Control and holocaust are not the same things, yet many of us treat these two words synonymously. As a result, we eradicate a vast number of beneficial insects in the name of pest control; to get rid of grasshoppers, we kill the aphids; to kill the slugs, we pound the hammer on nematodes and so on.
But there are also the clans who are careful enough to ensure that they target only those insects, which they want; however, even these people also don’t hesitate to do the same with scorpions. Partly, it’s because of their rather creepy look; partly, it’s because of the sting that causes oh so much of pain. But fact remains that there are more number of scorpions that are relatively harmless.
Before we proceed any further, it shall be wise to know the scorpions’ psychology. A scorpion’s tendency is not to attack humans; the sting is for catching their preys and merely for self-defense. However, if someone claims that they sting to dominate mankind, there won’t remain much place for an argument; the scorpions precede humans by almost 300 million years, so they have every right to gain back their own grounds.
It is essential to know the venom of the scorpion before knowing the sub-species. All scorpions are venomous and the venoms are neurotoxic; the only exception to this is the Hemiscorpius Lepturus that possess cytotoxic (i.e. it affects the body cells) venom. But then again, the venoms at most can kill/paralyze their preys; upon humans, the effects don’t go beyond mild to severe pain, numbness and swelling. It’s only the families Buthidae, Parabuthus, Tityus, Centruroides and Androctonus that can prove fatal to humans with the Deathstalker (Leiurus Quinquestriatus) and Yellow Fat-tailed (Androctonus Australis) scorpions being the deadliest. The latter is also the most prevalent one in nature. But all scorpions are harmless and timid unless disturbed and since they keep other harmful insects from outnumbering humans, it’s best to chase them away from where humans inhabit.
That calls for a non-violent pest control method. Despite it being a complicated ongoing process, this type of pest control is only effective if there’s present a small number of them. But if you are suspecting the presence of water – and bark scorpions, then only a professional exterminator can help you out.
A clean surrounding is the first step towards keeping scorpions away. Leaving any sort of trash around your residence would invite them all the more (scorpions love moist places to dwell). DA earth is ineffective because of their hard exoskeleton; therefore, circle your home with a stream of carbolic acid (a toxic white soluble crystalline acidic derivative of benzene); it shall especially keep the child-carrying female scorpions away. Apart from this, seal every crack in your home to prevent their entry. As the last nail in the scorpions’ coffin, find out if there are any insects near your home that serve as food for the scorpions; use an appropriate pest control measure to get rid of them and stopping the stingmeisters from paying you surprise visits.
