Tips and Techniques for Black Light Hunting of Scorpions (how much, house)

[marchewka959]

Hello All,

So I wanted to create a thread to share tips and techniques for improved black light hunting of scorpions. I have been told that this is one of the most effective ways to control a scorpion population.

Scorpions are (more) difficult to eliminate with pesticide because 1) they do not groom themselves 2) their bodies are raised off the ground 3) they (mostly) do not nest.

I am fairly new to this so please feel free to add/correct. Be helpful to build up a nice list of tips.


WHEN

1. The best times to hunt seem to be 1-2 hours after dark. Early morning before sunrise is good too.
2. Just after it rains (at night) is an ideal time to hunt. As the rain flushes out scorpions.
3. New moon or cloudy nights are better.

WHERE

1. Cracks in block wall, spaces between concrete block
2. On leaves/branches of low bushes (this surprised me)
3. Anywhere there is clutter/ river rock/
4. On surfaces that are not exposed to the setting sun, so not on west facing surfaces.
5. The bark scorpion can climb, so look high as well as low.

HOW

1. A good blacklight is essential. I did not find any in the usual home improvement stores but on amazon (LEDwholesalers) has an excellent, powerful, well reviewed UV light for $15. * Do not look into the UVlight beam or point it at people.
2. An aerosol spray poison works better than stick/tongs. Can safely reach scorpions in cracks etc. I use TERRO Scorpion Killer Spray and it works well.
3. With Terro scorpions do not die immediately but they do die. You can smoosh with stick to be sure. But I find that at the *** end of the can, it seems to be less effective.

[SMG]

All of the above is very effective. The only thing I disagree with is this statement, "I have been told that this is one of the most effective ways to control a scorpion population."


It is not. It is a very good way to estimate how much of a scorpion issue may be present, but if you go outside and kill 50 tonight, you are only getting those that are showing themselves at that moment. I am not saying it is not a recommended step, but that is all it is...a step. I would go so far as to say it is a very small piece in getting rid of your scorpions. I went to a local pesticide warehouse and he sells everything imaginable. He sells every kind of black light there is for scorpions. He told me to go ahead and get the black light, but all that is really doing is illustrating how many we have.
Just my .02. Nothing wrong with doing the black light thing, but it is simply not going to get rid of your scorpions.

[AZPam]

Gave my daughter a black light and small hammer and told her to go hunting. She was freaked out at first but now really enjoys it! Says she would rather kill them outside than in the house, which is fine by me. Knock on wood, have only seen 2 this year in the house.

[marchewka959]

There is no doubt that you need a multi-pronged strategy to combat scorpions. Clearing out clutter, pesticide and black lighting. But I do think black lighting is an important part of the process. If you blacklight for 15 minutes everyday. You will, in 3-4 weeks, kill most of your scorpion population. Further, it is especially effective during the months of July/August if you come across a mother with babies on her back.

I think that one reason pesticide companies down play the importance of blacklighting is that there is really nothing in it for them. Most of the articles on the efficacy of blacklight hunting come from universities/government centers. No pest company will black light for you on a daily basis which is the best way - but an impractical strategy for a commercial outfit.

Having said that, I would rather this thread did not become a discussion on the usefulness of blacklighting. Let us proceed with the idea that blacklighting cannot hurt and try to put together a database of tips and techniques.

[DetroitN8V]

Spray some Cy-Kick CS around the perimeter of your house and your wall and there won't be a need to waste your time hunting around at night. Since I started using it, I haven't seen one and we're right next to the mountains and open desert.

[SMG]

^^^^^ This.

Fifteen minutes a day or once a month or two spraying? Black lights are great for monitoring how many you have. I had a long talk with the guys at Bug and Weed Mart. They sell tons of black lights and make $$ doing so. They also stress that it does little to rid the property, but that it does serve a purpose. You will not see the majority doing that.

[sunluv]

Black light "hunting" seems unsavory and except for directly using one around the house as outlined below, not a long term solution. There'll be more of them down the road.

The best approach is multi-layered and includes a barrier around the house that will stop all insects, that is maintained.

Make a barrier, seal the house outside in terms of openings/cracks/under doors/openings in the garage, etc. This can require some thought and several rounds of trial and error, as previously hidden areas of access to house might not be obvious.

Clear away debris around the outside that they will live in and that makes access to the house easier. Use the black light to inspect around this area.

Spray and use bombs inside of the house to ensure that it is free of other insects that attract scorpions.

Presents to consider leaving include diatomaceous earth and boric acid powder (Home Depot, Lowes, etc). After sealing the garage a month ago boric acid powder was sprinkled, resulting in many dead roaches. They'll walk through it then die as long as the integrity of the barrier is maintained/replaced/kept dry. A grass seeder can be used to spread it.
http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

[marchewka959]

I must confess this is frustrating. I do not want to get into a discussion about the efficacy of black light hunting. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. There are currently active threads discussing pesticides/sealing etc. I wanted this thread to be simply about black light hunting.

So let me try this again. IF you black light hunt please use this thread to share any tips and techniques.

[DetroitN8V]

Techniques and tips? Shine for them then bop, spray or torch the sucker. Any way you do it is an exercise in futility.

[AZgarden]

Why would anyone want to do this? Why not get a hobby? Spraying around the perimeter of your house just every couple months does the trick. Killing scorpions outside, especially if they have babies on their backs, is not my idea of fun. Afterall, this used to be their land. Let them be. Just keep them out of your house by spraying.