Denice from Edmond, Oklahoma writes
How long after contact with the solution/residue does it take to kill the scorpions? I am looking to spray the exterior of my residence to keep them out entirely, as currently I am using granules and pyrethrin-based spray, external, and the pyrethrin spray inside the house - the ones I have seen are usually dead or dying when I find them, but I dont want them even making it that far into my house. Thank you.
You can expect scorpions to die within 12-36 hours after coming into contact with treated areas. Most insecticides that leave a residual take this amount of time to kill so the scorpions are able to keep moving until they succumb. The only way to stop them from being able to make into your home at all is to include exclusion practices into your program. Below is an out line of the things you can do in addition to the chemical control methods you are already using:
Non-insecticide methods for scorpion control are:
Exclusion- Scorpions and other pests can be kept out of structures to a large degree by installing tight-fitting screens, replacing old weatherstripping around doors and windows, and caulking cracks and crevices that scorpions can use to gain access to the home especially around cables, pipes and wires that enter through the walls of the structure.
Harborage Removal- Harborage removal is key to scorpion control and will greatly reduce the numbers of scorpions in the area surrounding the structure, making it far less likely that they will enter. Harborage removal includes eliminating piles of lumber, bricks, and other stacked items that create clusters of tight spaces, elimination of vegetation and other heavy ground coverings near homes and buildings, trimming back tree and shrub limbs from walls and roof, and keeping gutters clear of leaves and other debris.
Answer last updated on: 08/22/2012
