So I was stung by a scorpion over the weekend...

[Barb_]

Can I just say it was an experience I wouldn't care to repeat any time soon? We were going to sit on the porch and wait for dinner to finish. I stuck my hand down in the chair cushion to straighten it--I suppose I should be grateful I didn't just plop down--and felt something like a cigarette burn. Immediately scorpions came to mind because I've lived in fear of one of us getting stung since we moved here. As the toxin traveled up my vein, it began to swell and burn, tingle and go numb. It was the oddest sensation and very painful. I wanted to head to the ER, but my husband had the idea to call poison control. She was so calming and convinced me that neither I nor the baby were in any immediate danger, but that if I were to experience blurred vision or start to drool (!), I should head over to the hospital.

 

My pinkie finger is still almost entirely numb and tingly...like when your arm goes to sleep, except I can't make it stop. It's so irritating! I'm usually pretty anti-toxin and try to avoid chemicals, but this mama is calling pest control first thing tomorrow morning. The scorpion war has commenced.:boxing_smiley:

 

Barb

[Wendi]

A friend of ours was stung in his kitchen, and was limping for a few days. Those scorpions are fierce! So far I've lived in AZ 4 years, and the only time I've seen scorpions is when out hiking, not in my yard or house. (About a month ago, ds and I found a HUGE dead scorpion on the trail - we're talking 4-5" including its tail. Glad it was dead!)

 

I hope you find some success in getting rid of them. From what I've heard, it's not like getting rid of insects, because their exoskeleton protects them from most "bug spray". So there are other things they use.

 

I hope you feel better soon. Is there anything that will help? Advil or Tylenol? Ice?

 

Wendi

[Barb_]

A friend of ours was stung in his kitchen, and was limping for a few days. Those scorpions are fierce! So far I've lived in AZ 4 years, and the only time I've seen scorpions is when out hiking, not in my yard or house. (About a month ago, ds and I found a HUGE dead scorpion on the trail - we're talking 4-5" including its tail. Glad it was dead!)

 

I hope you find some success in getting rid of them. From what I've heard, it's not like getting rid of insects, because their exoskeleton protects them from most "bug spray". So there are other things they use.

 

I hope you feel better soon. Is there anything that will help? Advil or Tylenol? Ice?

 

Wendi

 

We're in the outskirts of the city and back up to the mountains so we see our fair share of wildlife. It's so cool when we see a family of quail (mama, daddy, and little babies) all running single file down the street, or a roadrunner in hot pursuit of something...not so much with the scorpions, the big roaches, and the coyote that ate our cats when we first got here.

 

I've heard that the over the counter sprays are worthless. I honestly don't know how much pest control is going to help, but at this point, I'm game to try. Maybe they use bait or something? When we see them, we usually trap and flush. In our rental back in '05, we used to see scorpions in the house quite often, but no one got stung. We hadn't seen one in the house since we moved in here about 18 months ago, but ironically, the night I got stung my 13yo almost sat on one in my bedroom floor only 15 minutes earlier. So two in one night. I'm paranoid now and check the covers before putting the youngest two to bed.

 

I'm actually okay. It isn't as painful as it was. I wrapped a tight bandage around my hand last night and kept it elevated, so I was able to keep the toxin localized to the right arm, more or less. It's just the pins and needles thing that's making me nuts!

 

Barb

[Remudamom]

I've been stung twice by scorps. It doesn't seem to bother me much. Two of the children have been stung too.

 

We get overrun with them spring and fall. We see so many we don't even scream anymore.

[Barb_]

I've been stung twice by scorps. It doesn't seem to bother me much. Two of the children have been stung too.

 

We get overrun with them spring and fall. We see so many we don't even scream anymore.

 

The bark scorpions out here are different because they're evil :mad:. They climb walls and furniture, they are tiny and hard to see because they are beige...the same color as most carpets out here...and they have the only deadly venom in the US. Their sting causes severe pain and numbness as well as frothing, muscle twitches, and convulsions if not managed well. Although there have been cases of bark scorpion killing small children, it hasn't happened in 50 years (I've heard). But I worry about my little bitty sheltie who sleeps on the floor of my room. I really, really, hate these things.

