Scorpions in AZ (Mesa, Surprise: subdivisions, fence, costs)

[jimj]

Originally Posted by Tokinouta

Yeah, my neighbor spent the night with his eyes involuntarily batting back and forth, losing control of his bowels and going numb. Thankfully they are used to stings at the hospital and shot him up with anti-venom.

My cats face blew up the size of a football and he spent a night in the animal hospital getting put under having it drained and cleaned twice. It cost me almost two thousand dollars.

You must be rich and or have no issues when a scorpion stings you or your pets. Lucky you. Some people aren't that lucky. If I were you I'd just be grateful for that fact instead of putting down people who undergo hardship from it but it's a free country, whatever makes you feel better.

I cant afford to spend two thousand dollars everytime my pets encounter a scorpion or miss a few days off work everytime I do. It's worth the backlighting.

$45 for a pint of Cykick CS on Amazon that works very well. Safe for pets and people once dried.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Fear of scorpions to the extent that some in this community (and most of those thinking of moving here) display is borderline neurosis. As for the bite I've been stung several times. Wife has been stung more than me and the kids too have been stung as well as a dog or two. Nobody had more than a very uncomfortable sting and some tingling/numbness which is the reaction the vast majority of people have from a scorpion sting. It's like bee stings or peanut butter. Some are going to have severe reactions but the vast majority will not. The first time you get stung and you call poison control thinking you are going to die, they will tell you put ice on it and don't worry. It's no fun to be sure, but that does not mean I am to spend my summer nights shining a UV light on the walls looking for them and thinking that is going to have any meaningful impact on my odds for getting stung.

It's up to you of course. If you sleep better after an evening of scorpion hunting, then by all means continue. For me and for the huge majority of people who live in this area such tactics would be considered gross overkill at a minimum. Suggesting that it is necessary or common behavior of residents is highly misleading to potential newcomers. There are very few people here who "seal" their homes or hunt scorpions with a black light at night. For most, simply having the perimeter treated with insecticides every month or so is the extent of it.

For many the symptoms you describe are the norm. There are those that get a severe reaction just like there are those that almost die from a Bee sting.
Just like those Bee stings, one doesn't know how their body will react until such a time as they're stung. For those that found out they have a severe reaction, well, I'd consider if I wanted to live here and/or go full on Nuclear on Scorpions.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by jimj

For many the symptoms you describe are the norm. There are those that get a severe reaction just like there are those that almost die from a Bee sting.
Just like those Bee stings, one doesn't know how their body will react until such a time as they're stung. For those that found out they have a severe reaction, well, I'd consider if I wanted to live here and/or go full on Nuclear on Scorpions.

Agree. If you know from experience that your reaction to a sting would be life threatening, then I would move away posthaste. There is no assurance whatsoever that blacklighting scorpions is going to drop your odds. More will just move in to take the place of those you eliminate. Killing insects one at a time does not seem to be a productive approach. Same with this so-called sealing. They will find a way in. If your life depends on it, then move out or don't come here in the first place. This is scorpion country and there is no surefire way around that.

[hikernut]

I've tried almost everything. If something as simple as spraying CyKick works for you, consider yourself lucky.


Yes, killing them one at a time is a lot of work. But it's effective, I have zero doubts on that front. We had a massive infestation when we moved into our house. Now we've got our own property clean, and just need to keep killing the ones that come over/through the perimeter block wall. If we leave for a couple of weeks in the summer they will encroach into the property. It is pretty obvious.

[mlulu23]

Originally Posted by gbpakrfan
There's nothing worse than feral cars.

And they breed like crazy! The trap, and release spay, and neuter program really helps. But the cages are huge.

[Tokinouta]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Fear of scorpions to the extent that some in this community (and most of those thinking of moving here) display is borderline neurosis. As for the bite I've been stung several times. Wife has been stung more than me and the kids too have been stung as well as a dog or two. Nobody had more than a very uncomfortable sting and some tingling/numbness which is the reaction the vast majority of people have from a scorpion sting. It's like bee stings or peanut butter (scorpion stings are neurotoxins not allergens however). Some are going to have severe reactions but the vast majority will not. The first time you get stung and you call poison control thinking you are going to die, they will tell you put ice on it and don't worry. It's no fun to be sure, but that does not mean I am to spend my summer nights shining a UV light on the walls looking for them and thinking that is going to have any meaningful impact on my odds for getting stung.

