The Trick To Keeping Scorpions Away From Your Austin Property

Scorpions might be the single scariest pest to find inside your house. They are rarely deadly, but the claws and that raised, barbed tail make them look like they mean business, and for pets, kids, and anyone allergic to scorpion venom, a sting is a real concern. Most scorpions just want somewhere to hide from the Texas heat. Here is the trick to making sure that somewhere is not your home.

Types Of Scorpions In Austin

First, meet the neighbors. Dozens of scorpion species call Texas home, but the one that invades Austin houses most often is the striped bark scorpion. You can recognize it by its pale yellow or tan color and the two prominent dark stripes running down its back. The body averages about 2 ½ inches long, with thin front pincers and a thick, segmented tail topped by a stinging barb.

A striped bark scorpion sting is not life-threatening, but it is genuinely painful. Swelling at the site is typical, and nausea, difficulty breathing, and muscle spasms can all follow. For anyone with an allergy, the reaction can be much more severe, and medical attention should be sought right away. Our post on how dangerous Austin scorpions really are goes deeper on what a sting actually means.

Keeping Scorpions Out Of Your Home

Scorpions come inside for relief from extreme temperatures and to hunt for food. They can slip under a door or window with ease and end up hiding in very inconvenient places, including inside your shoes. Working from the yard inward, here are the steps that make the biggest difference:

1. Remove yard waste. Clear debris from around the exterior of the property. Firewood piles, rocks, logs, and fallen trees are all favorite scorpion harborage.
2. Stay on top of landscaping. Cut the lawn regularly and keep shrubs and plants from touching the house. Overgrown vegetation is an invitation for scorpions and for the bugs they feed on.
3. Reduce the prey insects. Scorpions hunt smaller insects like ants and spiders. One of the simplest ways to thin out the prey population is turning off your outdoor lights at night.
4. Find the entry points. Inspect the outside of the home for cracks and crevices a scorpion could use to get in, paying special attention to the areas around pipes and drains.
5. Replace tired weather-stripping. With faulty weather stripping, a scorpion can simply walk in under the front door. Swap out any strips that are pulling away.
6. Reduce moisture. Scorpions need water like everything else. Dripping pipes and fixtures and any standing water pull them toward the house.

The outdoor steps discourage scorpions from settling into the yard. The entry-point steps matter most, because the real trouble starts when they head indoors.

The Best Solution For Scorpions

Prevention narrows the odds, but no homeowner can fully control scorpions and the pests they hunt across an entire property alone. That is where a professional solution from Accurate Termite and Pest Control comes in. With over 25 years of experience serving Central Texas, our scorpion control service eliminates the scorpions and the insects they feed on, which is what keeps them from coming back. We offer a free consultation to talk through the problem, and we promise no surprise fees and no contracts.

For the best protection from scorpions for your Austin home, get in touch today for a free quote, or call (512) 267-0812.