Got a question about scorpions........ (Scottsdale, Chandler: trip , work, hospital)

[fotoverdi]

Not that I'm overly concerned with them, but I do see people bring them up from time to time. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we did indeed do it, we bought on our trip last week, a new home up in Vistancia and are ever so excited. It won't be done till October, but I keep reading that if you are going to have the little buggers, it is with new construction and the desert type areas, which we will and do have. Anyway, I also read that they hurt like crazy when you get stung. My question is this, being from New York, what do you do when they sting and do they require a hospital visit? Or, are they just like our bee stings here? You don't die from them, I'm presuming, right?

[silverbear]

A healthy adult can usually ride out a scorpion sting at home, although it's definitely more painful than a bee sting. For a small child or someone already in frail condition, a bark scorpion sting is potentially dangerous and a trip to the emergency room is in order. Make one of your first tasks after moving in to sign up for regular service from a licensed pest control company. Regular treatments don't really kill the scorpions, but instead kill the other creatures that scorpions eat. By eradicating the scorpions' food supply, you can make your home less attractive to them. Also, make sure to plug any cracks or holes in your house that scorpions might use to enter.

[MontanaGuy]

I've actually only seen one scorpion since I've lived here in the last five years and that one was in the kitchen sink of a vacant house I was looking at with a realtor when I first got here. Yes, they are fairly common and from co-workers who've had them I understand they can be difficult to get rid of. I hear the stings from the smaller ones are the worst because as they age they are better able to control how much venom to use while the young ones just give you a full dose.

[Steve-o]

Most scorpion stings are "dry", meaning no venom was injected. Scorpions produce small amounts of venom, therefore use it only when they can, and it can be extremely potent. The most dangerous scorpion in AZ is the AZ bark scorpion (Centruroides exilicauda). Theyre small (1.5" on average) as adults and pack a wallop with their stings. Ive kept many as pets and work with scorpions on a daily basis, and these species are rumored to be the worst in North America. Those with weakened immune systems (sick, elderly, infants) should be taken to the hospital. Uncontrolled eye movements, tongue movements, muscle tremors, and drooling are major signs that a envenomation has occured. AZ bark scorpions are also arboreal, meaning they are climbers, and good ones at that too. You can expect to find these on all levels of the house. Caulk up cracks, remove piles of garbage, spray for other bugs and cut overhanging branches (they have trees in AZ? j/k) that reach over the house. The people that say theyve never seen scorpions in AZ just dont take the time to look for them. My FIL said he hadnt seen any in his new house in a year, I went outside and around the house with the blacklight and turned up OVER 20 in an hour or so!!! Most are very small and being xeric species, theyre tan and blend in with everything else around them. You could be 2" from one and not see one unless it moved. Other scorpion genus you can find in AZ that are the most common are Hadrurus, Vaejovis, Smeringurus. Theyre not considered lethal but pack healthy punches. Make sure you have the AZ Poison Control Center # on hand, it will come in handy. Heck, I keep it here in IL in case of an envenomation. I keep scorpions and study them, if you have any more questions let me know.

Also, do some research on Latrodectus hesperus (western black widow--female only), theyre VERY common in AZ and are worse than the bark scorpions. Also, be on the lookout for rattlers too which are even worse! LOL Not trying to scare you, but when you live in the desert, life is a different ballgame, one that could be potentially deadly.

[jenol]

ah... scorpions...
well they are easier to kill than those big roaches.
Roaches can run so fast and i don't have lightening speed reaction.
Roaches can fly! EEEKKK - send me screaming around the house. They can climb into and hide any where.
Roaches are almost imposible to kill. Swat it with a shoe 20 times and the thing is still movin'
But scorpions are the opposite. They don't run fast at all. Unless you really **** them off they may "jog"!
Yes they can climb up into cabinets and up on door frames, been there.. but after a mighty loud scream and then realizing no one is listening... I walk over and get...anything... a book, a shoe, a pencil, a fly swatter. And smush... they dont even move or run. They just sit there and squish and they arent moving. No fear they are dead.
And since they dont react I find it less messy to just put them in a glass or jar. They cant climb the glass. Then you can either dround them or do the nice thing and release them on your next walk.
all in all don't worry....they are not so bad.

[nevercoldcall]

They're rare. The only areas that seems to have a real problem with them are North Scottsdale and South Chandler.

And even there, if you spend a few grand to have your house sealed, you won't have a problem. As long as there's no way for them to get in, they won't.

A lot of people who are paranoid about scorpions get cats, which are immune to the stings and kill scorpions on sight.

[Nature Girl]

Are dogs immune as well???

[Boatdrinks]

Originally Posted by nevercoldcall

They're rare. The only areas that seems to have a real problem with them are North Scottsdale and South Chandler.

And even there, if you spend a few grand to have your house sealed, you won't have a problem. As long as there's no way for them to get in, they won't.

A lot of people who are paranoid about scorpions get cats, which are immune to the stings and kill scorpions on sight.

We lived in south Chandler for over 2 yrs and never once saw a scorpian, nor did anyone we know.

[jenol]

we live in central phoenix and so do they!
they are all over the valley
don't kid yourself
we live in a desert
what do you think they packed up and moved when people moved here?

[arizonanative]

I don't want to scare you but the little critters are up in Vistancia. My best friend has lived there for about two years. The first year was ok, then last year, her husband and her two kids were playing on the carpet and the husband got stung. He thinks that perhaps the scorp cralled onto his shorts that he had put on the floor from the night before when he went to bed. He said it was the most pain he has ever felt, and the area he got stung went numb for awhile.

Now, they have a black light and go around and kill them every night. They try and kill them on the outside, before they get inside. He even had gone to the house when they were building it and added extra caulking etc. He has put screens up in the ac vents and covered the outlets with screen. I have heard from my bug guy that diametrisis (spelling) earth from pool companies is good for putting on the perimeter of your property. Bug people can't do it, has to be from the homeowner, but just a suggestion.

We're living in their territory unfortunately....