It's that time of year for pest to be showing up in our homes. Below are some healthy, safe, and inexpensive ways to control ant, spiders, mosquitoes, and flies.
Ants
~Keep a small spray bottle handy, and spray the ants with a bit of
soapy water.
~Set out cucumber peels or slices in the kitchen or at the ants' point
of entry. Many ants have a natural aversion to cucumber. Bitter
cucumbers work best.
~Leave a few tea bags of mint tea near areas where the ants seem
most active. Dry, crushed mint leaves or cloves also work as ant
deterrents.
~Trace the ant column back to their point of entry. Set any of the
following items at the entry area in a small line, which ants will not
cross: cayenne pepper, citrus oil (can be soaked into a piece of
string), lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds.
~Mix a half-teaspoon each of honey, borox, and aspartame (Equal,
Nutrasweet, etc.), in small bottles. Place bottles on their sides,
with lids off, in areas of most ant activity. Ants will carry the bait
back to their colonies.
~Leave a small, low wattage night light on for a few nights in the
area of most ant activity. The change in light can disrupt and
discourage their foraging patterns.
Spiders
~You can use peppermint or spearmint oils to repel spiders. Mix
one of these oils with water and pour it into a spray bottle. Or you
can put a few drops along window sills and other areas that
spiders use to enter your house.
~Garlic is another repellant that you can use. Put a few cloves in a
spray bottle and add water.
~Another option is using tomato leaves. Blend the tomato leaves
and mix with 4 pints of water and one tablespoon of cornstarch.
Strain the liquid in the fridge and use as needed. Put it in a spray
bottle.
Mosquitos
~An effective natural bug repellent, mix one part garlic juice with 5
parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray
lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up
to 5 - 6 hours. Strips of cotton cloth can also be dipped in this
mixture and hung in areas, such as patios, as a localized
deterrent.
~Neem oil is a natural vegetable oil extracted from the Neem tree in
India. The leaves, seeds and seed oil of the Neem tree contain
sallanin, a compound which has effective mosquito repelling
properties. Neem oil is a natural product and is safe to use. Look
for new Neem Oil-based commercial products on the market.
~Planting marigolds around your yard works as a natural bug
repellent because the flowers give off a fragrance bugs and flying
insects do not like.
Flies
~Use mint as a fly repellent. Small sachets of crushed mint can be
placed around the home to discourage flies.
~Bay leaves, cloves and eucalyptus wrapped in small cheesecloth
squares can be hung by open windows or doors.
~Place a small, open container of sweet basil and clover near pet
food or any open food in the house.
~A few drops of eucalyptus oil on a scrap of absorbent clothe will
deter flies. Leave in areas where flies are a problem.
~You can make your own flypaper with this simple recipe: Mix ¼
cup syrup, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and 1 tbsp. brown sugar in a
small bowl. Cut strips of brown kraft paper and soak in this
mixture. Let dry overnight. To hang, poke a small hole at the top
of each strip and hang with string or thread.
Best of Luck!
