Emily Simons saw a scorpion crawling up the side of her 6-month-old son's crib.
More than a year later, Simons and her sister, Sarah Besikof, are the inventors of Scorpion Safe, a glass shield that fits under the legs of cribs to keep scorpions from climbing up. They say sales of their product on the Internet and at Scottsdale's USA Baby store are rising now that the hot weather is bringing scorpions out of their subterranean hiding places.
The sisters grew up in Tucson and attended Salpointe Catholic High School and the University of Arizona. At night they used to prowl the rooms in their North Side home with a black light and tongs, catching scorpions.
After she became a mom and saw a scorpion on her son's crib in Scottsdale, Simons and her sister tried to find a product to protect him. When they couldn't find one, they decided to make their own, Besikof recalled.
People are also reading…
The concept is not new. Desert dwellers have long used Mason jars, glass cups or pans of water to shield the feet of cribs.
"What sets our product apart is we have this triple-reinforced base to our shield that won't crack under heavy furniture," she said. It will withstand 800 pounds.
The sides of the patent-pending shield — Besikof has a law degree and used to work for a patent firm — also angle outward as they go up. A pad inside keeps furniture legs from slipping.
Besikof said they are selling about 10 sets a day now that warm weather has brought scorpions out. The state's poison control center has logged more than 700 reports of scorpion stings so far this year.
The shields sell in sets of four, advertised for $29.99 on the Web site of Scorpion Safe Corp., www.scorpionsafe.com
Arizona has 30 varieties of scorpions, including the potentially deadly bark scorpion, which is also the best climber.
There's no question that children are vulnerable to scorpions.
Kids 5 years old and younger are more likely to have cardiac symptoms, respiratory problems and neurological problems, such as roving eye syndrome, said Jude McNally, managing director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the University of Arizona.
He said that although smooth glass is a good shield, it won't keep out every scorpion. They also walk across ceilings and sometimes drop onto furniture.
What to do for a scorpion sting
• Most stings in young adults can be treated at home.
• Clean site with soap and water.
• Apply a cool compress.
• Elevate the affected limb to about heart level.
• Use aspirin or Tylenol as needed for minor discomfort.
• For a child under 5 or an elderly person experiencing severe discomfort, call the Poison and Drug Information Center at 1-800-222-1222.
• Children and or anyone experiencing severe symptoms should be treated at a medical facility immediately.
Source: UA Poison and Drug Information Center