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Been her now for a few months but noticing more scorpions in the house, I assume they are more frequent in the dry months.
I know we must learn to live with all the creatures but wondering if there are any other measures to deter then from entering.
May thanks—-Peter
I’ve never seen a scorpion in CR, but I once diverted a herd of a million army ants in a house in Monteverde. Great fun those boogers.
Anyway, besides the toxic alternatives, diatomaceous earth (DE, horticultural grade)or sometimes a sticky trap, like used for mice, is effective. You might accidentally catch a good guy–like a lizard–so check every day. In another life, I am a practicing organic gardener.The Army Ants will clear out your scorpions, wasps, other ant gangs, katydids and most everything else insect.
Well not sure I’d want to order some army ants, what are the normal chemicals and how effective is the DE stuff and how is it applied?
Thanks for feedback.
When the scorpions have eaten all of the cockroaches (their favorite food) in the house, they will go somewhere else. If I find a scorpion in the house, I will kill it – several whacks with a rubber flip flop usually does the trick. If I see one outside the house even if it is on the house, I leave it alone. They eat some really big insects, such as giant grasshoppers and cockroaches, and spiders that you really don’t want in your house or eating your garden. Scorpions don’t want to eat us. We are not on their menu. Scorpion stings are the result of accidental encounters between man and creature.
By the way, you should never try to deter or deflect army ants. They are nature’s cleaners. They move en mass and eat anything alive that doesn’t run or fly away and then they leave. If they invade your house, it is because there is food for them in there (bugs) and you should just leave for an hour or two but take your dog and your caged birds with you.
I agree, don’t have a problem with these guys outside, but don’t like them inside so was curious if there was something one could spread near doors etc to deter them from coming in.
There are certainly some giant locusts around now also. Never see too many cockroaches.
Well installed screen doors (aluminum, sliding) pretty much keep any type of bug outside.
Depending on season and climate, one or the other bug tries to invade homes. Big ants (not the cleaner ants) love to make their nest in closets and other dark and hidden spaces. Smaller ants like to invade electronic equipment (printers, telephones etc.) because it is warm inside (always unplug printers etc. when not in use)
Once I found a scorpion skin in my closet, so actually he changed clothes and left LOL. Once I had a baby tarantula in my rubber boot, it bit my toe but it was not too painfull (I am not allergic to any insect bite).
In 21 years in Costa Rica I may have seen a total of 20 scorpions, 20 snakes, 20 tarantulas….not too bad I think.
The number of bad people we read in the newspaper every day is way above that.
We had a living scorpion in our printer…and once the female has a family in your home, they get Permanent Residency 😆
[quote=”costaricafinca”]We had a living scorpion in our printer…and once the female has a family in your home, they get Permanent Residency :lol:[/quote]
Baygon takes care of this (scorpions are spider-related insects), or a fumigator in case of major infestation. Or, as someone said before, flip flops are pretty effective too.
Take a close look before swatting a scorpion with your flip flop. Their young ride on the mother’s back and if swatted, the babies will scatter in all directions. I had one in my shorts and got nailed on the knee when getting dressed a few years ago. First thing that came to mind was that it could have been much worse..heh
Only had two in the house – found one alive and one dead. Killed the live one… I don’t think they like crossing large expanses of driveway stones or tiles as there is no greenery and no place to hide. That may be why we have only seen two in the house.
Since they can get in under doors, a good suggestion was a screen door with a tight fit. We are planning on one.
We have good screens, but we leave the doors open all day…
Where we used to live, there had always been, according to others, lots of them.
They will hide under sinks, in the ceiling, under cushions, in your closet, under the kitchen counters …
Just keep an eye out for them. If you do get stung, spray Windex or another ammonia based product on the sting.[quote=”pebo1″]Well not sure I’d want to order some army ants, what are the normal chemicals and how effective is the DE stuff and how is it applied?
[/quote]If by DE you mean diatomaceous earth, it is not even slightly toxic. It is the fossil remains [usually 35-50 million years old] of a type of microalgae called diatoms [do a Google search!]. They are used as light abrasives [e.g., toothpaste], swimming pool filters, and absorbants. Individual fossil cell walls are made of silicon dioxide [similar to glass]. They kill spiders/ants/scorpions when the little particles clog the breathing organs [spiracles] of these beasties. So, no poison or toxicity.
If you have seen brown scum on the inside walls of aquariums, you have seen thousands of diatoms.
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