kind of cruel, but if you surround the scorp by fire, it will freak out and sting itself to death. I didn't do it, but I saw someone else do it. The fire was far enough away that that's not what killed the scorp; it was its own sting.

Sorry to contradict you, but I do believe what I have seen with my own eyes.

[BurtsBees]

Suicide misconception

The belief that scorpions commit suicide by stinging themselves to death when surrounded by fire is of considerable antiquity and is often prevalent where these animals exist. It is nevertheless untrue since the venom has no effect on the scorpion itself, nor on any member of the same species (unless the venom is injected directly into the scorpion's nerve ganglion—quite an unlikely event outside of the laboratory). The misconception may derive from the fact that scorpions are poikilotherms (cold-blooded): when exposed to intense heat their metabolic processes malfunction. This causes the scorpion to spasm wildly and this spasming may appear as if the scorpion is stinging itself. It is also untrue that alcohol will cause scorpions to sting themselves to death.

-Wikipedia

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by kawgpz550

The one i found in my house was a Centruroides. It was maybe 1 to 1 1/2 inches in size. I know this is also considered a Bark Scorpion. Some people like to say that they are "translucent" and they are considered the most toxic.

What I've been told is that the smallest "clear" scorps are the youngest and don't know how to control the amount of venom they disburse, so they tend to disburse more than adults (which are more beige and opaque in color). The young ones are a little scarier because since they're smaller and more translucent, they are definitely more difficult to spot, though I have seen some.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Artliquide

Well, you're wrong there. I found a scorp in the shower while I was in it. I've worn flip flops in the shower ever since, but I'm not worried in the least since you're right, they don't chase you. It probably didn't come up from the drain, though it could have (I read that scorps can survive in water for 20 days), but regardless, it was in my shower.

You're also wrong that they can't sting themselves to death. I've seen it happen. Kind of cruel, but if you surround the scorp by fire, it will freak out and sting itself to death. I didn't do it, but I saw someone else do it. The fire was far enough away that that's not what killed the scorp; it was its own sting.

Sorry to contradict you, but I do believe what I have seen with my own eyes.

Ok, Ill give you that much. Scorpions tend to find areas in homes that are damp, showers and sinks, etc are good spots. People even find them in dishwashers! Anyhow, the point I was making is that they dont come out in force from the sewers () like some people seriously believe. The scorpion you saw probably crawled into your tub, and the only spot it could hide would be your drain, as it had nowhere else to go.

As for them stinging themselves to death, thats 100% false. I can give you the names of dozens of scorpiologists who can back me up. Scorpions cannot, I repeat: cannot, sting themselves to death. In fact, a scorpion mating dance consists of several stings to each other, Ive witnessed it myself. Heck, when I introduced a 2nd Pandinus imperator (emperor) to my other one, they had an all-night sting fest, absolutely no harm done.

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Heck, when I introduced a 2nd Pandinus imperator (emperor) to my other one, they had an all-night sting fest, absolutely no harm done.

Maybe the death isn't due to venom, but enough piercing of the exoskeleton?

[Artliquide]

Originally Posted by mmcgarry

2) The schools are horrible here, the teachers are unqualified. As a result people are not too bright around here.

Whoah. This is off topic, but I beg to differ. I attended junior high, high school and college here and I tend to believe that I and my friends are bright enough. I agree that my education is not as advanced as the education I received in Europe as a child, however, my high school here was strong in academics, and many schools in the area exceed national standards. Also, I am planning on teaching high school this or next year, and with my degree in the subject matter I plan on teaching, I am considered a "highly qualified" candidate for the teaching field, according to the No Child Left Behind Act. I am not a diamond in the rough either. I'd like to know what your point of reference is.

[JeepGirl118]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Exterminators? Dont listen to them, they know as much about scorpions as they do rocket science. Scorpions who are gravid are carrying embroyos, of which cannot survive w/o their mother. Scorpions give live-birth, upon which the babies climb onto their mothers back and ONLY leave after a molt. If the young fall off their mothers, they dehydrate and die. So if you squash a gravid scorpion, the eggs will not hatch and you will not have dozens of baby scorpions running around.

Hm! Thanks, Steve-o! Once he put that in my head - I cannot express to you just how delicate I was. I now can go back to squishing the little boogers without being paranoid!

[JeepGirl118]

Originally Posted by Artliquide

I live in the Phoenix area on an acre lot and we have literally thousands of scorps. My fiance would go out and kill 50 every night (he used carburator or brake fluid and a blacklight to see them).

Thousands? 50 a night? Where in the valley is this?