 

Barb

[Remudamom]

I have no idea what type we have. They are small and beige, but not deadly. Nasty looking though.

[DIY-DY]

I'm usually pretty anti-toxin and try to avoid chemicals, but this mama is calling pest control first thing tomorrow morning. The scorpion war has commenced.:boxing_smiley:

 

Barb

 

OK, so the scorpions, I don't miss. :tongue_smilie:

 

Are you okay with using moth balls around your home? If you are, they will keep the scorpions away. Put them up in the crawl space or attic, as that's where they like to breed. (Yeah, I know, *shudder*.) And if your pup doesn't go under your house, you can scatter some beneath there, as well.

 

Good luck on the scorpion war!

[Lizzie in Ma]

I am sorry you were hurt, glad it wasn't worse!

[Karen sn]

We're in the outskirts of the city and back up to the mountains so we see our fair share of wildlife. It's so cool when we see a family of quail (mama, daddy, and little babies) all running single file down the street, or a roadrunner in hot pursuit of something...not so much with the scorpions, the big roaches, and the coyote that ate our cats when we first got here.

 

I've heard that the over the counter sprays are worthless. I honestly don't know how much pest control is going to help, but at this point, I'm game to try. Maybe they use bait or something? When we see them, we usually trap and flush. In our rental back in '05, we used to see scorpions in the house quite often, but no one got stung. We hadn't seen one in the house since we moved in here about 18 months ago, but ironically, the night I got stung my 13yo almost sat on one in my bedroom floor only 15 minutes earlier. So two in one night. I'm paranoid now and check the covers before putting the youngest two to bed.

 

I'm actually okay. It isn't as painful as it was. I wrapped a tight bandage around my hand last night and kept it elevated, so I was able to keep the toxin localized to the right arm, more or less. It's just the pins and needles thing that's making me nuts!

 

Barb

 

That is so scarry! I am so glad you wrapped it! The first thing I wondered while reading your post was "I think I might cut off the circulation of my arm from the baby." And I imagined an ace bandage - a shirt if out in the woods. But then I immediatly wondered what are the negative consequences....and decided nothing could be worse than getting it to the baby. (I think though that you might want to keep it BELOW your heart and not elevated.)

 

Of course a small homeopathic dose probably did get to the baby - so this kid might be immune to them for life.....or have some magic power or strength like spiderman. Tell your kids that one for me! Scorpion kid.

 

And all I can think of now as I think of magical powers is, "Wonder twin powers activate! Form of.......Shape of......." Anyone else remember that cartoon?

[Jenny in Atl]

I've had the pleasure of being stung a few times; our old house had a bunch both in and around the yard. Thankfully they were just Georgia Browns; they don't have near the toxin. The last time was bad, my arm still swelled up and throbbed. I thought the little guys out your way were more dangerous. Good news that you are OK.

[Quiver0f10]

Wow, how scary! I am glad you are doing ok!

[Bambam]

We got some of the cut-to-fit air filter (for your indoor A/C) stuff at our local WalMart, cut it into small pieces and stuffed it in the weepholes in the brick around our house. This stuff is like finely woven thick mesh. We are in TX (no deadly scorpions here thankfully), but they are ugly and mean and scary looking!

 

Good luck!

[StacyWithFourRugrats]

literally also. I was about 3 months pregnant when I woke up in the middle of the night with a sharp pain in my foot. A scorpion had gotten into our bed (in San Antonio, TX at the time). This was the first time I had actually seen one anywhere near these apartments. DH was on the phone with 911 for a few minutes and they said it was all good. Luckily, we didn't have dangerous ones in that area.

 

So now I can add scorpions to my list of things I do not care for, animal/insect/mineral wise. It is a very short list but scorpions are up there ;)

 

I hope you feel better soon!

 

(hmmm...maybe this explains some of ds' behavior...I *was* pregnant with him when I was bit....hmmmmmmmmmmmm......) :lol:

[Nestof3]

How scary! When the boys and I read books about the desert, I always feel like we are reading about another world -- scorpions are not around here.

 

But, my husband took the boys camping at the Great Dismal Swamp this weekend, and they saw a huge splash in the water by something very heavy. When they left, some people asked them if they saw the alligators. Oh, alligators. That's lovely! People buy them as pets, decide they cannot keep them, and let them go in the swamp. ugh

[Cindy in FL.]

