Beat the Pests – Naturally

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

No-one likes to think that there may be creepy crawlies lurking in their home. And outdoor pests can be a real pain for gardeners. But next time you have an attack of flies, ants or slugs, think twice before reaching for the can of pest killer. Most commercial pest control products contain a multitude of strong chemicals that are not only bad for the environment but can be harmful to you, your family and your pets. So instead of using heavy-duty insect killers, try researching some of the more natural ways of dealing with common pests. Here are a few ideas:

Flies
There are a wide range of fly traps available which capture flies without using chemicals. Alternatively, try placingplants that actively ward off flies around your home – basil plants, eucalyptus oiland crushed mint are all reported to work.

Wasps
Wasps actually eat other insects including flies so if you spot one or two wasps in your home, don’t rush to kill them – just avoid aggravating them and they won’t sting. If you have a bigger problem, you can buy wasp traps that use water, rather than chemicals, to kill the wasps.

Slugs
Slugs can be really destructive but thankfully there are lots of natural ways to deal with them. Try placing copper barriers around plants or create a trap using beer as bait – apparently slugs love the smell of beer and will climb into the trap and drown.

For more environmentally-friendly pest-control tips, visit: www.eartheasy.com

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Categories: flies, Home, natural ways, pest control, pests, pests naturally, slugs, wasps

5 Pests You Didn"t Know That Are Making Your Home Unhealthy

Did you know that hundreds of thousands of pests call your home home as well, and many of these pests are making your home an unhealthy place to live? There’s no denying that the average person does not enjoy the sight of bugs and rodents, but many people don’t understand that the pests you do and don’t see scurry by can also be affecting your health. Here are 5 pests that are in the common residential building that could be making you sick:

 

Bed Bugs Could Be Feeding On You

The typical household insects don’t carry any major illnesses or diseases, but they can spoil your food with germs if they can locate it. Bed begs on the other hand, are parasitic pests that feed on human blood and are typically located within your mattress. What scares many is knowing that these bugs can feed and still go undetected in the night, and these feedings can lead to allergic reactions and skin outbreaks.

 

Rodents Spreading Illness

Rodents can spread illness almost immediately when a human comes into contact with their droppings or saliva. In fact, rodents spread more than 35 different diseases, some of these more serious than the others. Rodent control can be very difficult because of their elusive nature, and calling a reliable pest control service provider like Admiral Pest Control may be a better choice than do-it-yourself poisons and traps.

 

Ticks Can Be Carried Into the Home

Ticks do not naturally live in a home, but rather in the woods. If you have pets who do roam in the wild, ticks can be carried into your home using your animal as its host. Once in the home, a tick can spread Lyme disease, which can lead to a serious and draining sickness in a short period of time.

 

Mosquitoes Are a Long Going Problem

Mosquitoes have been a problem for hundreds of years. Centuries ago, mosquitoes were blamed for the rapid spread of the Black Plaque, and today they are still spreading disease from city to city. Like bed bugs, mosquitoes feed on hosts, but they have the ability to spread disease quickly due to their ability to fly. While most cities have eradication systems, mosquitoes are still a problem.

 

Termites and Your Home

Termites naturally eat wood, and bad infestations can affect the structural integrity of your home. If you have termites, you could be living in an unstable home that needs to be more than just treated. Call a reliable provider of pest control services immediately if you notice some of the signs piles of saw dust or droppings around your drywall, and have the problem addressed.

 

Everyone wants to feel safe in their own home. Sometimes, dangerous intruders are not humans at all. Look out for the signs, have your home inspected, and take action if you discover that pests are calling your home their home away from homes.

Categories: bed bugs, Home, Mosquitoes, nbsp, pest control, pests, spread, unhealthy

How to Make Your Home Environment Safe for Your Family

You spend over half of your lifetime in your own home, which means that the quality of your living environment can have a significant impact on your family wellness. Your children’s wellbeing is particularly at risk to potential health hazards in your home, such as changes in air quality, lead dangers caused by deteriorating paint and safety hazards, so how can you ensure a safer, healthier home for the entire family?

Firstly, make sure you’re home is dry. If there’s moisture in your home environment, it can influence the quality of the air. For example, mould and mildew, when in excess, can lead to allergy and asthma attacks, and higher moisture levels also give rise to dust mites, which is a common allergy in children. However, you can make sure your home is moisture-proof by repairing leaks, keeping a good level of ventilation, opening a window when bathing (or keeping a fan running) and controlling overall indoor humidity levels.

You also need to keep your home well-maintained to avoid fire safety issues and accidents from poorly maintained flooring or wiring, as well as water damage and mould problems. If you fix these problems when they are small, you’ll avoid larger wellness consequences later on. A stitch in time saves nine. Pest control is another important part of your prevention process, as mice, ants, cockroaches and bed bugs are all easier to control by stopping them from intruding, rather than letting them in and trying to catch them. Don’t let pests get a foothold in your home, but block access points like holes in the walls and floors – especially in the basement.

However, some of the more dangerous threats aren’t as visible as your local pests. Radon is an odourless, invisible gas that can threaten your wellness with cancer, and your whole family can become ill from carbon monoxide exposure before any detectors notice its presence. Plus, you may be aggravating your child’s asthma or allergies without realising, as air fresheners and candles release toxins into the air that aggravate respiratory symptoms. Make sure you get your home tested for radon and carbon monoxide, and eliminate odours at the source by cleaning and taking out the rubbish often.

 

Categories: hazards, moisture, pests

Organic Gardening in Five Easy Steps

Whether you’re a keen gardener or a novice when it comes to planting, you’ll know how much pests can ruin your produce. Weeds, fungi and bacteria live in the soil which can often lead to your plants becoming rotten or inedible. You don’t need to rely on pesticides though – there are ways to embrace the natural way and still get great looking plants and produce. Here are some reasons why pesticides might not be the best way to go when it comes to your garden.

 

1 – Not all pests are bad for your garden, which is why you should avoid even the natural options, such as garlic or cayenne to discourage them. There are helper species such as ladybirds, frogs, wasps and toads which can be beneficial, as they feast on the less desirable species.

 

2 – Weeds may look unsightly, but they aren’t necessarily something you want to avoid. Weeds make great places for insects to survive in – so while you’re not likely to leave them in those neatly arranged beds, you don’t have to worry about taking them out of the edges of your garden. If you want to see plenty of bees and butterflies in your garden, weeds are the way forward.

 

3 – Don’t separate your plants – plant things together to create a great variety in small spaces. Why? Well, not only does it make for a more visually interesting bed, but it also discourages pests, as they build up according to the quantity and availability of their favourite foods. If you plant different things together, it confuses them so they’ll be less likely to feast in your garden.

 

4 – Healthy plants don’t attract pests in the same way as unhealthy plants, so feed the soil as much as you can. Make sure you water them enough too, so that they are better equipped to fend off the enemy.

 

5 – Lastly, let some pests live. Nature dictates that for every pest, there is a predator that will keep it in check, so let the cycle run its course. After a while, you’ll notice that those pests you’ve been trying to get rid of have managed themselves.

Categories: garden, Organic, pests