Solar Insect Wacker

Nothing can spoil an evening on a porch swing faster than a swarm of hungry mosquitoes. Irritable wasps dampen the fun of a backyard barbecue even more than an unexpected shower. And flies buzzing around your carefully prepared picnic food can be decidedly unappetizing!

Pesky insects definitely put a damper on summer fun – but you can keep them under control without exposing your family, pets and the environment to harmful chemicals. Here are some tips for quelling three of the most common pests with effective, all-natural remedies.

Mosquitoes
Early mornings and evenings are popular times for relaxing on the porch or patio – unfortunately, these are also the times when mosquitoes are out for blood! In addition to the many effective, all-natural traps and repellents now available, here are some cost-effective quick fixes you can do yourself:

1. Wear bug-repellent clothing. Hats and jackets with fine-mesh screens can keep out even the smallest no-see-ums. Cover all exposed areas—wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants with snug cuffs to keep bugs off, too.
2. Set up a mosquito trap. There are mosquito traps that lure insects with heat and light (instead of chemicals) and cover a wide area. Some run on propane, some are electric, some are gas-powered. Make sure they’re up and running and doing their job before you head outdoors.
3. Freshen water. Mosquitoes are attracted to standing water sources, so be sure to change the water in your birdbath or child’s wading pool at least twice a week. Make sure your pet has fresh water at least twice a day, and keep your rain gutters clear so they drain properly. Watch out for – and remove – items in your yard or garden that collect water.
4. “Fan” yourself. Use an electric fan outdoors? Believe it or not, it actually works – mosquitoes are hampered by a breeze, which is why they tend to seek pockets of still air in which to congregate. When dining “out,” aim a pedestal fan at the picnic table, or a small fan at your deck chair. You’ll not only blow the pests away – you’ll enjoy a nice breeze, too!
5. Spice it up. Using a charcoal grill? Toss a tablespoon or so of sage or rosemary on the coals. It repels mosquitoes and smells good.
6. Ward them off. Garlic makes an effective pest repellent! Mix one part garlic juice (you can find it in the spice section at the supermarket, or make your own from jars of pressed or minced garlic) with five parts water. Dip some cloth strips in the mixture and hang them around your outdoor sitting area for a localized deterrent. You can also tie the cloths around your wrists or ankles to prevent bites.
7. Plant marigolds. Many flying insects are put off by the fragrance of this colorful annual. Strategically place a few pots of the cheerful red, orange and yellow flowers around your porch or patio. You can also grow some near your tomato plants to protect them from aphids.

Flies

1. Sachet them away. Mint deters flies, is easy to grow and comes in many varieties. Harvest some of the fresh leaves, crush them, and tie them up in small squares of cheesecloth. Place these sachets around your outdoor sitting areas (as well as inside the house) to discourage flies from hanging around. Bay leaves and cloves work well, too.
2. Essential oils. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a scrap of cloth and leave it in an area where flies are a problem.
3. Outdoor dining. When setting a picnic or umbrella table for a meal, use a small bowl filled with sweet basil and clover as a centerpiece. Keep an open container of the mixture near your pet’s food dish, too.
4. Stick ‘em up. Flypaper may not be pretty, but it works! To make your own, dip strips of brown paper in a mixture made from ¼ cup corn syrup, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Let the strips dry overnight, then hang them with thread around your porch or deck.

Wasps
There’s no doubt about it – an encounter with an angry wasp or yellow jacket can be distinctly unpleasant. But banishing them from your yard and garden altogether can be problematic. For one thing, wasps prey on other pesky insects. For another, the pesticides used to kill them can be harmful to the environment.

Wasps can be irritable when they feel their nest is threatened, but your mother was right – they generally will leave you alone if you leave them alone, and unless they’re nesting near or on your home or in other high-traffic areas, it’s a good idea to do just that. Take a few precautions to deal with wasps:

1. Keep food covered. We mean anything a wasp would consider food, and that includes your food, your pet’s food, the garden compost pile and trashcans. Keep food left out for a picnic under wraps, and when you’re through, remove the dishes quickly. If you have fruit trees, pick up any fallen fruit as soon as possible. And be especially careful about drinking out of an open beverage can that’s been left out. Keep in mind that wasps remember where they’ve found food in the past, and will continue to search an area for some time after you’ve taken the food away.
2. Don’t swat! When you crush a wasp, it releases an alarm pheromone scent that attracts and incites other wasps, encouraging them to swarm. If a wasp is hovering nearby, it’s best to just walk away.
3. Avoid looking (and smelling) like a big flower. We love wearing bright clothes in the summer, but like bees, wasps seek out nectar and might find a colorful Hawaiian shirt pretty appetizing. Avoid wearing vivid hues at outdoor parties, and skip the perfume.
4. Keep them at a distance. Wasps are most often nuisances when they build their nests in or on your home. Stop this from happening by sealing off the places they can get in: torn screens, unsealed vents, open dampers and cracks around windows and doors can be inviting to wasps in search of a new home. If you suspect wasps are building a nest inside your house, keep an eye on their flight path to find where they’re getting in.

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3 Responses to “Controlling Pests Naturally”

1. Marge says:

   June 7, 2009 at 10:19 am

   Thanks for the great bug tips. I’ve heard of some, but many were new to me. Love the strips soaked in garlic solution. If it keeps away vampires, why not bugs?

   Reply
2. ann says:

   June 9, 2009 at 7:31 am

   What is the best (natural) way to rid the kitchen of small black “sugar” ants? I have put ant traps near places where I think they enter — the counter outlets for electric plugs. I would prefer something more natural.

   Reply
3. Colin says:

   July 6, 2009 at 7:34 pm

   Solar bug whacker doesn’t seem to work.

   Reply