It's up to you of course. If you sleep better after an evening of scorpion hunting, then by all means continue. For me and for the huge majority of people who live in this area such tactics would be considered gross overkill at a minimum. Suggesting that it is necessary or common behavior of residents is highly misleading to potential newcomers. There are very few people here who "seal" their homes or hunt scorpions with a black light at night. For most, simply having the perimeter treated with insecticides every month or so is the extent of it.

I have no obligation to real estate agents or anyone else for that matter on here. I clearly stated that it was my preference as nothing else worked for me and told others if they dug the wildlife here have fun, nothing to worry about. I don't dig it and I think I was pretty clear about it.

You will have to support your claim that backlighting doesn't kill scorpions with evidence because I think you're full of it. insecticides don't work unless you spray it on them which is why backlighting works. They can live a year with no food. Killing their food supply is impossible.

I have a problem with them, monthly spraying doesn't work, backlighting and sealing worked for me. I'm just being honest.

You obviously don't have a problem with them. Great! The stings you get are like peanut butter. lol Doing no type of pest control works great for you! lol Life is fantastic for you. You think everyone else is neurotic if they have a problem with it. You are impervious to scorpions. Congratulations. I cant think of any other response you desire but I'm sure you'll let me know.

For those of you who care, here are some suggestions:

People pay this guy to do it. There are plenty that will hunt them for you for a fee if you can not.
Scorpion hunters share secrets for killing dangerous pests inside and outside your home - ABC15 Arizona


Some neighborhoods have hunting groups if they have a substantial problem. HOAs sometimes donate supplies because they appreciate it.
Surprise community hunts down scorpions in neighborhood - ABC15 Arizona

[Tokinouta]

Originally Posted by hikernut

I've tried almost everything. If something as simple as spraying CyKick works for you, consider yourself lucky.


Yes, killing them one at a time is a lot of work. But it's effective, I have zero doubts on that front. We had a massive infestation when we moved into our house. Now we've got our own property clean, and just need to keep killing the ones that come over/through the perimeter block wall. If we leave for a couple of weeks in the summer they will encroach into the property. It is pretty obvious.

So have I. I think by the time you get to backlighting and sealing you have tried it all. Some people have a larger problem than others. That is clear. I am amazed that those who don't think its all in your head. I happen to live in what they call the scorpion corridor. I was stupid not to do some research first.

[mlulu23]

I think it's "Black lighting". It makes them show up in the dark so they can be killed.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/no...e-one-big-eye/

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[john3232]

Originally Posted by mlulu23

I think it's "Black lighting". It makes them show up in the dark so they can be killed.

Why do scorpions glow in the dark (and could their whole bodies be one big eye)? - Not Exactly Rocket Science : Not Exactly Rocket Science

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You can buy a black light flashlight for about $10-15.

The scorpions light up in green and are easily spotted.

[john3232]

Originally Posted by hikernut

I tried DE this summer and honestly did not notice any impact.

After this, one of the local news stations did a piece on scorpions. The pest control guy they had on television said that DE does nothing for adult scorpions. He said he's put them in a glass jar with DE and shook the whole mess up so they were really coated. It did nothing. He did say it works on the young ones, though, which WOULD be a help for us.

Next summer when there are lots of scorpions available for harvesting I intend to run my own experiment to refute or confirm this guy's findings.

Last summer I had a rental property on the market. While getting it rent-ready I spotted maybe seven or eight scorpions on the garage wall and floor after dark. The next day I put the DE on the garage floor and then swept it up against the walls. This helped pushed the DE into the cracks.

I checked the home each night and by the third night I spotted no live scorpions although I saw a couple of dead ones.

The renters moved in a week later and after three months they've reported nothing.