Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Photo by Bulwark Exterminating

The Arizona bark scorpion is the only species of scorpion in Arizona, that can cause very serious harm to small children (and anyone who is ill or has a compromised immune system), and can truly be considered life threatening. However, thanks to a powerful anti venom scorpion stings are now rarely life threatening.

Aside from their powerful, painful and venomous sting, here are five (5) remarkable facts about the Arizona bark scorpion, you might not have known:

1. The Arizona bark scorpion has 8 jointed legs, that are lightly covered in hair, which helps the scorpion detect subtle vibrations; in the air.
2. Although all other species of scorpions are known to live a solitary lifestyle, with the exception of mating and carrying their young, the Arizona bark scorpion prefers to live in packs and will congregating in large groups; when hibernating for the winter months.
3. Unlike any other species of scorpion, the Arizona bark scorpion can climb walls, and even hang from ceilings and doors.
4. Arizona bark scorpions are preyed upon by birds, especially owls, and bats. As well, these scorpions may fall victim to large centipedes, tarantulas, lizards, shrews, and grasshopper mice.
5. At birth, approximately 25 to 35 baby scorpions, will ride around on their mother’s back; for up to 21 days.

Furthermore, warnings from Phoenix pest control staff and local exterminators, caution residents that the Arizona Bark Scorpion is often discovered in urban areas; rather than the surrounding desert regions. This is likely because they prefer the cooler and moist spots, under pieces of tree bark, beneath rocks and inside buildings and homes. As well, property and home owners should be aware that these scorpions are a very light in color, so they will blend-in well with the various desert elements; found in Phoenix and other cities in Arizona.

Related articles

• The 3 Most Dangerous Phoenix Pest Control Problems [OPINION] (blogpestcontrol.com)
• Scorpion Strikes In Lockport, NY (blogpestcontrol.com)
• Scorpions-Black Light Hunting-Pest Control by Bulwark Exterminating (bulwarkpestcontrol.com)
• I was Stung by a Scorpion (bulwarkpestcontrol.com)
• FDA Approved Anascorp The Scorpion Anti Venom [Video] (youtube.com)

Transcript from Scorpions-Black Light Hunting-Pest Control by Bulwark Exterminating

Scorpion Control Professionals:

Speaker 1: “So, we’re entering the gate right now of the home that sees, oh, I don’t know, maybe 30 scorpions a week, and has contracted with us to first, ascertain the source of the problem, and prescribe a treatment.”

Speaker 2: “We’ve got some over here, too.”

Speaker 1: “Another adult. The last 3 scorpions that are looking at and this one in particular, looks like it should be about three to five years old by the size. Do you want to hold that for a second? See, they’re very fast. If we were to turn some of this over, you’re going to see, from the looks of it, you’re going to see a lot of them. So, let’s keep moving. The more vibrations we make, the less likely that we’re going to see them.”

“So, crickets like to breed and live in between this expansion joint. You see here? There’s a paper joint in there that goes between the sidewalk and the foundation, and it’s there when the concrete expands and contracts due to the change in the temperature, that absorbs that pressure. Well, crickets and other insects eat that, and scorpions and come and eat the crickets and insects.”

“So, right here as you can see in there in you pan in there, um, you can see that guy, and he’s kind of moving away, but he’s deep down in there. That’s where we find a lot of the scorpions.”

“This here is a plastic container that he used to keep pool equipment in. You’re generally not going to find scorpions on or inside the plastic because they have a really hard time climbing the surface. But, you may find something underneath, which I may try to be able to move.”

Speaker 2: “There’s one.”

Speaker 1: “You don’t want to have one of these guys get you. They have a neurotoxin that debilitates your nervous system. Now some people react differently. I have a friend who weighs about two hundred and fifty pounds and he’s allergic. The entire half of his body went numb when one of these stung him after putting his shoe on.”

