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)

Unique story-  Rodney Crumpton

This week I was running a route in Chandler, in an area I was assigned to as a missionary in 2001.   One of my stops was Susan Powell.  I didn’t recognize the name at first but the memories came back as I was driving down the gravel road to a family’s house I had become good friends with during my stay in Chandler 8 years ago.  When Mrs. Powell came to the door I let her know that I was with Bulwark but that I had been to her house before and she had fed me dinner about 8 years ago.  She reached back into her memory bank and asked me my name and when I told her my last name, her face lit up and she quickly invited me in to see her wall of family pictures with her grown children and grandchildren.  After we caught up, I told her that I was impressed that she had been with Bulwark for over 5 years on a monthly treatment plan.  She said that Bulwark has always been great no matter who she talked with on the phone or at her home.  And that they almost never see a bug inside their house.  As an employee at Bulwark since 2000 this was a very rewarding experience, I hope to continue to serve the Powell’s and other families that are as delightful as they are.

I remember a call that I got last April, and it is a month this customer will never forget.  While in her laundry room, she noticed an odd, gray bug clinging to the wall.  She showed it to her husband and neither of them knew exactly what it was, so into the garbage disposal it went.  Afterwards, she went out of town leaving her dogs and husband at home for about ten days.  When she returned, she found another odd bug in the laundry room.  She also found ticks crawling on the walls, floors and embedded in her poor little pups!  She immediately called the vet and picked up some very expensive tick guard.  She went to the local pet store and bought even more expensive sprays and foggers to try to stop these horrible little creatures from their massive invasion. She had to take all my dogs to the groomer and have them shaved so she could check them for ticks on an hourly basis!

Her tick problem was just getting worse so the neighbor, vet and groomer suggested she seek professional intervention.  Heeding the neighbor’s advice, she called Bulwark and spoke to me.  I made a special trip to their home the very next day because I could hear and feel the frustration and overall panic in her voice.  The customer said in a review “Chris and his technicians came to our home several more times treating the yard, inside the home and even provided them with some tick spray for our dogs!”  We answered their calls and her questions in a caring professional manner.  It took about two months to completely eradicate the ticks and all their eggs, but they are happy to report they are tick free!  Bulwark sprays their home once a month and they continue to be pest free.  Living on the desert of Phoenix is beautiful but leaves everyone more susceptible to many critters, large and small.  The small ones are oftentimes the most irritating and destructive.  She continued to say, “Thank goodness for the professional team of Bulwark and their ability to take care of all our pest problems.   I always recommend Bulwark and Chris Benham to anyone who does not want a pest problem!”

Chris Benham

Phoenix AZ

One day I went to a Peoria home for a call back service.  The family said that they were hearing crickets in their bathroom and they couldn’t figure out exactly where they were coming from.  They were getting annoyed and weren’t able to sleep at night.  I first started inside the house looking around the bathroom.  I noticed a compartment in the cupboards under the sink.  It opened up into space underneath their tub.  When I took out the screws and opened up this door, I noticed cricket droppings all over the inside of this space.  I treated the inside of the space with delta dust and Cy-kick.  I also looked on the outside of the house where the bathroom wall is.  I saw more cricket droppings in the rocks underneath the J rails.  I pulled out some  hose and started spraying around that area, flooding out tons of crickets.  They were literally hopping all over the place.  This was definitely the spot where the crickets wanted to make their home.  The customer was very appreciated of the fact that I search out the source of the crickets.  Her problem was solved in one service and they were finally able to have a nice relaxing night of sleep.

Jameson Hunter

Phoenix branch

A customer that I serviced in Litchfield Park had a problem with ants and bees coming in and out of her dog’s water dish.  She had ants all over her front yard.  I took the time to follow the trail of ants leading to a dirt area outside their lawn.  These ants had to of been traveling over 50 to 70 feet just to get to her house.  I sprayed the curbing were the ants were trailing and around their hill with termidor.  I told her that the treatment may take up to 3 days in order for it to fully work.  As far as the bees were concern, I looked around and could not find a hive.  The bees were just coming in and out for a drink, but I still wanted to help her keep the bees out of her dog’s dish.  I told her of a trick I learned in scouts.  I told her she could make an easy bee trap with a 2 liter soda bottle.  She needed to leave a little soda in the bottle and cut the top of the bottle off with a knife.  The top needs to be turned upside down and put into the top of the bottle.  The idea was to attract the bees to the soda instead of the dog’s dish.  It worked and some bees were trapped in the soda bottle.

Jameson Hunter

Phoenix Branch

My name is Svea Owens and I work out of the Phoenix Branch of Bulwark Exterminating. I was calling routes one day and I was talking to a customer and she had felt a little uneasy about taking service. I had asked her if it was something we had done and she said not really. She then proceeded to tell me that for her first service she had a new technician and she wasn’t 100% comfortable with his knowledge. She said that the next technician that came out did a great job and was very informative and she was very happy with her service, but she still felt a little uncomfortable about the first service. I came up with a solution that she was very happy with. We issued a credit for her service because she obviously did not feel like she received the service she had paid for. Also we decided to make her a tech specific for the technician that she felt did an excellent job not to say the other technician didn’t. She just felt that one was more knowledgeable than the other. In the end, she was very happy with the outcome and felt comfortable with the solution we came up with.

I was working out in Scottsdale.  I arrived at the home and checked the back gate only to notice a BIG dog charging at me.  I quickly shut the gate.  I called the customer and she answered the phone.  She was home, but didn’t hear me knock.  She told me the dog was nice and would just jump on me.  The dog was put away and I started spraying the perimeter of the house.  I was in the front yard when the customer opened up the door to take out the trash.  The dog snuck out and started running at me.  Again she said the dog was nice; however, the dog had his own agenda.  He charged at me and I jumped back only to be bitten in the right butt check.  The customer felt so bad and quickly grabbed the dog.  It hurt pretty badly.  It was the first time in a year and a half that I have been with Bulwark that I have been bitten (and hopefully the last).  I was fine but sore and bruised.  I told the customer she had nothing to worry about.

Jameson Hunter

Phoenix Branch

During the summertime in Phoenix we have several customers who call in because they have a problem with scorpions.  This summer I had a woman call in who was extremely afraid of scorpions and found a scorpion in her house.  She said she would not go home and did not feel safe being there. I looked and looked for somewhere I could get her on for a call back service.  When I got back on the phone with her I told her I would have a technician out first thing in the morning.  As soon as I said that I could hear her beginning to cry.  I felt horrible and realized I needed to find something right away! I told her I would call her back and have to call my technicians to see who was close enough to stop by her area that same day.  I found a technician who was close to the area and said he could stop by. When I called her back she was very grateful for our help and glad we could get her on for that day.  A week later when we called her to follow-up on her call back service she said the technician did a great job and had not seen any scorpions in her home since.

Desiree Hunter

Phoenix, AZ