Scorpions in your bed pose serious health risks that you shouldn’t ignore. Their painful stings can cause intense pain, breathing problems, or even dangerous allergic reactions in some people.

If you live in Arizona or other desert areas, you need effective strategies to keep these unwelcome visitors away from your sleeping space. Scorpions hunt at night, making your warm, cozy bed an attractive target when you’re most vulnerable.

Taking steps to scorpion-proof your bedroom protects you and your family from middle-of-the-night stings. Simple prevention methods can dramatically reduce your risk of finding these eight-legged intruders between your sheets.

This article shows you practical, effective ways to create a scorpion-free zone around your bed.

Understanding Scorpions

To protect yourself from

scorpions,



you must first understand how they think and act. Learning about scorpion behavior gives you the knowledge you need to keep them away from your sleeping area.

Habits and Behaviors

Scorpions are nocturnal predators that become most active when you’re trying to sleep. They prefer warm, dark hiding spots during the day and emerge at night to hunt for insects and other small prey.

Scorpions can squeeze through incredibly tiny spaces, needing only a 1/16-inch gap to enter your home. These resourceful creatures climb walls with ease using their specialized claws, which helps them access your bedroom from multiple entry points.

Most scorpions avoid light and will quickly scurry away when exposed, making them hard to spot without special detection methods. They can survive for months without food, making occasional scorpion sightings a sign that more might be hiding nearby.

Why They Might Enter Your Bed

Scorpions crawl into beds searching for the warmth and shelter that blankets and sheets provide. Your bed offers them numerous hiding spots between layers of bedding where they can remain protected and undetected for long periods.

The insects that occasionally find their way into your bed might attract hungry scorpions looking for an easy meal. Scorpions also enter beds when their path takes them up walls and across ceilings, from which they may accidentally fall onto your sleeping area.

If your bedding touches the floor, scorpions use these fabric “bridges” to climb directly into your bed with minimal effort. During extreme weather conditions, scorpions enter homes and beds more frequently as they seek stable temperatures and protection from the elements.

Creating Scorpion Barriers Around Your Bed

You can stop scorpions from reaching your bed by creating physical barriers they cannot cross. These simple but effective techniques create a safe zone around your sleeping area that keeps scorpions on the floor where they belong.

Elevating Your Bed

Move your bed at least two inches away from all walls to prevent scorpions from climbing directly from the wall to your mattress. Choose metal bed frames instead of wooden ones because scorpions struggle to climb smooth metal surfaces.

Make sure no part of your bed touches the walls, floor lamps, nightstands, or other furniture that could create a bridge for scorpions. Raise your bed high enough off the floor to easily spot any scorpions attempting to climb the legs.

Remove any storage boxes or items under your bed that might give scorpions hiding places close to where you sleep. Check that your mattress doesn’t sag over the edges of your bed frame, as this creates another potential path for scorpions.

Using Glass Jar Technique

Place each leg of your bed frame inside a sturdy glass mason jar to create an impassable barrier for scorpions. Scorpions cannot climb the smooth, vertical glass surface of the jars, which prevents them from reaching your bed from the floor.

Make sure you choose jars wide enough to fit your bed legs with space around them and strong enough to support your bed’s weight. Check the jars regularly to ensure they haven’t cracked and still form a complete barrier around each leg.

For added protection, coat the outside of the jars with petroleum jelly to make them even more difficult for scorpions to climb. This simple, inexpensive solution works surprisingly well and gives you peace of mind while sleeping.

Installing Smooth Surface Barriers

Hang a smooth piece of glass, plastic, or metal above your bed to catch any scorpions that might fall from the ceiling. Attach this barrier to your ceiling using strong fishing line or wire, making sure it extends several inches beyond your mattress on all sides.

Scorpions that fall onto this smooth surface will slide off onto the floor instead of landing in your bed. Check and clean the barrier regularly to ensure it remains effective and free from dust that might help scorpions gain traction.

For ceiling fans, install smooth barriers around the base of the fan to prevent scorpions from using this route to access your bed. These overhead barriers complement your ground-level protections to create a complete defense system against scorpions.

Sealing Your Home Against Scorpions

Keeping scorpions out of your bed starts with preventing them from entering your home in the first place. A thorough sealing of your house creates your first and most important line of defense against these unwanted visitors.

Finding and Sealing Entry Points

Inspect your home carefully for tiny cracks and gaps where scorpions might squeeze through, paying special attention to areas around doors, windows, and utilities. Remember that scorpions need only 1/16 of an inch to enter your home, so even seemingly insignificant openings require immediate attention.

