Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Scorpions in Arizona Homes?
Short answer: not reliably. Diatomaceous earth can thin out the crickets and roaches scorpions eat, but it rarely stops bark scorpions themselves. Here's where it helps, where it doesn't, and what works better.
Diatomaceous Earth for Scorpions: Why It Rarely Works
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder made from fossilized algae. The National Pesticide Information Center explains that it kills insects by soaking up the oils and fats in their outer shell until they dry out, and that it only keeps working while it stays dry and undisturbed.
That is a poor match for Arizona bark scorpions:
- They don't pick up much. A scorpion walks across a thin dusting on its legs and moves on. DE works on insects that crawl through it and stay in it.
- They can wait it out. University of Arizona IPM notes many scorpions can survive months without food or water, especially in the cooler months.
- They live where DE can't stay dry. Rock landscaping, block walls, weep screeds and irrigated beds get watered, rained on and covered in dew.
- Sprays alone don't fix it either. UA IPM says scorpions are impossible to manage with insecticides alone; pest-proofing and habitat changes are what work.
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Where Diatomaceous Earth Can Help Against Scorpions
DE is still useful for cutting down the crickets, roaches and other insects scorpions hunt indoors. If you use it:
- Buy a product labeled for insects. Never pool filter DE, which is heat-treated and contains crystalline silica.
- Dust thin, not in piles. A light film with a bulb duster in dry, hidden spots: wall voids behind outlet plates, under the fridge and stove, along garage edges and in the attic access.
- Keep it dry. Skip sinks, showers, A/C closets with condensation and anywhere you irrigate.
- Wear a dust mask and keep kids and pets out until it settles. NPIC notes the dust can irritate the nose, airways and eyes.
- Seal behind it. Dust in a gap does nothing if the gap stays open. Caulk and fix door sweeps, as described in how to keep scorpions out of your house.
Stung while trying DIY? Call the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at 1-800-222-1222 and see what to do after a bark scorpion sting.
Scorpion Control That Works in Phoenix-Area Homes
If you are finding scorpions inside every week, the population is living in the block walls, rocks and weep screeds around the house. A scorpion visit treats that perimeter, the walls and entry points, includes a blacklight check, and shows you the gaps to seal. A one-time diagnostic visit with treatment is $149. The plan is $50/month with treatment every 60 days and free callbacks. Start a plan the same day and your visit fee covers your first 3 months of the plan.
See scorpion control in Phoenix, types of scorpions in Arizona and tiny baby scorpions in the house.
Scorpion control in Phoenix · Chandler · Mesa · Gilbert · Scottsdale · Queen Creek · all service areas
Learn More From Authoritative Sources
- National Pesticide Information Center (Oregon State University / EPA) — Diatomaceous Earth General Fact Sheet
- University of Arizona — Living with and Managing Scorpions (Home & School IPM)
- University of Arizona Cooperative Extension — Scorpions (Backyard Gardener #184, 2024)
- Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center
Diatomaceous Earth and Scorpions: Questions
Does diatomaceous earth kill scorpions?
Not reliably. Diatomaceous earth kills by drying out an insect that picks it up, and it only works while it stays dry and undisturbed (National Pesticide Information Center). A bark scorpion crossing a thin dusting picks up very little, and University of Arizona IPM notes many scorpions can go months without food or water. It can help a little indoors by cutting down the crickets and roaches scorpions eat.
Is food-grade diatomaceous earth safe around kids and pets?
It is low in toxicity, but it is a fine dust. The National Pesticide Information Center says breathing it can irritate the nose and airways and it can irritate the eyes, and exposure is highest while you apply it or walk into a treated area before the dust settles. Use a product labeled for insects, follow the label, wear a dust mask, and keep kids and pets out until it settles.
Can I use pool filter diatomaceous earth for scorpions?
No. Pool filter DE is heat-treated and is not labeled for insects. The National Pesticide Information Center notes that long-term breathing of crystalline silica, the form that heat treatment creates, is linked to silicosis and other lung problems. Use only a diatomaceous earth product labeled for insect control.
Does diatomaceous earth work outside in rock landscaping?
Poorly. It has to stay dry, so irrigation, monsoon rain and morning dew stop it working, and the gravel and block walls where bark scorpions live are hard to cover. That is why a professional perimeter treatment plus sealing is the step that reduces scorpions around Phoenix-area homes.
What actually gets rid of scorpions in my house?
University of Arizona IPM says scorpions are impossible to manage with insecticides alone; pest-proofing the house and changing the habitat around it are what work. In practice that means sealing gaps and door sweeps, clearing rocks, wood and clutter from the walls, blacklight removal at night, and a perimeter treatment.
What does a scorpion visit cost?
A one-time diagnostic visit with treatment is $149. The plan is $50/month with treatment every 60 days and free callbacks. Power Spray yard treatments start at $125.