Some pests look innocent, even though they are anything but. Others, you can tell just by looking at them that they should be avoided. Scorpions certainly look mean -- even without spotting their venomous stingers people and pets know to avoid them. That’s why proper prevention is needed to keep them off your property.
Most Common Scorpions In The Area
Scorpions are part of the arachnid family, making them cousins of spiders. Creepy must run in the family, because these many-legged critters seem to be trying to one-up the other in terms of which is grosser to look at. While there are many varieties of scorpion in North America, all share common features, and the most common you’re likely to find here is the California Common Scorpion. Here’s how you can spot them:
- Size: Common scorpions are small, typically only a couple of inches in length. When fully taught, their curled tails can make them appear small and harmless, but their painful stings will prove that assumption wrong.
- Color: Scorpions in arid, southwestern deserts are commonly brown, so they can blend in with the dry dirt and sand. They can have lighter, almost transparent coloration in the appendages.
- Shape: In addition to their rear stingers, scorpions have large front pincers. Like other arachnids, they have eight legs, not including those large vices in front.
Scorpion Stings & Symptoms
While scorpion stings, like most spider bites, are largely non-lethal for people and pets, they are still no fun to have to deal with. Not only do they hurt, but those with allergic reactions to the chemicals can experience acute reactions, and medical attention should always be sought if a sting occurs or is suspected.
In addition to painful burning sensations, all of the following are potential side-effects of a scorpion sting:
- Dizziness: Venom circulates through the bloodstream, meaning it affects several organs, including the brain. People experience dizziness and disorientation, even headaches.
- Nausea: Our body’s reaction to being poisoned is to purge it from the body. Even though the venom wasn’t ingested, scorpion stings can cause vomiting and stomach issues.
- Shortness of breath: Another organ affected by the venom is the lungs, which can start to feel heavy and breathing difficulties can contribute to light-headedness.
- Muscle spasms: Scorpion venom is intended to paralyze their prey. While people are too big to be totally immobilized, it can still cause twitches or spasms -- and not just at the point of puncture.
Scorpion Prevention For Your Property
Horror stories aside, now we can focus on what this means for you. While only ongoing professional treatments can provide guarantees, there are some things you can do around your property to prevent scorpions.
- Crack sealing: They may not look like it from the top, but scorpions are very flat critters, and they can squeeze through small cracks or holes in the foundations and walls of a structure. Regular inspection and maintenance reduces these points of entry.
- Food storage: Scorpion don’t eat your food, but the bugs that they hunt do. Reducing the populations of all kinds of pests in your home will make you less likely to get scorpions, so clean up those crumbs and spills and make sure food and trash is stored in secure containers and locations.
- Moisture control: While they thrive in dry, arid environments, scorpions need water just like every living thing. Puddles or areas of moisture buildup attract pests of all stripes, including scorpions. Remove standing puddles, and be sure your home or business is properly ventilated.
The Safe Way Is The Pro Active Way
Scorpions are the kind of pest that you don’t want to risk exposure to. Aside from the fact that they are harmful themselves, scorpions on your property are often a sign of a larger pest infestation. Don’t risk getting stung when trained experts are just a call away. At Pro Active Pest Control, we know how to inspect your property for scorpions and pests of all kinds, working with you and your budget to find a solution that not only gets rid of the problem, but will keep it from returning, too.
To get started on an inspection and consultation, even if you aren’t sure you have scorpions on your Livermore property, contact Pro Active.