Most concerns about scorpions arise in the summer months, when the chance of encountering them is highest. Yet most protection consists of simple precautions taken before a scorpion is ever seen. The logic of these precautions is not to kill the animal but to make the living space unattractive to it and to reduce moments of unintended contact. A large share of stings come from a scorpion touched without being noticed: a shoe being put on, a towel picked up from the floor or a stone being lifted.
Which species live where in Türkiye was described in the article on scorpion species. This article focuses on practical precautions that can be taken in the living environment.
What attracts scorpions?
Three needs determine whether a scorpion stays in an area: a dark shelter where it can hide during the day, a cool, humid corner where it is protected from drying out, and insects to feed on. Scorpions feed on live prey, so places where insects are plentiful are also places scorpions visit. Their feeding habits were covered in the article on feeding.
| Need | What it corresponds to at home or in the garden | Precaution |
|---|---|---|
| Shelter | Piles of stone and wood, rubble, cracks in walls, items left on the ground | Removing piles or moving them away from the house and up off the ground |
| Moisture and coolness | Leaking taps, permanently wet ground, shady and cluttered corners | Fixing leaks, drying out wet areas, keeping vegetation away from walls |
| Prey | Insects drawn to lights, food and rubbish left in the open | Reducing outdoor lighting, keeping rubbish covered, removing sources of insects |
In the garden and around the house
The strip of a few metres immediately around the house is the zone through which scorpions approach it. Keeping this strip tidy reduces the burden on the precautions taken indoors.
- Piles of wood, brick and stone are not left leaning against walls; where possible they are kept away from the house on a raised platform.
- Dry leaves, pruning waste and building rubble at the foot of walls are cleared away.
- Climbing plants and shrubs are prevented from touching the walls or roof; these plants can act as a climbing route for scorpions.
- Outdoor lamps are placed as far from the door as possible or replaced with types of light that attract fewer insects.
- When lifting stones or wood in the garden, thick work gloves are worn and the object is lifted from the far side, not towards yourself.
Insecticides may have only a limited effect on scorpions; spraying works more indirectly, by reducing the insects scorpions feed on. Lasting results usually come from physical measures. Scientific support for smells and plants said to repel scorpions is also limited; such methods are no substitute for physical measures.
Sealing entry points
Thanks to their flattened bodies, scorpions can pass through very narrow gaps. Sealing the openings in the building envelope one by one is the most effective precaution you can take:
- Close the gap under exterior doors with a brush or rubber threshold seal.
- Fit fine-mesh insect screens to windows and ventilation grilles; replace any that are torn.
- Fill cracks between wall and floor and between window frame and wall with a suitable filler.
- Seal the gaps where pipes, cables and air-conditioning lines pass through the wall.
- Keep unused drain openings covered; check basement and storeroom doors.
These jobs are not done once and forgotten. Fillers crack over time and seals wear out. A short inspection round as the weather begins to warm up gives an opportunity to close any gaps before the months when scorpions become active.
Everyday habits indoors
Because scorpions hide in dark, narrow places during the day, the risky moments indoors are predictable. Especially in areas where scorpions are frequently seen, the following habits help:
- Shoes and boots are turned upside down and shaken out before being put on; shoes left outside are stored in a closed cupboard.
- The bed is kept a few centimetres away from the wall, bedding does not hang down to the floor and the space under the bed is not used for storage.
- Clothes, towels and bags are not left on the floor; clothes that have not been worn for a long time are shaken out before being put on.
- Babies' and children's beds are checked before bedtime.
- No one walks barefoot in the dark at night; a torch is used to look at the floor.
- Children are taught not to touch scorpions and not to feel under stones or inside holes in walls with their hands.
Summer houses and highland cottages that have been closed for a long time need particular care. When the house is opened, corners, the space under cupboards and the area around the bed are checked first with a torch; sheets and blankets are shaken out before being spread. At campsites, the tent zip is kept closed and a sleeping bag is opened and checked inside before use.
Night-time surveys with a UV torch
Scorpions glow blue-green under ultraviolet light. After dark, scanning the foot of walls, garden walls and the area around thresholds with a UV torch makes it easy to see whether scorpions are present. This method is useful for gauging scorpion density in an area and for monitoring whether the precautions taken are working. The reason for the glow was explained in the article on glowing under UV light. A scorpion spotted during a survey is not touched by hand.
If you come across one
When a scorpion is seen in the house, the first thing to do is move the people present, especially children and pets, away. Trying to catch the scorpion with bare hands is not the right thing to do. Appearance does not give reliable information about the species; the family that includes most of the medically significant species was introduced in the article on the Buthidae, but rather than trying to identify it at home, it is safer to approach every scorpion with the same caution. If encounters are frequent, help can be sought from the municipality or an authorized pest control service.
If a sting occurs, calm is needed rather than panic: without moving the stung area, call 112 and follow the instructions of the medical team.