“As you can see right here, the stinger rolls up. They don’t actually bite you, they sting you. They can bite, but their bite isn’t going to hurt. It’s this…let’s get some light on there. It’s this stinger right here, that you see right there, that really is the problem.”

“He’s coming for you, he likes you. Let me see if I can stop him. Hold down there, boy. As you can see, he’s starting to get real active. He’s trying to get away.”

“I’m not going to hurt him, but see how he holds now? This is striking position. Scorpions are actually almost completely blind. They do almost all their hunting using vibrations on the ground. So, when a cricket comes along, they’ve got little cilia on the underside of the belly, and um, they can tell which direction the vibrations are coming from. They use that to determine which direction they’re going to run and also which direction they’re going to strike.”

“He’s just scared right now; he’s not going to even strike me. I can flick his tail like that, and he’s not, he’s not being aggressive just yet. He’s kind of scared.”

“So, the problem is they live up so close to the house, this guy being an adult, there’s all kinds of weed pulls and gaps, I should have brought my mirror, but they can just go right up underneath the stucco of the home and cause serious problems inside the home once they lay down their babies. So, this is a good example because he’s such a full-grown, good-looking stripe scorpion.”

Speaker 2: “Very healthy.”

Speaker 1: “Yeah. He’s been eating, notice the center there. And so, he’s now going home.”

Need Scorpion control?

Phoenix Scorpion Control by Bulwark Exterminating, 40 N. Central Phoenix, AZ 85004

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• Scorpion Control -Where do Scorpions Live (bulwarkpestcontrol.com)
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• How the Scropion Anti-venom, Anascorp, Saved a Young Boy’s Life (blogpestcontrol.com)

Got Scorpions in Your Neighborhood?

Find out if you have scorpions in your neighborhood at ScorpionReport.org Because what you don’t know can hurt you. And knowledge is power. -Bulwark Exterminating Scorpion Control

A woman was stung by a scorpion while unpacking box.

Gee!  That doesn’t sound outside the realm of possibility now does it?

Yeah, well, it happened in Lockport, NY, where there are no native species of scorpions.

First, a look at the culprit…

This scorpion stung a 23-year-old female in Lockport, NY.

So how did it happen?

The woman was a 23-year-old employee at Johnson-Rose Corp in Niagara County, and was stung while opening a cardboard box at work.  It sounds like maybe the box came in the mail.  That would be our easiest speculation, and was that of the Buffalo Zoo President, Donna Fernandez.  Fernandez also admitted that scorpions in their area are either kept as unique pets or travel in on cargo from scorpion-known regions like Arizona. Residents and businesses in the area would surely see no need for preventive scorpion control.

While the scorpion, and its stingy punch, was deemed non-life threatening, the young employee was admitted to the hospital to recover.

Transcript from Scorpion Control -Where do Scorpions Live:

Pest Control Professional Speaking: “A lot of times, what you’ll find are these guys out by the brick walls. These cinderblock walls run all along the backs of each home, and so we call these scorpion condos because they can travel freely through the walls and reproduce in there and cause quite a bit of problem. It’s common to come out to your back wall and find dozens of these throughout the whole yard.” “A lot of times they’ll stay here, but when you start providing water supplies closer and closer to your home, they eventually work their way into your home. Here’s an example of a smaller one inside the crack moving around in there. He’ll go back inside there and find a hole that will go throughout the brick here and he’ll be safe.” “They thrive in there because they have no natural predators, so it’s a perfect environment for them because they can come out at night, obtain all of the food they need, and then return back into the wall and again, without any type of treatment, these guys will go without any type of anything to kill them off and they’ll infest neighborhoods by the thousands.” - Bulwark Exterminating Scorpion Control

Transcription from video:

Pest Control Professional Speaking:”Pool equipment and pools tend to attract scorpions. You know that your yard has some level of infestation when you start to find them in your pump filters and water filters and in your pool.”

