Cockroaches & Scorpions (Austin, Spring, Pflugerville: apartment complex, houses, college)

[intmd8r]

I seriously wonder what our cats would do with such a creature?

[ATX Wahine]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Yeah, I dig them too now. After the initial shock of seeing something that big in a spider shape, it actually gets kind of cool. They seem to have more of a small furry mammal demeanor than an insect demeanor. They definitely don't want anything to do with you or what is inside your house -- they just want to get back to their little spider holes or rock crevices in the yard/greenbelt.

Plus, they are really too big to try to smash or anything... so you just come to a mutual creature to creature agreement that it's better if they simply get relocated.

Yes - you are exactly right. They're just little furry wombats to us now. Totally harmless, slow moving, just looking for bugs and warmth. We asked the Bulwark man if the holes in our pasture with webbing over them were tarantula holes and he walked down and took a look at one. He took a stick, very gently pushed it inside a hole, and furry little legs reached out and grabbed the stick. He said "Yep" and just walked back to the house ... lol. Here I am now a couple years later and just as casual about their presence as he was.

Scorpions however are another story. They will be eradicated upon sight, no questions asked.

[Moonlady]

Originally Posted by Nor Cal Wahine

Yes - you are exactly right. They're just little furry wombats to us now. Totally harmless, slow moving, just looking for bugs and warmth. We asked the Bulwark man if the holes in our pasture with webbing over them were tarantula holes and he walked down and took a look at one. He took a stick, very gently pushed it inside a hole, and furry little legs reached out and grabbed the stick. He said "Yep" and just walked back to the house ... lol. Here I am now a couple years later and just as casual about their presence as he was.

Scorpions however are another story. They will be eradicated upon sight, no questions asked.

That's exactly how I feel - Spiders and I coexist peacefully (unless it's a brown recluse) but scorpions aren't quite the gentle or beneficial creatures that spiders are. I had the unpleasant experience of having one crawl across my face while I was sleeping and when, in my mostly sleep state, tried to brush it off, it stung me on the ear! No mercy for scorpions!

[ATX Wahine]

Originally Posted by Moonlady

That's exactly how I feel - Spiders and I coexist peacefully (unless it's a brown recluse) but scorpions aren't quite the gentle or beneficial creatures that spiders are. I had the unpleasant experience of having one crawl across my face while I was sleeping and when, in my mostly sleep state, tried to brush it off, it stung me on the ear! No mercy for scorpions!

GAH! I'm such a freak about scorpions that I keep a little black light flashlight next to my bed and yep - darn near every night during spring, summer, and fall I take a quick scan before bedtime with the lights off and look for them under and behind the bed, the ceiling, and we always take a peek when pulling the covers down. We've only found one in our bedroom in two years though and he was on the floor, outside the bathroom, and was already half-dead. My husband still laughs at my 'extreme gooberosity' when it comes to scorpions but it sure makes me feel a lot better to be on the lookout for them.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by Moonlady

That's exactly how I feel - Spiders and I coexist peacefully (unless it's a brown recluse) but scorpions aren't quite the gentle or beneficial creatures that spiders are. I had the unpleasant experience of having one crawl across my face while I was sleeping and when, in my mostly sleep state, tried to brush it off, it stung me on the ear! No mercy for scorpions!

I was stung in my sleep one time too. Not fun.

[BobosCurse]

Originally Posted by briannasmomma

I felt something on my arm so I held still and when I didn't feel it anymore I turned the light on and there was a scorpion on my pillow!.

Okay, that's just freaking me out.

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by Nor Cal Wahine

GAH! I'm such a freak about scorpions that I keep a little black light flashlight next to my bed and yep - darn near every night during spring, summer, and fall I take a quick scan before bedtime with the lights off and look for them under and behind the bed, the ceiling, and we always take a peek when pulling the covers down. We've only found one in our bedroom in two years though and he was on the floor, outside the bathroom, and was already half-dead. My husband still laughs at my 'extreme gooberosity' when it comes to scorpions but it sure makes me feel a lot better to be on the lookout for them.

This is a valid approach, and I am not knocking it at all. I do want to also explain our approach. The two times I was part of a scorpion's nightly foraging, our bed was on the floor, box springs and all. I was stung twice by the first one, and the second one missed!

As soon as we put the box springs up on the supports that came with the bed set, and made sure the Bed Shami was not on the carpet, we have gone 3 years now without a scorpion sting. They may be in the house, but I don't care as long as they don't sting us!

[Driftwood1]

There's more than one thread on this here on CD and I think one place most agree is that its just plain foolish to have your bed on the floor in TX. Unless you like the little guys.

Once the scorpion population that was there before your house was built is gone, either by extermination or a good stomp, you will see them less and less, and eventually, not at all. Keep your yard free of debris, rocks n such, and before too long this wont be a problem. Also , dont fool yourself into thinking you can seal them out of the house. While it may help a little, the young ones are simply too small to stop.
So, if they got in the house during construction, get the place treated, then control them outside by eliminating their habitat and perimeter spraying. Soon you wont see any and can even stop with the exterminating. They wont likely come back.
Poor lil guys get such a bad rap!

[vegas2tx2indy]

I have lived in Georgetown for 3 months and have already seen 2 scorpions on my porch and one in my kitchen. I've had the house and yard sprayed 3 times and I also have a dog and cat in the house. Moving to Indiana next week and I can't wait!!

[austinnerd]

Originally Posted by Driftwood1

There's more than one thread on this here on CD and I think one place most agree is that its just plain foolish to have your bed on the floor in TX. Unless you like the little guys.

Once the scorpion population that was there before your house was built is gone, either by extermination or a good stomp, you will see them less and less, and eventually, not at all. Keep your yard free of debris, rocks n such, and before too long this wont be a problem. Also , dont fool yourself into thinking you can seal them out of the house. While it may help a little, the young ones are simply too small to stop.
So, if they got in the house during construction, get the place treated, then control them outside by eliminating their habitat and perimeter spraying. Soon you wont see any and can even stop with the exterminating. They wont likely come back.
Poor lil guys get such a bad rap!

Since this was already resurrected.

I moved here from Cali where I slept on the floor for years. Of course I did the same after moving here. One night, a few weeks after I moved here, I got up in the middle of the night to go potty. I walked back into the room and laid back down on the floor when I had one of those "hey, did I just see something large on the wall?" moments. I got up and turned the light on, and sure enough, there was a scorpion on the wall. Now coming from the Bay Area, where it's so expensive that most bugs can't afford it, this was entirely a new experience. The next day I went and purchased a bed, first one I've owned since I moved out of the house This is in an apt in NW Hills.

Agree about the "wood roaches", spray frequently and it keeps them to a minimum (but where I am, they are everywhere). An even larger "problem" where I am is actually geckos. They are cute little buggers and they put on a good show hunting all the insects right outside our windows. Problem is the little ones make it into the house. What's wrong with that you ask, well I can't tell you how many times I've gotten up in the evening and while strolling through the hallway in the dark I feel a "squish" under my feet. You'd think the probability of stepping on one, considering their small size and the available walking area, would be rather low, but I swear they commit little lizard suicide when they see me coming.

Oh and one thing I'm surprised no one has mentioned are the centipedes. I lived in a relatively new apt complex once and I'd see some monster huge centipedes. Now those buggers are nasty, they're very aggressive, though they are pretty cool looking (the ones I saw were often a brightish yellow with dark bands around their legs). I stay very far away from the centipedes.