Use high-quality caulk to seal cracks in your foundation, walls, and around pipes or wires that enter your home. Install door sweeps on all exterior doors and make sure window screens fit tightly without tears or gaps that create easy access points.

Check for light coming through closed doors or windows at night, as these indicate gaps large enough for scorpions to use as entryways. Focus extra attention on sealing areas close to your bedroom to create multiple barriers between the outdoors and your sleeping space.

Professional Sealing Services

Hire professional pest control experts to identify and seal entry points you might miss during your own inspection. These specialists use special tools and techniques to find even the most hidden cracks and openings throughout your home.

Professional sealing offers long-term protection against not only scorpions but also other pests like spiders in the bedroom, ants, and rodents. Experts often guarantee their work, returning to address any areas that might have been overlooked during the initial service.

Professional sealing services typically include both immediate repairs and recommendations for preventing future entry points as your home settles and changes over time. The investment in professional sealing pays off through reduced pest control needs and greater peace of mind, especially in areas with high scorpion populations.

Managing Your Bedroom

The way you maintain your bedroom significantly affects your risk of scorpion encounters. Simple daily habits create an environment that discourages scorpions from moving into your personal space.

Keeping Bedding off the Floor

Tuck all sheets, blankets, and comforters tightly under your mattress so they never touch the floor. Scorpions use hanging bedding as easy ramps to climb directly into your bed without needing to navigate your other barriers.

Make your bed neatly each morning, ensuring no part of your bedding creates a bridge between the floor and your mattress. Choose bedding that fits your mattress size properly, avoiding oversized blankets that naturally hang to the floor.

Use bed skirts that are hemmed to hang just above the floor rather than touching it, which prevents scorpions from using them as climbing aids. If you notice your bedding has slipped to the floor during the night, shake it out thoroughly before returning it to your bed.

Eliminating Clutter

Remove unnecessary items from your bedroom floor to eliminate potential scorpion hiding spots near your bed. Clear out storage boxes, piles of clothes, books, and other items that create dark, protected spaces where scorpions feel safe.

Organize your closet so items are stored in sealed containers or on shelves rather than in piles on the floor. Keep shoes in closed containers or elevated on racks since scorpions often hide in footwear during the day.

Reduce the number of decorative items and nightstand essentials around your bed that might provide additional scorpion shelters. A minimalist approach to bedroom décor not only looks cleaner but also significantly reduces the places where scorpions can hide undetected.

Regular Inspection Routines

Check your bed thoroughly each night before getting in by pulling back the covers and examining the sheets and mattress. Shake out your blankets, pillows, and any clothing that’s been lying on the bed before using them.

Develop the habit of looking inside your shoes and checking clothing before putting them on, especially items that have been on the floor. Use a flashlight to look under your bed and other furniture daily, focusing on dark corners where scorpions prefer to hide.

Inspect your bedroom walls and ceiling before bedtime, paying special attention to areas where walls meet the ceiling. These regular inspection routines quickly become second nature and dramatically reduce your chances of unpleasant scorpion surprises.

Natural Deterrents

Beyond physical barriers, you can use natural substances to make your bedroom less appealing to scorpions. These non-toxic options help create an invisible boundary that scorpions prefer to avoid.

Essential Oils That Repel Scorpions

Essential oils not only help with sleep but offer a natural way to keep scorpions away from your sleeping area without harsh chemicals. Many scorpions dislike strong scents, making essential oils an effective part of your prevention strategy.

• Lavender oil: Creates an aromatic barrier scorpions avoid while providing a pleasant scent for humans.
• Peppermint oil: Contains menthol compounds that irritate scorpions’ sensitive receptors, causing them to stay away.
• Cedarwood oil: Produces a woody aroma that scorpions find overwhelming and unpleasant.
• Tea tree oil: Works as both a repellent and potential contact pesticide against scorpions.
• Cinnamon oil: Contains compounds that disrupt scorpions’ ability to sense their environment properly.

Apply these oils regularly as part of your scorpion prevention routine for best results. Remember that while essential oils help deter scorpions, they work best when combined with other prevention methods like sealing entry points and removing hiding places.

Other Natural Repellents

Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in a continuous line around your bed and along walls to create a barrier that damages scorpions’ exoskeletons when they cross it. Apply boric acid powder in similar locations, focusing on corners and dark areas where scorpions typically travel.

