My husband and I were conducting our final walk-through of our soon-to-be beautiful new home. After almost a year of looking, we were excited to find a perfect match for our family of five and ready to move in. As we smiled, took room measurements and imagined our family making memories in this new home, we unexpectedly discovered that the house was already occupied. My husband stopped as he noticed a “stain” on the carpet. He bent down closer to examine it and realized that it was actually a scorpion and it was alive. We found one more live scorpion in a different room. The thought of their four sets of creepy legs, two pincer claws and the venom bulb at the end of their tail made my skin crawl. I was sick to my stomach each time I looked at my sweet boys and pictured them playing in the spots that we found the scorpions. After agonizing over the decision of walking away from our beautiful new home, we ultimately pulled out of the sale and lost money to do so.
Here are just some of the haunting facts that I have found about scorpions.
1. Scorpions are active and feed at night. They typically eat spiders, insects and sometimes, each other.
2. Scorpions live and hide under rocks, wood, crawl spaces, and such areas. They typically hide during the day. If you suspect there are scorpions in your house, always check shoes before putting them on and all towels or articles of clothing.
3. If you live in an area where there is a lot of construction, you may be more likely to find scorpions inside because their outdoor habitat has been disturbed.
4. They can live for months on just water. Because they are looking for water, you may find them in or under sinks, tubs or pools.
5. Scorpions will sting when disturbed. Getting stung is painful and can be extremely dangerous if you have an allergic reaction. Scorpion stings can be deadly for children under six, older adults and anyone with an allergy to the venom.
If you live in an area where scorpions could be found and are looking to buy a new house, do your research before purchasing your new home. Ask the neighbors if they have scorpions. Ask the seller if their home is being treated or has a history of scorpions. A lender-owned property may not disclose or have this information. Hire a pest control specialist to conduct “blacklighting,” a method of searching for scorpions at night when they are active. Treating your home for scorpions can be costly and frustrating. From what I have been told by scorpion control specialists, you can decrease the number that enter your home but will most likely never be rid of them.
I sleep much better at night in my old home, resting comfortably in my bed without the worry of being stung as I sleep. I urge you to find out what you are moving into before you purchase.
Information about scorpions has been collected from phoenix.about.com