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A handheld blacklight is one of the cheapest and most useful tools a Tucson homeowner can own. Under ultraviolet light, scorpions that would be nearly invisible against stucco or gravel light up a bright blue-green. Technicians at Swift Pest use the same trick during nighttime inspections to find where scorpions are gathering. Below are seven things to know before your first blacklight walk, from choosing the right light to staying safe, followed by five local companies that treat scorpions.
How do you use a blacklight to find scorpions?
1. Why do scorpions glow under a blacklight?
Scorpions glow because of compounds in their outer shell. According to the American Museum of Natural History, all scorpions fluoresce under long-wave ultraviolet light, roughly 360 to 400 nanometers, because their exoskeleton contains two compounds called beta-carboline and 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin. Fluorescence means the shell absorbs invisible UV light and gives it off as visible light, which is why the scorpion seems to glow.
2. What kind of blacklight works best?
A handheld LED UV flashlight works well for most homes. Lights are usually sold as 365 nm or 395 nm. Many people prefer 365 nm because it gives off less visible purple light, so fewer surrounding objects glow and scorpions stand out more. A 395 nm light still works and is often cheaper.
3. When is the best time to look?
After dark, once scorpions leave their daytime hiding spots to hunt. An hour or so after sunset on a warm night is a good starting point. Darker nights give better contrast than nights with a bright moon, and the warmer months bring more activity than winter.
4. Where should you look outside?
Start where scorpions shelter during the day. Sweep the light slowly along block walls, the base of stucco, weep holes, woodpiles, rock borders and the trunks of palm trees. Check the walls a few feet up, too, since bark scorpions climb. Most homeowners are surprised by how many turn up on vertical surfaces.
5. Where should you look inside?
Focus on baseboards, the garage, under sinks, closets and the corners where walls meet the ceiling. Bark scorpions climb walls and can walk across ceilings, so don’t keep the light pointed only at the floor. Indoor checks work best with the lights off for a few minutes first.
6. What won’t a blacklight show you?
A blacklight only reveals scorpions out in the open. The American Museum of Natural History notes that a freshly molted scorpion doesn’t fluoresce until its new shell hardens, so some may glow faintly or not at all. Scorpions inside walls, under rocks or deep in debris stay hidden. A quiet night doesn’t always mean the problem is gone. Shed skins and dead scorpions still glow, which can help you spot past activity.
7. How do you stay safe during a scorpion hunt?
Never pick up a scorpion by hand. Wear closed-toe shoes and gloves, and use long tongs or a jar to collect or remove one. Keep children and pets inside during the check, and never shine the UV light into anyone’s eyes. Write down where and how many you find each time, because that record helps a technician trace where they’re coming from.
Which Tucson pest control companies help after a blacklight check?
These Tucson-area companies offer scorpion and general pest control:
- Swift Pest Solutions
- Truly Nolen Pest & Termite Control
- Green Home Pest Control Tucson
- Aptive Pest Control
- Duck Pest Control
1. Swift Pest Solutions
Swift Pest Solutions is a family-run Tucson company owned by Jeff Miller, Pest Control Technician, and licensed in Arizona under license number 9815. It serves Tucson, Marana, Vail and Catalina. Its scorpion service includes nighttime inspections, along with perimeter treatments and sealing of entry points. A homeowner’s sighting log helps technicians focus on the right areas. If pests return between scheduled visits, Swift comes back at no extra cost.
2. Truly Nolen Pest & Termite Control
Truly Nolen Pest & Termite Control is a pest and termite control company with several offices around Tucson.
3. Green Home Pest Control Tucson
Green Home Pest Control Tucson is a pest control company based near downtown Tucson.
4. Aptive Pest Control
Aptive Pest Control is a pest control company with an office on the south side of Tucson.
5. Duck Pest Control
Duck Pest Control is a pest control company based in Vail.
What should you do with what your blacklight finds?
A blacklight turns a guess into a count. One or two scorpions on a summer night may just be passing through, while several on the same block wall or near the same door point to a population living close by. Use what you find to guide cleanup, sealing and trimming around those spots, and repeat the check every few weeks to see whether the numbers drop. If they don’t, bring your notes to a professional scorpion inspection so treatment starts in the right place.
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