HOA Restrictions of Wood Mulch

Q. I know of two HOAs that do not permit wood chips near the residences due to bark scorpions. What do you tell people?

A. There are other alternatives to using woodchips in home landscapes. We need to get the organic content of our soils higher in many cases. I just thought using wood chips would be easier.

Caulk Very Tiny Openings and Use a Barrier Spray

Caulk openings in the foundation of your home wider than a credit card. If you choose to use pesticides, apply them to exterior walls around the foundation of the house from the ground up to 1 foot. Make applications around doors, window eaves, and other potential points of entry.

This is called a “barrier spray” and applied at least once in the spring and once in the fall when temperatures begin changing. Temperature changes are the usual time bark scorpions follow their prey inside houses. Young scorpions are very susceptible to the same pesticides used for controlling spiders. Older bark scorpions are more difficult. Apply a barrier spray any time a load of wood chips is delivered and spread. They last only about one or two weeks depending on the weather.