Did you know that there are scorpions in the State of Washington?
Well this information came as a real surprise when Matt McGee, editor of Search Engine Land, found one in his home! The Northern Scorpion rarely invades homes and is actually a very rare find, but yes, Washington has scorpions.
Northern Scorpion found in Washington
Matt’s Email:
Last night, we were shocked to find a small scorpion inside our house. It was no more than 1.5 or maybe 2 inches. Might’ve been a baby. It was sitting in the glass portion of a picture frame that was at the bottom of a small pile of frames.
We didn’t even think scorpions live up here, but sure enough:
http://www.bentler.us/eastern-washington/animals/arachnids/northern-scorpion.aspx
We killed it and we’re having pest control come next week, but they’re not even sure they have chemicals to keep scorpions away. They were as shocked as us to hear about a scorpion in this area.
My questions:
* Are these things fast? Do they jump? I know nothing about them.
* Can they kill you?
* Do they bite or sting? Do they use the tail or the claws? Both?
* What do we do if we see another one?
* What if someone gets bit/stung? Do we go to the hospital?
Any help appreciated.
-Matt McGee
Are these scorpions fast? Do they jump? I know nothing about them.
They can be very fast. They don’t jump. They are pretty good climbers. In fact you can see one make it about 10 feet in a mere second or two here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29vayDJ49RQ
But really you need not fear a scorpion chasing after you. They don’t hunt humans.
Can scorpions kill you?
Yes, scorpions can cause death, but it’s very rare. In your particular case, the Northern Scorpion does not have the appearance of a highly toxic species. I don’t imagine that this species sting would do much more damage than a bee sting. However, people have different allergic reactions.
Do scorpions bite or sting? Do they use the tail or the claws? Both?
They don’t bite people. They can pinch but not likely. Watch out for the stinger. They will sting. I am not familiar with how aggressive the Northern Scorpion is but I can assure you that their stinger works. They most likely won’t sting you unless you aggravate it. ..or unless you are Mat S. in which case it might just walk up and poke your foot for no apparent reason.
What if someone gets bit/stung? Do we go to the hospital?
No need to go to the hospital for most stings. Some stings cause severe allergic reactions. If foaming at the mouth, uncontrollable eye movement, or seizures occur then go to the hospital. There isn’t much you can do to treat a scorpion sting. For sting treatment you can ice the area of the sting. You can take pain medication such as Aspirin or Tylenol. If sever reactions do occur you will want to keep the victim calm. Elevated heart rates will only cause the toxins to spread faster.
Can an exterminator get rid of scorpions? How do I get rid of scorpions?
Yes you can kill them and control them. Scorpions are very difficult to control because of their grooming habits and they walk on their toes. Cy-Kick is the best low risk product available. It’s less toxic than table salt to mammals. And grab glue traps and place them by entrance ways. http://www.pestprojoe.com/home.php?cat=285&rootcat=Scorpions
What do we do if we see another one?
Catch it!
Option 1- Paint Stick with tape. Take a paint stir stick, wrap the end with tape leaving sticky side facing out. Make the sticky portion 2 to 3 inches wide. Then you stick it on the scorpion. Pick it up. Put it in a plastic container. Make it now so that you have it ready. http://www.azcentral.com/video/#/Scorpion+hunting+in+Mesa/1680903532001
Option 2: Use a glass jar. Put it over the top of the scorpion. Then slide a piece of paper under the jar. Then flip it over. The scorpion won’t be able to climb out.
Then you are going to mail it to me. I will gladly pay the shipping. =)
…Or you can squash it with a shoe.
I will take them dead or alive.
Black Lighting Scorpions
Oh my gosh! Black light ‘em! ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME??????????
Never in a million years would I actively seek them out. I prefer to pretend they don’t exist. That’s how I got to sleep last night.
Sheesh.
Actually it’s a good idea. It will help you know if you even have a need to be worried. And I suspect that for the Northern Scorpion you won’t have to be worried at all. If you blacklight and don’t find any in your yard then you will sleep better. I don’t think your species infests homes, and don’t think they are common at all… also evidenced by the fact that your local pest control guys didn’t even know if they had products that worked for scorpions. Honestly, you may want to just buy the cy-kick and spray yourselves. At least email me what products they are going to use and I can tell you if it will help.
What black light should I buy to go scorpion hunting?
Do you have a recommendation for a UV flashlight? There are a ton on Amazon and elsewhere and I don’t quite know what I’m looking for. Was checking out these two:
http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Ultraviolet-LED-flashlight-7202UV395/
http://www.amazon.com/UV-Blacklight-Flashlight-Ultra-Light/dp/B004S6JFWQ/
I’m interested in getting one for the amusement factor now as much as the scorpion hunting. Don’t expect to find many/any critters, but like the idea of having a flashlight around just in case.
I did find a plug-in UV light strip at Walmart today and used it in a couple rooms tonight. No scorpions, but DAMN is it fun to light up rooms with UV light!!! 
Funny that Walmart actually took on that idea. I thought of buying the domain “Scorpion Nightlights” and selling them a few years back, but after discovering that UV lights are bad for your eyes I opted not to do that. So I would advise not having UV lights for night lights. UV can damage your eyes. A little exposure isn’t going to hurt you, but prolonged exposure, night after night, could cause some real eye problems.
As for the Blacklight Flashlights, I’d recommend a LED one. The LED blacklights are very bright and work well. You don’t need anything huge or fancy or extra powerful. The glowing scorpions jump out at you when see them. Scorpion hunting is a great nighttime adventure. I’d advise wearing closed toed shoes. A pair of gloves is useful if you plan on handling the scorpions.
Additional Scorpion Questions?
Feel free to ask me your additional scorpion questions. I am happy to help. Thanks.
Scorpion Control Resources:
http://scorpionreport.org
http://entomology.wsu.edu/outreach/bug-info/northern-scorpion/
http://www.bulwarkpestcontrol.com/science-scorpion-control.php
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