Scorpion Hunting 101: 3 Ways to Find Them

Living in the Sonoran Desert, we often dismiss the fact that scorpions run rampant here. For most Americans, the idea of scorpion hunting could be the basis of a reality show, not everyday life. But for Arizonans, we know better. If you have a home near the open desert, then there’s a high likelihood you’ve had a scorpion problem at some point. There are ways to combat that scorpion problem yourself. Lucky for you, we have some pointers.

First Rule of Scorpion Hunting: Find the Scorpions

You won’t be very effective at scorpion hunting if you have no idea where the little buggers are. The easiest way to discover these nocturnal critters is with a low-cost black light. You can run down to your local hardware store and purchase a pocket-sized black light flashlight for less than $10. And if you’re going hardcore, spend more and get an industrial-sized light.

Black lights are effective because of the luminescent quality of scorpions. When hit with a black light, they will shine with a glow-in-the-dark yellow-blue-green color.

Some homeowners will catch the scorpions after spotting them, releasing them into the desert later. Others, however, are more prone to eradicate the problem. If you fall into the latter camp, read on!

Second Rule: Kill the Scorpion

Light Them on Fire

Baptism by fire isn’t always fun, but it’s definitely effective. If you fashion yourself a bit of a pyromaniac, then lighting scorpions on fire is one of the ways you can master scorpion hunting. Just buy a portable propane torch at the local hardware store. Then walk around the perimeter of your home, preferably at night when scorpions are active. Use your handy-dandy black light to see them in the dark, and then torch away.

It should go without saying (but we’ll say it anyway), you should be extremely cautious using this method of scorpion hunting. Your flame is, well, flammable. And that means it can burn more than just scorpions. Be cautious when burning scorpions on any wood, such as woodpiles or wooden window frames. If you have too much wood to burn the scorpions effectively, there’s another scorpion hunting method.

Stick ‘Em Up!

The tape-on-a-stick method is another effective way of ridding your home of scorpions. Grab a sturdy stick first. It could be a broomstick, baseball bat, hiking stick, or towel rod. Then affix a turned-inside-out swatch of duct tape to one end. When you spot a scorpion, tap the tape end of the stick to it firmly enough for it to attach. Then smash the scorpion to smithereens on a rock and dispose of the carcass in a plastic bag.

Third Rule: Know When to Quit

There may come a time when you realize that you’re in a losing battle with the scorpions on your property. Or perhaps scorpion hunting loses its appeal. That’s when it’s time to call in the big guns.

At Budget Brothers, we not only love scorpion hunting, we love to stop scorpions before they enter your home or yard! We love devising strategies that will help us avoid the whole situation by getting rid of scorpions altogether.

If scorpions have overstayed their welcome with you, give us a call. We’ll take it from there.