“If you find them in your water filters and you haven’t yet seen them in your house, that’s the time to get your barrier up because once they get into the infrastructure of the house, and they can fit through a hole the width of a credit card, 1/16th of an inch, it’s very hard to get them out of the infrastructure.”

- Bulwark Exterminating Scorpion Control

Social media platforms are constantly put in head to head comparisons. So when Mat Siltala from Dream Systems Media did a post about his scorpion sting on all 3 social media platforms simultaneously, the intuitive nature of Mat kicked in. Between Facebook, Google+, and twitter, which platform would be most responsive to a post about scorpion stings? What would be your guess? The results may surprise you a bit.

Google+ Count

Have Matt in circles (2158) – That is a fairly good audience. Google+ is fresh. It’s the new upbeat social hang out. One could speculate that it has more real users… or not. But Google didn’t take the cake for Mat’s scorpion sting post.

Twitter Count

3,618 Followers – That is a healthy twitter following. Mat Siltala has been a very busy busy body on twitter. His follower to follow ratio is fantastic. He puts out a steady stream of useful content. And he laughs out loud some funny infographics. But can twitter compete with the socialness of facebook?

Facebook Social Weight

Friends (602) – Clearly Mat is more selective with his Facebook audience. With a count of 602 the facebook audience is a fraction of Mat’s Google+ and Twitter following. But honestly, Facebook seems to be more intimate. Mat’s lower friend count is because Mat is selective about who views his Facebook stream. And in Mat’s case, he shares things that are bit more private. So I naturally believed that Facebook would be the best setting for a conversation about scorpion stings. Regular life happens on facebook.

And the Scorpion Sting Survey Says…

Twitter wins!

So wait… twitter isn’t just about news and high-tech stuff? You can actually have a conversation on twitter about life? Do you want to know what I had for breakfast?

Okay… I will keep the meal tweets to a minimum. But I was shocked that twitter got the bulk of the interaction. Granted, this wasn’t a planned out scientific test so there are a number of variables that alter this example. But even still, a pest control guy can pick up a conversation on twitter about bugs. And if you know how to converse then you can effectively communicate with twitter. If you can communicate then you can market.

What are your thoughts on operation Scorpion Sting?

Related Articles

• What does a scorpion sting feel like? (bulwark pest control .com)
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• Video: Personal story of Anascorp saving young boy’s life.  (youtube.com)

Many individuals have been asking, How does the recent FDA approval of the Scorpion Anti-Venom change anything. Most people don’t die from scorpion stings in the US. So why is this anti-venom getting so much coverage?

Here is the personal anti-venom Anascorp story of Tony (owner of Airport Phoenix Hotels), a Phoenix resident and a father.

To the relief of Tony and many other Phoenix families the FDA approval means the scorpion anti-venom will be readily available in Phoenix Hospitals soon. It will also be available in other hospitals throughout the US where scorpion stings occur on a regular bases.

Phoenix Scorpion Control

3 Keys to Scorpion Control

1. Quality Products at the right rate and in the right locations
2. Protective Physical barriers.
3. Consistency in treatment intervals.

While the antivenom may help parents sleep easier, scorpions are still a pest. Having a consistent treatment with the right products is essential in the fight against scorpions. General Phoenix insect control covers common bugs, but a scorpion is not a common pest. Scorpions actually fall under the arachnid family. Eight legs, two pinchers and one tail with a lethal stinger. Yes scorpions sting, and there is no such thing as a scorpion bite.  

Have you tried Bulwark for your Phoenix Scorpion Control needs?

Related articles

• First Scorpion Sting Antivenom Approved by FDA (blogpestcontrol.com)
• Mexico serum takes sting out of U.S. scorpion nips (reuters.com)
• FDA Approves Treatment for Scorpion Bites (ducknetweb.blogspot.com)

If you’d like to learn more about scorpion control services in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Austin, and San Antonio then contact Bulwark Exterminating.

Scorpion Stinger... Scorpions Stings. Scorions don't Bite. No Scorpion Bites.

