Scorpions, Tarantulas, Snakes, Oh-My (San Antonio, Austin: to buy, extermination, shopping centers)

[vman8126]

I once saw three cats gathered around something trying to paw at it and then they would jump back, I thought it was small snake at first but as I got closer I realized it was a 10" centipede and it was NOT afraid of those cats, it actually would raise it head and try to strike at the cats, it was unbelievable, anyway the crawler finally met its demise by the business end of a walking cane from an old couple that was out for they're morning walk!!!! And it put up a good fight against that cane as well!!!!.................LOL

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

OK, I really hesitate to post this, because it is a subject that will be blown way out of proportion, and unfortunately goes straight to one's core, but here goes.


I met my first scorpion last night, at about 3:30AM. I did not like her at all. I was asleep, in bed, resting peacefully, and my wife started to shake me because she thought I was having a nightmare. Little did she, nor I know...

I was being roused by obviously something crawling on me, and when my wife woke me, I brushed "it" off my shoulder. Big mistake, because that was the first sting, right next to the armpit. Well, after that, I brushed much harder, and she got me once more as she slid down. Now I am a big guy, but I swear it was like an ice pick that was heated over fire that was punched into my skin. Did I mention, I did not like our meeting at all?

Well, I ordered my wife to get out of bed, oops, I got ahead of myself, she probably figured it was just a spider like a couple of years ago, but that did not bite, we didn't know what it was yet. We turned on the light, and there she was, running to the edge of the bed, but I had my shirt handy and got her, and it was off to the bathtub. Did I mention the ice pick feeling? Oh ok, don't want to sound like a whiner, but it hurted real bad...

I was able to dispatch her right then and there. Oh, I call her a her, because I saw some weird looking things on top of her, that were not guts or anything. When I went to Wikipedia, that is where I learned her young will ride on top of her for some time, so I guess in a way, we are lucky because we will not have any babies growing up to repeat their mothers unintentional rudeness.

Anyways, I have now replaced my fear of spiders! Wooo Hoooo!

Oh, by the way, I will also be putting steel wool in the "weep holes" along the bottom row of bricks like every Texan at work said I should have done in the first place, so have no fear about moving out here, and do as they do, and put that steel wool in. Oh, the several folks I talked to also said they have never heard of anyone getting stung like I did, so really, have no fear.

Ouch, it stills hurts...

[Trainwreck20]

My first encounter with a scorpion was when I was 10 years old, and I was stung in bed, too....will keep you awake for a couple of nights, I am afraid....

Anyway, if you search this thread (or one of the other bug threads) you will see mention of the babies on the momma. Be glad you did not try to squish her .

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

My first encounter with a scorpion was when I was 10 years old, and I was stung in bed, too....will keep you awake for a couple of nights, I am afraid....

Anyway, if you search this thread (or one of the other bug threads) you will see mention of the babies on the momma. Be glad you did not try to squish her .

I did squish her, but in about 4 double thick Costco paper towels, what does the squishing do?

[Trainwreck20]

Squishing makes all the baby scorpions got running in every direction, if they are old enough. They are about the size of these periods and will give you nightmares about them growing up to avenge mom.

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(lots of little scoprions....)

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Squishing makes all the baby scorpions got running in every direction, if they are old enough. They are about the size of these periods and will give you nightmares about them growing up to avenge mom.

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(lots of little scoprions....)

OK, these were much bigger already, about 2 mm's in length, and they weren't going anywhere luckilly, or at least I don't think they did. Maybe it was something else, or at least that is what I am going to believe for the next few nights...

[Driftwood1]

I have seen the babies riding many times, we use "The Quicker picker upper"
A sizeable handful of wetted towels and just splat them up and dispose.

As for the steel wool, yes its a good idea, but do not fool yourself into thinking you can eliminate every entry point. No house built is tight enough to keep them out. The only defense is to eliminate them outside so they arent around to come in. Rock piles, wood piles, disturbed soil, etc. clean it up or keep it far from the house.

One rumor I heard was that if you treat for fire ants, you get more scorpions! cause fire ants will kill them, especially the babies, or so say the exterminators guys...



Just my OP..

Cheers,
G ---4 stings and counting!

[greystonefarm]

You had a scorpion in your bed in Steiner Ranch????!!!!

Does this mean I'm not immune in Lakeway...subdivision-houses right next door-nothing rural?

[ohio2texas]

Originally Posted by Driftwood1

One rumor I heard was that if you treat for fire ants, you get more scorpions! cause fire ants will kill them, especially the babies, or so say the exterminators guys...

Not only am I completely freaked that a scorpion is going to be in my bed (I literally was up a few times last night thinking about this thread) but...

WE HAD OUR LAWN PROFESSIONALLY DE-FIRE ANTED!

Is this true... the fire ants keep the scorpions in check???

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by greystonefarm

You had a scorpion in your bed in Steiner Ranch????!!!!

Does this mean I'm not immune in Lakeway...subdivision-houses right next door-nothing rural?

Nope, if you search Wikipedia, Scorpions inhabit a swath of land from Arizona to Central Texas, and a few other areas. But, we have been here 4 years now, and this is the first one we saw in the house, and, errrrrr, got really close to.

I knew I shouldn't have posted...