6 Best Scorpion Killers – Effective Pesticide Sprays

Updated on by Jared Belson | Please note that there may be affiliate links on this page.

Ants and roaches are the most common household pests but they’re nowhere near the most hazardous.

Yes, I’m talking about those of you who live somewhere where scorpions pose a real threat to the wellbeing of your families. If that’s the case, having some of the best scorpion killers in your arsenal is definitely a good long-term investment.

Deciding on which one or ones to get isn’t even as hard as you may think since most formulas are designed to work on a number of similar pests. The following products may even already be familiar to you, even if you don’t know about the scorpion extermination properties.

Best Scorpion Killers for Indoor and Outdoor Protection

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of the top scorpion killer sprays comes from Terro. This brand has a long-standing tradition in making efficient and easy-to-use insecticides and pesticides for any situation.

The Terro T2101 is a standard aerosol spray in a can, formulated to kill a variety of pests on contact, primarily scorpions, spiders, roaches, and such. Due to its powerful formula, the spray offers a lingering effect for up to six weeks, thus providing even more protection in the long run.

What’s great about the can is that it features a two-way spray nozzle. This is also called a precision nozzle as it can be used for broadcasting applications as well as with a narrower jet that reaches further. You can use the narrow jet to spray inside cracks, crevices, holes, and other places where you think scorpions and other pests might be residing.

The formula has decent weatherproofing although I would advise against spraying your yard right before or after it rains.

  • Kills on contact
  • 6 weeks of residual control
  • Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
  • Precision spray nozzle
  • Little to no waterproofing

Pricier because it comes in a 1-pint bottle (16 fluid ounces), the Onslaught FastCap Spider and Scorpion Insecticide is a very efficient formula to use against dangerous pests. The formula contains 16% active ingredients: Esfenvalerate, Prallethrin, and piperonyl butoxide. The inactive ingredients include various petroleum distillates.

While it may be more toxic than other similar formulas, it’s also why it’s so effective. However, you’ll note that the Onslaught FastCap doesn’t come with a standard sprayer attachment.

The plastic bottle can be fitted with an aftermarket sprayer or even a garden hose sprayer should you need to use it for broadcasting applications. Alternatively, I suppose you could pour the solution into any empty spray bottle lying around – just be careful and put on a pair of gloves.

  • Highly potent formula
  • Good residual control
  • Can be used for broadcasting applications
  • 1-pint bottle
  • Might be too toxic for some plants and pets

The Hot Shot Spider and Scorpion Killer is an aerosol pesticide with a very good reputation. I feel comfortable recommending it if you have a scorpion infestation as it’s capable of killing them on contact and keep on killing a while longer.

The residual control effect is perhaps the main draw of this Hot Shot formula. The spray remains active for up to 16 weeks, provided that it’s used indoors or outside in areas not overly affected by rain – patios, decks, garages, etc.

This is not a selective formula, so it can handle a wide range of insects such as scorpions, most spiders, roaches, crickets, and even a variety of ants. However, it doesn’t work all that well against fire ants or harvester ants.

I like that the formula is almost odorless and totally non-staining. This makes it safe to use on many surface areas, including carpeting. However, because it’s quite toxic it’s best to keep the treated rooms out of reach for a couple of hours at least.

  • Ready to use
  • Kills a wide range of pests
  • Superior residual control effect
  • Non-staining water-based formula
  • Not the ultimate killer

This BASF insecticide is a professional-grade solution for residential scorpion infestations. Although it doesn’t come in a ready-to-use sprayer, the bottle comes with two openings for broadcasting and spot-on applications.

Depending on what accessories you have, you can use this formula straight from the bottle to treat any room, patch of land, accessory buildings, cracks, and so on. Its main active ingredient is Cyfluthrin, a known pyrethroid insecticide and pesticide.

I like this choice of active ingredient since it’s a lot less toxic to humans than many other household pesticides. Though direct contact should be avoided, I still think that this is an easy choice to make if you don’t have much experience handling your own extermination treatments.

