The top reasons why scorpions are attracted to your home are because they search for darkness, moisture, shelter, and food. To help you stave off scorpions from your home, learn why they crawl into homes and what you can do about it.
1. Darkness
Just like many other crawly critters, scorpions prefer to hide in dark places. Darkness keeps them safe from predators, sunlight exposure, and heat. During the day, scorpions stay hidden in the wild using crevices or burrows.
Scorpions are active at night. This helps them preserve the water they use to manage body temperature. Nighttime is also the best time for them to sneak up on their prey.
At home, the basement is a popular scorpion location, as it’s an ideal place for hiding in dark corners. Safety is one of the reasons why scorpions are attracted to houses.
Fun fact: Scorpions glow in the dark. So, If you want to check if there are scorpions in your house, you can use UV blacklight to search for them at night. Check out our article on why scorpions glow under UV light here.
2. Moisture
All animals need water to survive, and this includes scorpions. During the hot days, especially in the summer, scorpions wander into homes to look for water. Most of the time, they enter through the pipe drains and plumbing system. These entrances help to explain why scorpions are found in the bathroom and kitchen. Aside from that, scorpions are attracted to water because they know their prey lives in these areas.
3. Shelter
Scorpions are sensitive to light and heat. Because of this, they need to live where there they can easily hide during the daytime.
Of course, scorpions prefer to stay outside, but if their natural habitat is disturbed, they will look for a new shelter. And if your home is close by, it becomes a likely place for the scorpion to travel.
If your house has a lot of clutter lying around, scorpions will have more options to choose for hiding. They like to hide under anything that will keep them safe from light and heat.
If you keep piles of logs, bark, straw, and the like near your home, you’re increasing your odds of attracting scorpions. These animals love to stay hidden, so clearing out your yard and garage will decrease your chances of a scorpion infestation.
4. Food
Scorpions feed on insects, particularly centipedes, spiders, flies, and beetles. Bigger scorpions, eat small lizards, mice, and other scorpions. This behavior means if your house is home to these insects, your chances of attracting scorpions are high.
To ensure your home won’t invite scorpions, always clean crumbs and spills. Eliminating crumbs will help to deter ants and roaches from invading your house, which in turn decreases scorpions. It’s also essential to maintain insect control outside the home as it will help lessen the number of scorpions that could invade in the future.
Where Do Scorpions Hide in Homes?
- Quiet and isolated areas: Corners and areas left undisturbed are perfect areas to look for scorpions. Check the basement, behind the curtains, under beds, and behind cabinets. An extra room that is usually empty is also a great place to check for scorpions. Keep in mind that scorpions prefer to live in quiet and undisturbed areas where they can stay hidden. These are also excellent spots for them to look for prey.
- Entryways: Aside from cracks or spaces on doors and windows, scorpions often enter a house via electric lines, phone lines, or vents that are connected. These entries explain why scorpions are found in the kitchen or bathroom and can be seen on the ceiling. Yes, scorpions can climb walls and ceilings.
To make sure there aren’t scorpions in the house, check if the pipes entering the home are properly sealed. Remember that scorpions can enter even in the tiniest cracks or openings (Reports state they can slide through spaces the width of a credit card). You may want to replace old seals on your windows, doors, and pipes.
- Damp or dark places: Scorpions find dark, moist places comfortable spots to live and hide, making the basement a favorite. So if your house has a basement, make sure to clean and check it regularly.
Another area in the house that’s highly likely to have scorpions is the laundry room. If you want to catch a scorpion in the laundry room, simply leave a wet towel or clothing on the floor overnight. Just be careful when handling the clothing the next day.
To keep the laundry room scorpion-free, make sure there are piles of clothes, damp clothing or towels left for a long time. Other areas in or outside the house that prone to moisture accumulation attract scorpions. For instance, a corner in the garage where a hose is attached may be left wet and can easily attract scorpions.
Piles of rocks or woods nearby the house are also great hiding spots for scorpions, especially during the colder or rainy months when these areas are left damp.
Do Scorpions Infest Houses?
No, they don’t. Scorpions are not particularly drawn to a house unless there are good reasons to be. For one, a home with people living in it isn’t very inviting for a scorpion. They also have poor eyesight; scorpions rely on touch to look for habitats and small cracks to crawl into.
Scorpions also do not nest. These animals don’t work together in groups like other insects or animals. They like to live and survive on their own. If your home has ample food for them and their preferred shelter, scorpions may exist in higher numbers but should never be overwhelming.
Signs That You Have a Scorpion in the House
If you’re worried that there’s a scorpion in your house, here are a few signs to check if you’re right.
1. Your garden or yard has ample shade.
Scorpions may prefer warm climates, but they ten to seek shady areas to hide. If your house has a garden or yard with ample shade, chances are, there might be scorpions living there. You can check the darker and colder corners for these animals.
2. You have citrus trees.
Citrus trees attract scorpions, particularly the bark scorpion species. Aside from the many loose barks that serve as shelter to scorpions, these animals love rotting fruits and decaying roots. So if you have citrus trees at home, consider sealing all possible spaces and entryways where scorpions can enter.