Use crushed garlic or garlic oil around potential entry points, as the strong smell repels scorpions without harming your family. Try sprinkling crushed eggshells around the perimeter of your bedroom, as scorpions dislike the feeling of crawling over the sharp edges.

Cedar chips placed strategically around your bedroom serve as another natural deterrent that scorpions typically avoid. Each of these natural options works best when used consistently and in combination with the physical barriers you’ve already created around your bed.

Detection Methods

Finding scorpions before they find you helps prevent unwanted encounters in your bed. These detection techniques allow you to identify and remove scorpions from your bedroom before bedtime.

Using Blacklights

Purchase an inexpensive UV blacklight flashlight specifically for scorpion hunting in your bedroom. Scorpions glow a bright blue-green color under blacklight, making them easy to spot even when they’re hiding in dark corners.

Turn off all lights in your bedroom and slowly scan the floor, walls, ceiling, and furniture with your blacklight to reveal any hiding scorpions. Make scorpion checking with a blacklight part of your nightly routine, especially during warmer months when scorpions become more active.

Focus your inspection on areas where walls meet the floor, inside closets, and under furniture where scorpions commonly hide during the day. Keep a jar with a lid nearby during your blacklight inspections so you can safely capture and remove any scorpions you find.

Setting Sticky Traps

Place flat, glue-based sticky traps along walls, in corners, and under furniture to catch scorpions as they travel through your bedroom. Check your traps daily and replace them when they collect dust or debris that might allow scorpions to cross without sticking.

Position additional traps near potential entry points like doors, windows, and vents to catch scorpions before they reach your bed. Use sticky traps baited with crickets or other insects to attract scorpions looking for food.

Remember that sticky traps also catch the insects scorpions eat, making your bedroom less attractive to them even if they avoid the traps. For better coverage, cut some traps into smaller pieces that fit in tight spaces like behind nightstands or between furniture and walls.

These simple traps provide both protection and valuable information about where scorpions enter your bedroom.

Professional Pest Control

When your own efforts to keep scorpions away don’t succeed, professional pest control services can provide powerful solutions to eliminate these unwanted visitors. Experts have specialized knowledge, equipment, and treatments that are much more effective than what most homeowners can achieve on their own.

• Advanced detection methods: Professional exterminators use high-powered blacklights and inspection techniques to find scorpions hiding in places you might never check.
• Specialized treatments: Pest control companies have access to commercial-grade pesticides and application methods that target scorpions specifically.
• Comprehensive approach: Professionals don’t just treat for scorpions—they address the entire ecosystem that supports them.
• Regular maintenance: Most companies offer scheduled service plans that provide ongoing protection throughout the year.
• Home sealing expertise: Professional technicians can identify and seal entry points that you might overlook, preventing new scorpions from entering your home.

The cost of professional services is often worth the investment, especially in areas with dangerous scorpion species or persistent problems.

Remember that protecting your family from
painful stings



and sleepless nights due to scorpion worries makes professional pest control a worthwhile consideration.

FAQs

What scent do scorpions hate the most?

Scorpions strongly dislike the smell of lavender, peppermint, and cedarwood essential oils. These powerful scents overwhelm their sensitive receptors and create an environment they actively avoid.

For best results, mix 15-20 drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle and apply it around your bedroom perimeter, focusing on entry points and dark corners. Remember to reapply every few days since the scent fades over time, especially after cleaning or in humid conditions.

What if a scorpion does sting me?

If a scorpion does sting you, first wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water to clean the wound and remove any venom on the skin’s surface. Apply a cold compress or ice pack wrapped in a cloth to the sting site for 10-15 minutes at a time to help reduce pain, swelling, and slow the spread of venom through your system.

For most healthy adults, scorpion stings cause localized pain, numbness, and tingling that resolve within a few hours or days with basic home care, but you should seek immediate medical attention if you experience severe symptoms like difficulty breathing, muscle twitching, drooling, sweating, or if the victim is a child, elderly person, or has health conditions, as these groups face higher risks from scorpion venom.

Keep the affected limb immobilized and positioned below heart level while monitoring for allergic reactions, and consider taking over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to manage discomfort while the venom’s effects subside.

How do I know if I have scorpions in my house?

Look for scorpions at night using a UV blacklight, which makes them glow bright blue-green and easy to spot even in dark areas. You might also notice small droppings that resemble black pepper, shed exoskeletons that look like transparent versions of scorpions, or increased presence of other insects that scorpions hunt.

Scorpions often hide in dark, quiet places during the day, so check inside shoes, under furniture, in closets, and behind picture frames regularly if you suspect an infestation.

