Three Things You Need To Know About Devil Scorpions
You may think that scorpions are only found in desert areas, but in fact, scorpions can be found in a variety of habitats. Devil scorpions are found in wooded or rocky areas in the southern United States, and they may make their way into your home. Here are three things you need to know about Devil scorpions.
What do Devil scorpions look like?
Devil scorpions can range in color from dark gray to brown to black, and their bodies are typically a uniform color. They can reach lengths of up to two inches long, including their tails.
Why are Devil scorpions pests?
While some types of scorpions have very deadly venom, this fortunately isn't the case with Devil scorpions. However, this doesn't mean that they're harmless and should be welcomed into your home! These scorpions can give you a painful sting, and the surrounding area will be red and swollen for a while. If the pain doesn't go away or gets worse, you'll need to see your doctor.
In addition to the painful sting, you may find the appearance of Devil scorpions alarming, especially if you find them hiding in places like your bedding or your shoes.
Devil scorpions may also breed in damp, moist parts of your home, like cellars or crawlspaces. A female scorpion can give birth to as many as 80 baby scorpions at one time, so this can quickly become a big problem for a homeowner. These babies remain on their mother's back for about a month after their birth.
How can you control Devil scorpions?
To control Devil scorpions, you need to try to stop them from coming indoors in the first place. To do this, you need to find every possible entry point where scorpions could come inside—like gaps beneath doors—and seal them. Finding all of these entry points can be labor-intensive, so you may want to hire a pest control company to do it for you.
Another option is to capture scorpions with sticky boards. These boards can be placed in potential entry points like near doors, on windowsills, along walls, underneath furniture, and in other areas where you're seeing scorpions.
Removing hiding places is another important part of getting rid of Devil scorpions. Devil scorpions are nocturnal, so during the day, they take refuge in dark places. Household clutter provides the perfect hiding place for them, so try to get rid of any unnecessary boxes and bags that you're storing in your basement.
If you have Devil scorpions living in your home, contact a pest control company to help you get rid of them.