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How to get rid of striped bark scorpions

An integrated plan, and an honest word on what wastes money

Last reviewed 2026-07-20 Sources 4 Read 5 min
The short version

There is no product that eliminates scorpions. The most effective plan is to seal them out, strip away their outdoor hiding places and food, and physically remove the ones you find at night. Spraying alone is not generally effective.12

The plan that works

  1. Seal the structure. Pest-proofing is by far the most effective way to reduce scorpion contact. Start with the exclusion checklist.2
  2. Remove harborage and food. Clear wood, stone, and debris from around the house and cut back the insect prey that draws scorpions. See the yard page.12
  3. Hunt at night with UV. Repeated blacklight collections genuinely reduce local numbers; the University of Arizona notes several collections over a summer can greatly decrease a local population.3
  4. Reduce attractant lighting. Bright exterior lights draw the flying insects scorpions eat, so consider changing or relocating them.4
  5. Use chemicals only as a limited add-on. If used, keep applications outdoors and follow the label exactly.4

What to realistically expect

Eliminating the food supply helps but will not, by itself, clear scorpions from around a home, so no single step is a cure.2 Sticky monitoring traps are useful on two fronts: they catch scorpions and they reveal where the animals are entering so you can target the sealing.4 If a problem persists, it is reasonable to bring in a professional who specializes in pest-proofing, which is covered on the DIY versus professional page.2

Sources

  1. University of Arizona Community IPM. “Living with and Managing Scorpions” (Aug 18, 2022). acis.cals.arizona.edu. Accessed 2026-07-20.Backs: chemical spraying is not generally effective; blacklight collections reduce local populations; remove harborage.
  2. University of Arizona Community IPM. “Scorpion Season is Here!” (May 16, 2025). acis.cals.arizona.edu. Accessed 2026-07-20.Backs: pest-proofing is the most effective step; eliminating food helps but will not eliminate scorpions; consider a pest-proofing professional.
  3. University of Arizona Community IPM. “Living with and Managing Scorpions” (Aug 18, 2022). acis.cals.arizona.edu. Accessed 2026-07-20.Backs: multiple blacklight collections over a summer can greatly decrease a local scorpion population.
  4. Texas A&M AgriLife School IPM. “IPM Action Plan for Bark Scorpions.” schoolipm.tamu.edu. Accessed 2026-07-20.Backs: reduce attractant exterior lighting; use sticky traps to catch scorpions and find entry points; keep insecticide use outdoors.
Every factual claim on this page is cited in the Sources above. This is a non-commercial reference.  ·  Last reviewed 2026-07-20.

The Scorpiologist is an independent, non-commercial reference. No products, no lead-gen, no fear-mongering.  ·  Every claim is cited on the page.  ·  Last reviewed 2026-07-20.