Best Spider & Scorpion Repellent for Patio

Non-Spray Options

We love living in the desert most of the time. We get mild winters that allow us to grill out all year around. The winter rarely gets below 80, and the summer heat can be offset with a good air conditioner, outdoor shade structure, and a misting system. While there are so many positives, there is one negative that I will utterly never like. In the summer, our backyard becomes a sanctuary for scorpions. Between the cooling shade from our awning, the unlimited water source from our sprinklers, and the plethora of insects that are attracting to our mulch bins, I had just accepted that scorpions would be part of our summer life. That all changed one Sunday afternoon when we were preparing for our weekly grill. When I opened the door to our grill, I saw a scorpion a few inches below the crank on the propane tank. If it had been on the other side of the tank that wasn’t visible from the front, our little scorpion friend would have most certainly felt threatened and stung me out of defense. From the pictures we took, we believe it was a “Centruroides sculpturatus” commonly called the “Arizona Bark Spider” which is native to Phoenix and is one of the most deadly species according to wikipedia. I spent a lot of time doing research for the best ways to deal with scorpions, and I wanted to share what I found with the readers of our blog. A lot of the articles online simply suggest hiring exterminators which will kill them for a season, but it’s not something we want to do every year. Additionally, we have a pet bunny who likes to scamper in our backyard and eat the fresh grass so we’re concerned about the damage the poison would do to our little furry friend. If you’re in a hurry, our top pick for a scorpion repeller is MaxMoxie Ultrasonic Pest Repeller. It’s a set of electronic audible insect, spider and scorpion repellers. It has been on Amazon for more than three years, and we’ve personally had tremendous success with it.

Best Electronic Scorpion Repellant

First, we absolutely 100% recommend this specific electronic repeller. The reason is that people have done tests on the decibels produced, and some of the cheaper models are little more than nightlights. Since the audio produced is higher than humans can process, some manufacturers create low quality product that generate little to no sound output. The cheaper knock-off models can be bought for as low as $0.80 on ali baba, and there are many people selling these on Amazon. We chose the Max Moxie because of its 250+ reviews and how long it had been on the market. So I’m sure your curious how this works, and it hits scorpions on three fronts: 1. Annoying Sound – The ultrasonic sound can be heard by insects and arachnids so this makes your home less appealing to both scorpions and spiders. 2. Lowers Food – The primary food for scorpions and spiders are bugs such as crickets and flies. Their mobility makes it much easier for their prey to find more comfortable homes, which leads to the predators eventually following suit. 3. Disorients Arachnids – The ultrasonic frequency interferes with their senses. This results in them being less effective at nesting and hunting. They will have a harder time just moving around which will make it difficult to catch any food even before the bugs begin their exodus. The other reason we recommend this one is that they have a 100% money back guarantee. If it doesn’t work, then you can return it for a full refund. Many of the other repellers charge a restocking fee which leads me to be a tad suspicious. This one backed it up that if they didn’t get rid of our insects, scorpions and spiders, we’d get a refund. To be compeltely honest, we didn’t send it back (since it worked for us) so I can’t speak to how long it takes to get a refund.

Glue Board

Scorpions are notorious for having poor vision, and the do most of their hunting at night which makes it even more difficult for them to avoid these traps. The board is 8″ x 5″ and can be placed along the wall under some furniture where people are unlikely to walk. They are subtly scented to attract the scorpions and spiders. Once either steps on the board, the powerful glue will prevent them from being able to move or free themselves. These work especially well in the covered areas like patios or under awnings. If you or a pet gets in contact with the board, you can free yourself with a bit of vegetable oil. In addition to our electronic repelling device, we also have glue traps underneath our picnic table on the patio, and beside our compost bin. Thus far, we haven’t caught any scorpions or spiders on them; however, we have caught enough insects to feel they’re worth keeping up. I wouldn’t want these as our only line of defense, but they can provide additional coverage. Additionally, if you do start seeing a lot of scorpions, spiders or insects on the trap, you know it’s time to either spray more or replace the electronic repelling device.

Insecticide / Bug Spray

Before we decided on the electronic solution, we discussed insecticide with our friends. For us it wasn’t the right decision as we have a little pet bunny that gets to have play time in our backyard, and treats herself to the fresh grass. A few of our neighbors do use insecticide, and they suggested, Syngenta Demand Cs. This is professional strength pest control product, and a single 8 oz bottle makes 100 gallons of solution. This bug spray is micro-encapsulated which means it is more resistant to the sun so it will last longer. Even with this though, our neighbors recommend spraying every 60 days to in the summer months. The advantage of this option is that it protects against many other insects such as termites, bees, and mosquitoes. We had our home professionally sprayed by an exterminating company, and I took notes where they were spraying and spoke with the exterminator as he was doing the removal. His visit to our home cost $125 and lasted just under an hour for both inside and outside treatment. I don’t claim to be an expert on where the best place to spray for every home. I’d love to get a recommendation of a YouTube video on the topic that I could include for our readers if anyone has seen a quality instructional video on this topic.

Steps to eliminate spiders and scorpions

Step 1: Keep your landscaping trimmed. Tall grass and weeds are the dream home for insects, and these are the main food supply for scorpions and spiders. By keeping your lawn trimmed, you’ll naturally have a less desirable habitat. Step 2: Clean your patio/porch regularly We barbecue and eat on our deck frequently in the summer. Occasionally, food will spill from our plate, and this can attract ants and other bugs. You will also want to thoroughly dry your porch after rain so the scorpions don’t find any puddles to moisture. Step 3: Seal your home You can get inexpensive spray foam (link) that will fill any gaps in your home near windows, doors, and especially drains. A hole the diameter of a pencil is large enough to let in some breeds of scorpions, and many types of spiders. Step 4: Scorpions love wood piles and cardboard boxes If you have either of these for a fire pit, then be especially careful when getting anything from the pile. We recommend using some glue traps near the base of the pile as well as spraying insecticide. Step 5: Own a blacklight Every home in Arizona should own a blacklight. Scorpions glove under the UV black light making them very easy to see. If you find one, you can either avoid it, spray it thoroughly from a distance or grab it with tongs to later smash.