  • Safer to use than others
  • Effective
  • Can be used for spot-on and broadcasting treatments
  • Requires to mixing
  • Doesn’t come with sprayer accessories

A 16oz spray can of Black Flag Spider & Scorpion Killer can be a radical choice for severe infestations. Why? Because it kills scorpions and spiders almost instantly, even when sprayed from a distance of up to 5ft.

Granted, even though you’re getting 16oz per spray can, the narrow jet doesn’t make this ideal for broadcasting applications. I recommend using this product for spot-on treatments when you know where the nests are.

The residual control effect should last up to 16 weeks, which is pretty much as good as it gets. Due to how toxic the formula is for these pests, it can also be used to kill egg sacs, thus preventing reinfestation.

That said, you should use extra caution when handling this formula because of its powerful jet and high content of active ingredients.

  • Very powerful formula
  • Paralyzes and kills on contact
  • Ideal for spot-on applications from a distance
  • Capable of killing egg sacs
  • Not the best choice for broadcasting applications

Although the Harris Scorpion Killer formula use deltamethrin as its main active ingredient, this is not just an outdoor use product. You can just as easily use it to treat inside cracks and crevices for small scorpions, spiders, roaches, and other pests.

That’s thanks to the adjustability of the sprayer nozzle extension. Note that this spray doesn’t kill on contact like others. But, because it doesn’t have any repellent or deterrent features, it’s still very effective.

The formula is odorless and very unlikely to stain or damage fabrics. It’s also EPA-approved for indoor residential use. Again, another reason to not fear the main active ingredient.

Another cool thing about the Harris Scorpion Killer, besides being ready-to-use and including all necessary accessories, is that it has a variable trigger sprayer. This means that you can adjust the pressure of the jet as it suits you, based on the distance or the cracks you’re trying to treat.

  • Odorless and non-staining
  • Adjustable extension sprayer
  • Variable trigger sprayer
  • Good value
  • Not suitable for quick exterminations

Quick Guide on Killing Scorpions

Scorpions react to a variety of pesticides but most commonly, pyrethroid pesticides are used to kill them. Now, just as it is with other pests, there are various types of products available, such as granules, liquids, sprays, and so on.

I recommend sprays if you only have a few scorpions on your property and you have the patient to wait till you spot them again. Most sprays are designed to kill on contact, so you can quickly solve your problem.

On the other hand, liquid formulas can be even more effective, especially those based on cyfluthrin. This ingredient is most lethal in liquid form. Therefore, there’s no need to go out of your way to spray it.

That said, using anything other than spraying directly on a scorpion can be tricky. That’s because if you don’t know exactly where to apply a pesticide, chances are the scorpions won’t come anywhere near it.

What to Look for in Terms of Convenience

There are a couple of things to keep in mind. If you have to treat indoors, then odorless non-staining formulas are the best. At least those that are non-staining. You can always open a few windows and freshen up the room – that’s a lot easier than removing stains.

You might also want to consider the accessories that come with your scorpion killer. Most liquid pesticides assume that you have the attachments for using them. Of course, any good stores, including the online ones, will make sure to send you back with everything needed.

Spray bottles are obviously ready to use. As you’ve seen in this article, there are some manufacturers that offer precision sprayers, which allow you to adjust the sprayer’s dispersal pattern.

How Toxic Are Scorpion Killers?

Scorpion killers are usually toxic enough to also kill roaches, spiders, ants, and maybe even centipedes. But, they shouldn’t be particularly harmful to humans.

Of course, it all depends on how concentrated the formula is. A highly concentrated formula will likely be irritating to pets and humans, especially the young ones if they come in contact with it.

That’s why it’s still advised to close off the treated areas for a few hours, just until whatever wetness is gone. At that stage, only pests will likely be affected by what remains of the formula.

Time to Take Matters Into Your Own Hands

Granted, this is a bit of a stretch since killing scorpions is a one-handed operation most of the time. As you can see from this article, the majority of household scorpion killers can be used with little to no experience as long as you follow a few common sense rules.

As to which formula will work best for you, you should have enough knowledge by now to pick the right one for the job, depending on the infested areas and the level of infestation.

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