With temperatures cooling off sooner than normal this year, there’s been a rise of Arizona Bark scorpions found in homes across the Valley. These unwanted guests can gather in large groups of 20-30 to nest in sheltering areas until the warmer seasons return. They can be found in and under bark, lumber piles, bigger landscaping rocks, wall voids, structural cracks, crevices, under concrete foundations, expansion joints, attic spaces and even warm walls, which are all perfect for scorpion hibernation. Scorpions can survive even the coldest of temperatures and live for over five years.
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These upcoming months are the perfect time to consider scorpion-proofing your home to eliminate encounters once the weather begins to warm up and scorpions become more active again. Here are some tips to begin protecting your home and prevent scorpion hibernation this winter:
1. Remove Items Leaning Up Against Your Home, Including Vegetation
It’s time to tidy up the yard! Get rid of any unnecessary items that are leaning up against your walls including vegetation as these can help scorpions gain access into your home. Think of anything in your yard that could provide scorpions with warmth. Clear out any nonessentials that could serve as a potential nesting spot.
2. Consider Replacing Garage and Front Door Weather Stripping
Doors are one of the easiest access points for scorpions to enter your home and maintaining its weather stripping can significantly reduce your home’s chance of scorpion nesting. Typically made of rubber or vinyl, weather stripping seals the barrier around doors as frames contract and expand during the seasonal changes.
3. Seal Your Home
To give your home the most protection, be sure to seal up every crack and crevice. Scorpions will climb in any way they can.
Slick Barrier offers a clear coat one-time formula proven to stop unwelcomed guests from entering homes. The product can be bought and applied by any homeowner and once the application to the base of the house’s exterior dries then the surface becomes similar to glass which prevents insects from being able to climb.
No one wants to deal with unwanted critters around their home. Inspect your home and make adjustments as the weather cools down. You’ve invested time and energy into your space so protect your investment by taking preventative measures to avoid scorpion nesting this winter.
Author: Tony Gonzalez is the co-founder of Slick Barrier, a patented revolutionary barrier system that stops crawling pests from getting inside your home.