My scorpion story: I got dressed to take my children to music lessons in a town about 45 minutes away. I was dressed at least an hour before we left. Drove to Wal-Mart, 3O minutes away, and had walked all the way to the back of the store when something stung my thigh. I grabbed that area and then something stung my calf. Shook my pants leg and a scorpion fell out. I'm sure the security cameras got some good footage of the dance I was doing in the aisle.

 

I immediately took Benadryl, because I always get freaked out about that kind of thing. I had no problem for at least a week and then in the two bite areas my skin erupted/bubbled up. It was really weird. Maybe it was the "poison" working it's way out?

 

I don't like anything that bites/stings. I always turn my clothes inside out now just to be sure!

 

Cindy

[PrairieAir]

We have a ton of scorpions out here and I don't know how they keep getting into the house. They aren't as bad as your scorpions, though. I don't know what kind it is we have, but they are fairly small and light brown. The kids have all been stung several times since the scorpions seem to prefer the basement where the kids' bedrooms are. The darned things get in their beds and in clothing and towels left on the floor. Oldest ds was stung about four times in one night in his own bed while he was sleeping. He will actually play with the things now.:eek: We bought him a belt buckle with a real scorpion in it:D

[Jann in TX]

But NO scorpions on our porches or in our house! We have a wonderful 'natural' pest service that uses an enzyme. It is the ONLY stuff that kills scorpions and spinders if they cross the 'line'. The poisons must be injested so they rarely work on these pests.

 

Anytime one of us is stung by a scorpion (every 2-3 years or so not often) we take a double dose of Benadryl (clear liquid works best). This stops the hystamine reaction and the pain pretty quickly.

 

When we moved into our house (new) about 5 years ago youngest dd was not quite a year old. While I was unpacking she started SCREAMING--I looked up and there was a HUGE scorpion on her head. It stung her several times. I gave her a dose of Benadryl and called the Ped. DD was playing quietly less than 10 minutes later! This was the day BEFORE our pest control company service started!

[Holly in FL]

So sorry!

 

Do a little research on diatomaceous earth. It may work. I bought mine from Garden Harvest Supply on-line...but, there are many places that sell it.

 

???

 

~Holly

[Barb_]

OK, so the scorpions, I don't miss. :tongue_smilie:

 

Are you okay with using moth balls around your home? If you are, they will keep the scorpions away. Put them up in the crawl space or attic, as that's where they like to breed. (Yeah, I know, *shudder*.) And if your pup doesn't go under your house, you can scatter some beneath there, as well.

 

Good luck on the scorpion war!

 

Thank you! No, I hadn't heard the mothball trick. Have you ever used DE (diatomaceous earth)? Someone recommended spreading the food grade stuff around and I've been looking into it. I'd like to talk to someone who had success.

 

Barb

[Barb_]

So sorry!

 

Do a little research on diatomaceous earth. It may work. I bought mine from Garden Harvest Supply on-line...but, there are many places that sell it.

 

???

 

~Holly

 

Oh funny, Holly. I didn't see your post before I asked Dy about this above. How exactly do you use it? Liberally? Sprinkle it? They keep turning up in the craziest places so I'm not really sure where their hideout is. My first thought would be to put it in all the window jams?

 

Barb

[Barb_]

Thank you for the tip. I'm really worried about one of the little ones being stung before we have a chance to get them under control. I will add this to our sting kit.

 

Barb

 

But NO scorpions on our porches or in our house! We have a wonderful 'natural' pest service that uses an enzyme. It is the ONLY stuff that kills scorpions and spinders if they cross the 'line'. The poisons must be injested so they rarely work on these pests.

 

Anytime one of us is stung by a scorpion (every 2-3 years or so not often) we take a double dose of Benadryl (clear liquid works best). This stops the hystamine reaction and the pain pretty quickly.

 

When we moved into our house (new) about 5 years ago youngest dd was not quite a year old. While I was unpacking she started SCREAMING--I looked up and there was a HUGE scorpion on her head. It stung her several times. I gave her a dose of Benadryl and called the Ped. DD was playing quietly less than 10 minutes later! This was the day BEFORE our pest control company service started!