A Mexican made anti-venom has been making its appearance in Arizona hospitals for the past few years. Part of the clinical study on the anti-venom released data in regards to the effectiveness of the anti-venom in May of 2009 “Antivenom for Critically Ill Children with Neurotoxicity from Scorpion Stings”. The studies carried out in Arizona have proven very positive. The report says that very few had any allergic reactions. The studies have seen a 98% success rate through out the clinicals. The data released in 2009 showed a 100% recovery rate within 4 hours of receiving the anti-venom, opposed to the placebo only having 1 out of 7 recover within 4 hours measured by the plasma venom.

Postive Test Results on Mexican Anti-Venom

“This is the first-ever drug approved for this use by the FDA; the first-ever drug that we are aware of being developed fully in Latin America and subsequently approved by the FDA; the first-ever scorpion antivenom proved effective under controlled clinical trials; and the first-ever antivenom with so few allergic reactions.” Dr. Boyer

Most individuals stung from scorpions will not suffer an allergic reaction. The human body can metabolize the neurotoxin injected by the Arizona Bark Scorpions under normal conditions. It becomes deadly when combined with allergic reactions. Some individuals’ bodies simply overreact to the toxins, sending them into afilactic shock. Afilactic shock makes breathing very difficult. From Rapid breathing to complete shut down of the lungs, individuals will actually die from suffocation. The anti-venom eliminates the plasma venom and within four hours those that were suffering severe reactions are cured.

What does the FDA approval of the anti-venom mean?

Up until now the Arizona hospitals have used the anti-venom as a last effort because it was not officially approved. Doctors always gave it with a disclaimer, “It’s not FDA approved.” Because of the low availability and doctor hesitation to recommend the anti-venom, many individuals that could have undergone a quicker recovery with the help of the anti-venom had to wait out the pain of the scorpion venom. As death from the scorpion sting is rare, the approval will not so much save lives in the United States as it will reduce suffering. It will also reduce the anxiety of worried parents. Seeing a child’s eyes roll back into their heads and their bodies begin convulsing is a horrific scene no parent wishes to endure.

Further, with the FDA approval, the anti-venom should become more available. Drug companies can now begin to officially supply the anti-venom and not worry about producing a medicine that may never make it to market. Knowing that the antidote is readily available will ease the sleeping of a lot of scorpion troubled homes.

What can home owners do to prevent scorpions?

Regular service around the exterior of a home is the first and foremost step in scorpion control. Whether you hire a professional pest control service or do your own home maintenance, consistency is the key. Scorpions trouble neighborhoods. We will never be able to rid an entire neighborhood of scorpions. So to keep the scorpions at bay with a regular treatment, do it yourself or call a professional.

After a regular treatment, additional precautions would be glue traps placed in corners. Glass jars placed around the base of beds and especially cribs. Scorpion seals also create an additional barrier. Treating moisture points in the yard is advised. And treating around pool equipment helps.

It is also advised for those that have allergic reactions to carry an Epinephrine Injection.

Related articles

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One morning I was going out to start my pest control route in Austin Texas, and my 1st service had requested to be called 30 min prior to going. I called her at 7:30 and told her I was Randy with Bulwark Exterminating and this was her 30 min courtesy call before I come to her home at 8 o’clock to do her pest control. She apologized and told me she was running late to take her daughter to school but she really needed to have a inside treatment done for scorpions  but she wouldn’t be home till after 8:30 or so. I told her no problem, and that I could go there and treat her home on the outside and would wait for her to get back home.
When I arrived at the home I knocked on the door just to make sure no one was there, then started to spray the house. While spraying the home I was checking for wasp nests and spider webs to see if any needed to be taken down. After spraying the home I checked and baited the two rat boxes at the back of the home and then walked the yard and baited the fire ant mounds. She arrived home at 8:35 and then I went inside and did an inside scorpion treatment. I left home at 9am. Took me an hour but the customer was very happy with her service.