3. You’ve already seen a scorpion in your house.
Scorpions are territorial creatures, which means it takes a lot to drive them away from an area they’ve decided is home. Once they’ve found a comfortable and convenient place to dwell in, they’re more likely to come back. This means if you’ve already seen a scorpion in your house, the chances of finding one again in the same location are high. To safeguard your home from these animals, take the necessary actions to keep them out for good.
4. You live in a place with a warm climate.
Scorpions can survive cold temperatures, and they like damp and cold places; however, this doesn’t mean they prefer the cold. Scorpions hide in warm places during the winter. When temperatures drop, scorpions will search for warm and dark places to hide. So, if you live in a tropical location and if your living conditions are convenient for scorpions, expect these creatures to dwell in your area.
5. There’s an increase in smaller insects.
Another sign to watch out for in and outside your home is the number of smaller insects. If you suddenly notice an increase in smaller insects lingering in your home, there’s a good chance that scorpions will invade your house as well. Keep in mind that scorpions go where the food is. If your house is home to many smaller insects, this serves as an invitation for scorpions to come and prey on them.
How to Not Attract Scorpions into Your Home
If you want to avoid inviting scorpions into your home, follow these steps. These tips should give you peace of mind and keep the scorpions in their natural habitat.
1. Remove Piles of Debris and Junk
Scorpions like to hide under piles of junk or debris, such as leaves or woods. If you want to get rid of scorpions from your home, consider eliminating these piles. Make sure garbage is always taken to the curb as well.
If your home has a fireplace, avoid stacking wood inside the house. Consider bringing wood in only when needed.
For homes with gardens, it pays to maintain the trees and shrubs. Scorpions are attracted to trees with many loose branches that serve as shelter. Trees or plants with decaying roots are also very inviting for scorpions, as these are possible spots for roaches and other pests they eat. With that, make sure to cut overhanging branches, especially those that touch the side of your home. Maintain your garden, and you’ll be helping yourself get rid of scorpions.
2. Seal Any Open Space
Keep your home scorpion-free by sealing any spaces between doors and windows. You may need to do some weather stripping or caulking. Again, keep in mind that scorpions can get through small spaces, so don’t leave even the smallest of cracks open.
3. Remove Their Food Source
One way to get rid of scorpions is to make sure your house is not infested with insects they love to eat. General cleaning once in a while is necessary to keep insects and bugs away from your home. Take note that termites can also attract scorpions.
What to Do If You See a Scorpion at Home
Never catch a scorpion with your bare hands unless you know exactly what you are doing. Here are helpful tips on what you can do if you see a scorpion in your house:
- Use a broom and duct tape: If the scorpion is on the ceiling, the best way to catch it is by using a broom and duct tape. Stick a long piece of duct tape at the end of the broom. Let the sticky side face out to catch the scorpion. Poke the scorpion with the broom until it falls on the sticky side. Then, place an empty jar or can over the handle to cover the scorpion. Tip the can side up and carefully put the lid on. You can free the scorpion far from your home.
- Use a sticky trap: You can use sticky traps to catch scorpions. Place these traps near entryways, water sources, or in dark and cool places around the house. Anywhere you suspect a possible scorpion hiding spot is an excellent place to put those traps. Also, for your family’s safety, opt to purchase the non-toxic versions.
- Use a DIY burlap trap: A DIY trap that’s effective in catching scorpions is a moistened burlap sack. Wet the sack and place it in areas where you think scorpions might be hiding. These include the basement, attic, near the entryways, or in the garage. Leave the sack open overnight. Be extra careful when checking the sack in the morning. Make sure that you’re wearing gloves, too. Keep in mind that scorpions pack a nasty sting. You may repeat the process until you catch the scorpion.
- Use essential oils: Certain essential oils deter scorpions. These include lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, and cedar. Simply dilute any of these oils in water and spray it generously in scorpion-troubled areas. These are the windowsills, doorways, sinks, baseboards, attic, basement, and around the perimeter of your house. Aside from keeping them out, these essential oils can also flush them out from their hiding spots. Fumigating is also another effective method used for more significant scorpion problems. We recommend contacting a professional to do this as it is more advanced. Find one here.
- Spray insecticide designed for scorpions: If essential oils don’t do the trick, you can go for insecticides specifically made for scorpions. Spray around the exterior of the house, about 6 feet wide, and up to 1 foot on the foundation wall. Spray the insecticide around the doors, windows, and baseboards inside the house. Apply also in the garage, attic, basement, and closets.
- Apply synthetic pesticide dust: For a more robust solution, especially if scorpions have been coming back to your house, use synthetic pesticide dust. These substances will kill scorpions even before they start crawling inside your home. Spread the pesticide dust around pipes, electrical outlets, attic, and near window sills and doorways.
- Call a professional: If none of these steps work, or you simply don’t want to deal with scorpions yourself, it’s time to call pest control professionals. They will have experience in your area and the best chance to eliminate your problem for good.
Whether you like scorpions or not, it’s best to keep them out of your home. Doing do will give you peace of mind, assure your safety, and keep them in their natural habitat. Not to mention, some scorpions carry poisonous toxins with them, so the last thing you’d want is to attract them into your own and endanger your life and your family’s