Whether you have lived in Arizona for decades or just arrived, you will eventually encounter a scorpion. Arizona desert safety starts at home.
Arizona has dozens of species. Common varieties in the low desert include the Arizona bark scorpion, giant hairy scorpion, and stripe-tailed scorpion. However, the bark scorpion is the only species in Arizona considered a serious medical concern.
They play an important role in the desert by eating crickets, spiders, and other pests. Still, most Buckeye residents would rather keep them outside.
Why scorpions enter homes
Scorpions often enter homes while searching for food, water, or shelter from extreme heat. They can slip through small cracks, damaged weatherstripping, loose door sweeps, and gaps around windows or pipes.
Additionally, homes with cricket problems may attract scorpions because crickets provide a reliable food source.
To reduce the risk, homeowners should seal cracks, repair screens, install tight-fitting door sweeps, and remove wood, rocks, bricks, and other debris from around the house. Keeping trees and bushes trimmed away from the building can also eliminate pathways to the roof.
Desert safety starts with shoes
Scorpions often hide inside shoes, clothing, sleeping bags, and towels left on the floor or ground. Therefore, residents should shake out these items before using them.
Parents should also teach children desert safety, and not to touch scorpions, but to immediately alert an adult when they see one.
Scorpions are active mainly at night. Residents can use a portable ultraviolet light, commonly called a black light, to search for them. Their exoskeletons glow brightly under ultraviolet light.
The University of Arizona recommends conducting outdoor searches between 8 and 11 p.m. Anyone attempting to capture a scorpion should wear boots and use long tongs.
What to do after a scorpion sting
A scorpion sting can cause immediate pain, numbness, tingling, and sensitivity around the affected area. Although many healthy adults can manage a sting at home, small children face the highest risk of a severe reaction.
First, wash the sting with soap and water. Then apply a cool compress and keep the affected limb in a comfortable position.
Call the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at 800-222-1222 for treatment advice and to determine whether hospital care is necessary.
Call 911 immediately if the person has trouble breathing, uncontrolled body movements, excessive drooling, unusual eye movements, or another severe reaction.
Living with the desert
Scorpions are part of Arizona’s desert ecosystem, and completely eliminating them from an area can be difficult. However, sealing the home, removing hiding places, controlling insects, and checking shoes and clothing can significantly reduce unwanted encounters.
If scorpions regularly appear inside a home, residents should consider contacting a licensed pest management professional experienced in scorpion control and desert safety.
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