repelling scorpion when camping

Hi,

While looking for advice on how to repel scorpions I came across your website. You seem to be more informed than many of the other so called ‘experts’ on the internet.

I mentioned repelling the little critters because I am looking for the best way to keep them out of my sleeping bag and gear while hiking. I work for a wilderness program in central Arizona and will either be sleeping with the scorpions this summer or looking for a new job.

Other than the black flashlight does your bag of tricks include anything that I could spray/dust my gear with? I have read about cedar oil and I may even spot test cy-kick on the back of my bag where I won’t have frequent skin contact with it. Some of the more experienced trail guides suggested that shaking out my things should be sufficient. Having worked in homes with scorpion problems, I’m not so sure.

Thanks,
E.S.

As explained in our SCORPION CONTROL ARTICLE, scorpions are mostly nocturnal. This means they’re most active at night and your odds of confrontation will be increased during this time period. But they’re also quite sensitive to certain products and in particular they don’t like any type of dust.

Knowing this I can recommend you use either the ECO DUST or the DRIONE DUST to effectively repel them from where you sleep. Either may be applied around your tent, your sleeping bag or anything else you’d like to protect. All it takes is a light dusting and you can think of this application as a type of “fence” over which scorpions won’t cross. It won’t take much and if you equip yourself with a small duster filled prior to your trip, chances are you can keep enough to last several nights. Depending on how long you go afield, you’ll learn how much to pack and bring when you leave for an excursion afield.

For the clothing, I’d recommend getting some PERMETHRIN RTS for clothing. More commonly used to repel ticks, chiggers and other “warm blooded seeking creatures”, it’s not commonly used for something like scorpions. But since it’s permethrin the scorpions will avoid where it’s applied. If you spray from your knees “down”, you should provide yourself enough protection to keep all these critters off you.

Here are direct links to the products and information listed above:

SCORPION CONTROL

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1588.html

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1592.html

PERMETHRIN CLOTHING "READY TO SPRAY" 12 OZ

jonathan

www.bugspray.com