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Your Guide To Scorpions

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You might be a little freaked out if you see a scorpion scurry across your kitchen or even your driveway. Although they’re nocturnal predators that mainly feed on insects, they can be harmful to some pets and people if they feel threatened. Since scorpions have some similarities with other arachnids, it’s helpful to know how to identify them in case you need scorpion control services.

Appearance
Scorpions are very distinguishable by their appearance. Two eyes are in the middle of their heads, and a few more sit on the sides. Scorpions also have a set of claws or pincers, eight legs, and a long, segmented tail. At the tip of the tail is a larger segment with a barbed stinger.

In Arizona, the striped bark scorpion is the most common to invade homes. This species is yellow with two dark stripes down the body and a slender tail. They only grow up to 3 inches long, but their small size allows them to hide in attics and walls.

By comparison, the Arizona hairy scorpion grows up to 7 inches long, and the stripe-tailed scorpion grows up to 2.5 inches long. However, both of these species tend to live in burrows, piles of debris and rocky terrain.

Habitat and Activity
Since scorpions are nocturnal, they’re only active at night. They also prefer warm weather and generally hide throughout winter. If they’re in your home when winter starts, they don’t leave. Their ability to reproduce quickly makes it vital to deal with an infestation as soon as possible.

The arachnids like very dry climates such as deserts and semi-arid regions. However, they’re sensitive to moisture loss, which is why they stay in cool, moist places during the day. They keep hydrated by ingesting the liquids from prey such as spiders, insects and other invertebrates. The solid matter remains when they finish feeding.

Scorpions like to wait for their prey to come to them. Despite having several eyes, their eyesight is poor, so they navigate through touch and sense vibrations. They crush small prey with their pincers, and poison larger prey with their stingers. Their venom is a mixture of neurotoxins that affects the nervous system.

Bites and Stings
Although scorpions don’t bite, some people describe their stings as bites. Most of the time, a scorpion sting isn’t fatal for people. It typically causes redness, warmth, and pain at the sting site. However, the striped bark scorpion has very toxic venom that’s deadly for those who are highly sensitive. The best chance for survival is an antivenom injection to counteract the effects, but it must be administered quickly.

Since there’s no way to tell if you’re allergic before you get stung, it’s important to avoid threatening scorpions altogether. Although that sounds easy, scorpions can attack if you simply get too close. If you see one near or in your home, keep your distance and contact Natural Pest Solutions for an inspection.

 

Natural Pest Solutions
268 W Rosa St, Apache Junction, AZ 85120, USA
(480) 462-5263
https://mynaturalpestsolutions.com/arizona/pest-control-apache-junction-az/

How to Keep Your Yard Free of Mosquitoes

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How to Keep Your Yard Free of Mosquitoes

Did you know that mosquitos kill more people than murderers do? Yes! These killer bugs are responsible for spreading life threatening diseases including malaria, yellow fever, chikungunya and many more, which claim a whopping 600,000 humans lives per year. You’ll therefore be doing yourself and the people around you a huge favor by eradicating the blood suckers from your property. However, to effectively rid your yard of mosquitos, you’ll have to understand a thing or two about these pesky insects and stay ahead of their plans. Here’s a simple guide on how to keep your outdoors mosquito free.

Destroy Their Nesting Sites

If you have watched Aliens, the 1986 horror movie, then you already know that to conquer an ever growing army of pest-like intruders, you have to first take out their breeding grounds. Mosquitos are no different. Firstly, you should understand the mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water. As such, you should take the necessary precautions by checking and draining any stagnant water in your yard. Places to check include gutters, ponds, kiddie pools, flower pots, tires, puddles, old buckets, pet bowls, etc. Essentially, anything that can hold water is a potential nesting ground for mosquitoes; cutting them down to one generation will surely reduce the number of disease carrying fliers in your yard.

Decorate Your Yard with Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

After eradicating their breeding grounds, you’ll need to keep mosquitoes from other areas from coming into your yard. Well, what better way to do it than to use plants that have both scenic value and scents that repel the little suckers. That’s right, plants like citronella, marigold, and catnip are known mosquito deterrents you can opt for.  Here is more information on plants that repel mosquitoes.

Install Bug Lights Instead of using Incandescent Lights in Your Yard

As you may already know, insects are attracted to conventional light bulbs for various reasons. As a result, mosquitos might be attracted to your yard because of the type of security lights you have on your porch, gate or just around the property. It is therefore advisable to use lights that do not attract insects such as the Warm LED bulbs, fluorescent bulbs, or other insect lights to keep mosquitos at bay.

Keep Your Yard Tidy

Mosquitoes like to hide in dark places especially during the day to strike at night. Therefore, outgrown bushes and branches, unkempt fences, overgrown grass and heaps of debris and plant matter in your yard are perfect hiding places for mosquitos. As such, keeping your yard clean by pruning and trimming your plants and fence and mowing your lawn are imperative for a mosquito free yard.

Note that, mosquitoes are can be annoyingly persistent even with these strategies if your immediate neighbors don’t join in your efforts. However, if the problem persists after all the effort, you can always consider professional treatment services. Otherwise, follow these four simple tips to kick mosquitoes out of your yard.