A lot of Colorado residents might think that they don't have to worry about scorpions in their homes. After all, scorpions are infamous for being a Texas problem or an Arizona problem, not a Rocky Mountain problem. However, we do have scorpions here in the Centennial State. And that's why they need to be part of your Castle Rock pest control plan.
Scorpion Hotspots: Where They Hide And Thrive
Scorpions are arachnids just like spiders. And, just like spiders, all types of scorpions hunt and eat live prey. They thrive in homes that have plenty of other bugs crawling around, such as centipedes, cockroaches, silverfish, and more. Scorpions typically grab prey with their claws and sting it with their stinger to immobilize it before consuming it. This is the primary reason why scorpions have claws and stingers, not for self-defense. However, they have no problem using these weapons for self-defense if the occasion calls for it.
This can make scorpions particularly problematic inside your home because there are endless opportunities for you to accidentally come into contact with them and trigger a defensive sting. For example, scorpions absolutely love to hide inside dark, confined places like shoes. Sticking your foot in a shoe with a scorpion inside it is highly possible if you have a house full of them. If this happens, you could wind up with a nasty scorpion sting.
Scorpion Stings: Symptoms And Treatments
The good news for us here in Colorado is that most American scorpions are harmless, and the only dangerous scorpion in the U.S. lives far away from here in the Arizona desert. This means getting stung by a scorpion is only likely to kill you if you are allergic to its venom.
If you don't have an allergy, getting stung by a scorpion in Colorado is likely to be little worse than getting stung by a bee. You will experience pain, potentially even severe pain, and swelling at the site of the sting, but all of these symptoms should resolve themselves in a few hours to a few days.
The fact that scorpions don't have the ability to kill you doesn't mean you should be rolling out the red carpet for them, though. Scorpion stings are still painful, and they are still a mortal threat to those with allergies to insect and arachnid venom. This is why scorpion control should be a top priority.
Scorpion Prevention: Top Techniques That Work
Scorpion control is easier than you think if you go about it before you actually get a scorpion infestation. It doesn't take a lot of effort to make your home a more hostile place to these predatory arachnids. The best way to do that is to ensure you don't have anything for them to eat in your house. This means taking measures to keep scorpions' favorite prey outside where it belongs. To do this:
- Cover all garbage cans with tight lids.
- Store all foods either in the fridge or in airtight containers.
- Fix moisture problems like poor drainage and leaky pipes.
- Clean and declutter frequently to get rid of crumbs and hiding spots.
Another great way to keep scorpions out of your house is to inspect it for cracks and holes in the exterior that can allow them to slip in and then seal those with caulk or wood filler. As long as you take these preventive measures to keep scorpions outside, you might be able to avoid ever having to eliminate a scorpion infestation at all.
Professional Scorpion Elimination: The Safe And Effective Solution
If you wind up with an established infestation, it can prove nearly impossible to get rid of scorpions on your own. This is because there are just not a lot of products on the open market that can effectively repel or eliminate these tough, armored arachnids. Even if you do manage to kill a few scorpions, if you do not get rid of the other infestation that is likely attracting them, so you will always wind up with more.
Here at High Country Pest Control, not only can we help you eliminate your secondary scorpion infestation, but we can also help you identify and get rid of the primary pest infestation that is causing scorpions to invade your home. Our experts are well-versed in all local pest varieties in the Castle Rock area, and we also always stay on top of the latest and greatest home pest control technologies to ensure that whatever infestation is plaguing you, we can eradicate it. So give us a call or visit our contact page today!