[Barb_]

Cindy, can I admit to a really good laugh at your expense? The visual of you doing the hoochie-koochie in the middle of Walmart will stay with me the rest of the day.

 

Heh-heh-heh...

 

Barb

 

My scorpion story: I got dressed to take my children to music lessons in a town about 45 minutes away. I was dressed at least an hour before we left. Drove to Wal-Mart, 3O minutes away, and had walked all the way to the back of the store when something stung my thigh. I grabbed that area and then something stung my calf. Shook my pants leg and a scorpion fell out. I'm sure the security cameras got some good footage of the dance I was doing in the aisle.

[Barb_]

That is so scarry! I am so glad you wrapped it! The first thing I wondered while reading your post was "I think I might cut off the circulation of my arm from the baby." And I imagined an ace bandage - a shirt if out in the woods. But then I immediatly wondered what are the negative consequences....and decided nothing could be worse than getting it to the baby. (I think though that you might want to keep it BELOW your heart and not elevated.)

 

Of course a small homeopathic dose probably did get to the baby - so this kid might be immune to them for life.....or have some magic power or strength like spiderman. Tell your kids that one for me! Scorpion kid.

 

And all I can think of now as I think of magical powers is, "Wonder twin powers activate! Form of.......Shape of......." Anyone else remember that cartoon?

 

LOL, dh was saying that all I needed to do was get stung 3-4 more times and I'll be immune. Then I can hang out a scorpion wrangler shingle and makes lots of curriculum cash scooping up the pesties by hand.

 

Yes, below the heart makes sense. I must have heard 'above' in my panicked state. My hand is feeling almost normal this morning. Numb, but no longer annoying and electrical.

 

Barb

[DIY-DY]

Thank you! No, I hadn't heard the mothball trick. Have you ever used DE (diatomaceous earth)? Someone recommended spreading the food grade stuff around and I've been looking into it. I'd like to talk to someone who had success.

 

Barb

 

It's wonderful b/c it kills anything small w/ an exoskeleton (think - roaches, silverfish, scorpions, - anything icky), but it won't hurt you if you come in contact with it (still observe all the pertinent warnings, though - wash thoroughly, keep out of eyes, not to be used as a seasoning, lol!). The only drawback is that once it gets wet, it loses some efficiency. So, if you spread it around outside (like around your foundation), you'd have to re-apply it after a rain. Not too much of a problem in the Valley, but we haven't used it outside here, b/c it's *always* wet here. :tongue_smilie: However, before we put the insulation up in the walls, we put a generous squirt of the powder between each and every stud. Warm fuzzy, that. :)

 

I like the moth balls, as well, b/c they chase the little guys *out*, and I don't end up w/ decaying dead things in my walls, as that just brings in a whole new world o' critters that I'd rather not have (ie. - brown recluse, which feeds off dead things, like bugs in windows and such).

 

HTH,

Dy

[Holly in FL]

I use it in my wheat berries because I experienced a bug problem a few months ago.

 

However, I know that it is used as a safe insecticide for other problems with roaches and fleas. I'll link you to a few articles for scorpions below.

 

Please don't use moth balls! I'm sorry...but, those things are toxic...really! Moth balls are meant to be used in a closed container to get rid of moth issues. My mother used them in one room...she claimed...and it spread through her whole house. I got a headache any time I went over there. I finally had to say something. I didn't want my children breathing that stuff. She says she has removed them...but, I can still smell that scent...and, it's been over 6 months ago!

 

http://www.environmentsensitive.com/DiatomaceousEarth.htm (I don't agree with the "millions of years" statement in this one, but there's other good info)

 

http://www.thebestcontrol.com/bugstop/control_scorpions.htm

 

http://www.gardenharvestsupply.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=39&IDCategory=11

 

http://www.gardenharvestsupply.com/productcart/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=111

 

This last link is a spray concentrate that you dilute with water. It's a cedar-based solution.

 

Good luck!

~Holly

[Barb_]

Thanks Dy and Holly for taking the time to type it all out. I have two with the stomach flu today and a headache that won't stop, so I'm blowing off schoolwork, having coffee and following all the links :)

 

Barb