Will killing one scorpion attract more?

Killing a scorpion will not attract more scorpions to your home. Scorpions don’t send signals to others when they die, unlike some insects that release alarm pheromones. However, you should properly dispose of dead scorpions by wrapping them in tissue and placing them in sealed trash to prevent other pests from being attracted to the remains.

Remember that finding one scorpion often indicates more are nearby, not because of the dead one, but because conditions in your home are favorable for scorpions in general.

Are baby scorpions more dangerous than adults?

Baby scorpions possess the same venom potency as adults, but their smaller size doesn’t mean they deliver weaker stings. Young scorpions actually have less control over their venom release, potentially injecting more venom per sting than mature scorpions.

Their small size makes them harder to spot and more likely to hide in unexpected places like folded bedding or clothing. Always treat baby scorpions with the same caution as adults, and remember that a mother scorpion often carries her babies on her back, so one sighting could mean dozens of scorpions.

How long can scorpions live in my house without food?

Scorpions can survive an astonishing 6-12 months without food, making them incredibly resilient home invaders. Their slow metabolism allows them to conserve energy during periods of scarcity, which means eliminating their food sources alone won’t solve your scorpion problem quickly.

They can obtain moisture from humid air, further extending their survival time even without access to water. This remarkable survival ability makes consistent prevention methods and regular inspections necessary even if you haven’t seen scorpions for months.

Will my regular pest control service take care of scorpions?

Standard pest control treatments often don’t effectively target scorpions due to their thick exoskeletons and unique biology. Many scorpions can resist conventional pesticides that kill common household pests like ants or roaches. You need to specifically request scorpion treatments when arranging pest control services, as these require specialized products and application methods.

Professional scorpion control typically includes both chemical treatments and physical barrier methods, along with specific advice for your property based on the technician’s inspection.

Can I use bug bombs to get rid of scorpions in my bedroom?

Bug bombs are ineffective against scorpions and may actually worsen your problem in several ways. Scorpions’ thick exoskeletons protect them from the airborne chemicals in foggers, while the bug bomb kills their natural predators and food sources, forcing scorpions to move around more actively in search of food.

These products leave residue on surfaces that can be harmful to humans but barely affects scorpions. Instead of bug bombs, focus on direct prevention methods like sealing entry points, removing hiding places, and using targeted treatments applied directly to areas where scorpions travel.

Can scorpions crawl into your bed?

Yes, scorpions can crawl into your bed, as they’re excellent climbers capable of scaling various surfaces including bedding and bed frames. A scorpion may end up in your bed while searching for a warm, dark place to hide, which bedding naturally provides. And if your home has an insect problem, scorpions might be attracted inside to hunt prey, and your bed could become an incidental resting spot during their nocturnal hunting activities

To prevent scorpions from accessing your bed, consider using bed risers, keeping bedding from touching the floor, and regularly inspecting your bedding, especially if you live in scorpion-prone areas.

Will a scorpion sting me while I sleep?

Scorpions generally don’t sting humans unless they feel threatened or are accidentally pressed against your body while you sleep. Most scorpion stings that occur during sleep happen when a person rolls over onto the scorpion, causing it to defensively sting in response to being crushed.

While scorpions aren’t aggressive and don’t seek out humans to sting, keeping your sleeping area clean, shaking out bedding before use, and conducting periodic checks of your bedroom can significantly reduce the risk of nighttime encounters.

Conclusion

Keeping scorpions out of your bed requires a combination of strategies that work together to create multiple layers of protection. Start with sealing your home against entry, then create physical barriers around your bed using techniques like the glass jar method and elevated beds.

Manage your bedroom environment by eliminating clutter, keeping bedding off the floor, and establishing regular inspection routines using blacklights. Apply natural deterrents like essential oils and diatomaceous earth to make your bedroom less appealing to these unwanted visitors. Set sticky traps to catch scorpions before they reach your sleeping area, and check them regularly for activity.

Don’t hesitate to call professional pest control services if you continue finding scorpions despite your prevention efforts. With these methods in place, you can sleep peacefully knowing you’ve created a scorpion-free zone around your bed.

Have you had a close encounter with a scorpion in your bedroom? We’d love to hear your story! Your experience could help others facing similar challenges.

Drop a comment below with your own scorpion prevention tips or questions. Did these methods work for you? Do you have additional suggestions? Your feedback not only helps us improve our advice but creates a supportive community for everyone dealing with these eight-legged visitors.