Natural Pest Control ? Good for You and the Environment, Bad for the Bugs

Scientists tell us that we share our planet with more insects and arachnids than all the other inhabitants combined. Scientists will also tell you that we need all those creeping, crawling, flying, six and eight legged beasties for the life and health of the planet and its citizens, including ourselves. That’s fine with most of us, I suppose, as long as we don’t have to share our immediate living space with any of them. Scientists have also told us, though, that many of the chemicals that will rid our homes and offices of ants, spiders, roaches and what not are harmful. They can be dangerous to us, to our pets, and to the environment in general. So how do we rid ourselves and our spaces of the bugs that bug us so much? By harnessing the power of nature’s own repellents!

Most of the natural ingredients used in the pest control formulas listed in this article can be found in the grocery store or pharmacy. In fact, you may already have many of them in your home right now. This makes natural pest control easy to implement and easy on your wallet, as well. That’s something expensive professional exterminators don’t want you to know.

Cockroaches

Roaches are the tough guys of the bug world. Supposedly, they can withstand an atomic blast, right? And right now you’re thinking you’ll never be able to control the nastiest of the nasties with anything natural. Well, look no further than your local pet store. It seems roaches don’t like catnip! That’s right, that little dried weed that gets Fluffy crazy-drunk repels roaches. Simmer some catnip in a pot of water and then cool. Place this “tea” in a spray bottle and spritz along cupboards and floorboards where roaches like to travel. Catnip sachets made with little squares of cheesecloth can be placed on top of the fridge, in between the cabinets and the ceiling and other high places where spritzing can be difficult. Fluffy may just have to get used to the constant high in the kitchen, although other cats have not seemed to notice it in their homes. Of course, the best deterrent for roaches is cleanliness –before you start spritzing, vacuum the floors and wash down all surfaces with good, hot soapy water. Keeping food and dirty dishes off counters and out of sinks may be your easiest and most natural defense against cockroaches.

Ants

Ants at a picnic are one thing. Ants at a dinner party are another. Ants can be extremely difficult to get rid of because the colony can be quite large – large, hungry and always on the lookout for more food. Again, your best, and first, line of defense is to remove what they’re looking for. Keep open food and dirty dishes off the counters. Wash up any sticky spills and spots. Put the honey, pancake syrup and jelly containers in the fridge or in plastic storage bags – the “zippered” type work best. Eliminate their source of water by stopping all leaks and drips and not leaving any dishes soaking overnight. Now, your next important step in the natural war on ants is to find their point of entry, or the closest point of flat surface to their point of entry. Once you’ve discovered where they’re coming in, you have a few choices. Ants don’t like cayenne pepper or cloves, so sprinkling a line of either on your counter or floor near their trail should deter them from coming in. A piece of string or yarn can be soaked in citrus oil, cinnamon oil or lemon juice and placed into cracks where ants enter. Line a windowsill or counter top with coffee grounds. Live ants are stopped with a spritz of soapy water. Ants on a deck or porch outdoors can be diverted by placing garlic cloves in between the floorboards. Mint leaves, even herbal mint tea bags, can be placed in areas where ants are known to travel. So, pick one of the above, or try several. Send them scouting elsewhere!

Spiders

Spiders are not only a nuisance, but also a health hazard, as well. Brown recluse bites can cause death, amputation and disfigurement. Black widows have been known to make victims ill, (though no one has died from a black widow bite in the US in the last ten years.) In short, they may keep other insects like flies and moths at bay, but they can be risky to have around. Spiders, by nature, are a bit harder to be rid of, as they like to live in out-of-the-way, hard-to-access places. They take a bit more precaution, too, on your part. Remember to always wear long sleeves, pants and gloves when searching and destroying spider habitats. Spiders like the dark spaces under beds, couches and chairs. They love any little crack in brick or paneled walls. They also love to hide in the cracks between the woodwork and the doors and windows of our homes. If a broom can’t reach them, try the vacuum hose with the crevice tool attachment. Spiders like to hide in clutter and clothing that’s been lying about, as well, so it’s best to keep things picked up. Spray spiders directly with one of the following essential oils: rose, citronella, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, tea tree or citrus. Mix 5 tablespoons of any of the above oils with 5 tablespoons natural lavender soap in a quart of water to create a spider repellent spray. This can be used to spray the foundation of your home, around windows and doors, even inside the outside trash bins to keep the pesky eight legged critters out of your space.

Pest control needn’t be smelly, dangerous chemicals and high exterminating bills. You can keep your home free of pests and free of environmental dangers, too.

House Centipede Pest Control, Getting Rid of Centipedes Without harming the Environment

House centipedes Pest Control is very important to anyone who has the misfortune of finding these terrifying monsters running around in their home.

But how can you get rid of them?

Is it possible to get rid of them without harming the environment?

The answer is yes it is, and the natural solutions are actually a more permanent than using chemicals.

First let’s discuss why you do not want to use chemicals on the centipedes in your home. Chemicals harm the planet, the seep in to the water supply and contaminate the ground water. Most pesticides are considered “estrogenic” which means they act like estrogen inside the body.

Many people believe that all of the pesticides and insecticides that have built up in the ecosystem are at least partially accountable for the increase in infertility rates and premature puberty. Furthermore, pesticides aren’t even a permanent cure. Once the pesticide wears off the centipedes will come right back indoors.

So while is an understandable that anyone who has centipedes in their home would be desperate to get rid of them, you do not need to use pesticides to cure the infestation.

Curing centipedes naturally takes a systematic approach; methodically removing every little reason a centipede would what to come into your home.

For example centipedes need moisture; if you have centipedes then it is highly likely that you have a damp area or a small leak somewhere. Find it the wet spot, or spots, dry them out completely, and the centipedes will be left with no other choice but to move out of your home.

House centipede pest control can be tough, but it is achievable!

The hardest thing for most people is to come up with a plan of attack, since centipede control is a multi-step process, and it can be overwhelming.

But there are already plans available that will guide you through the process and ensure they won’t come back! So go get yourself a thorough house centipede control plan, and rid your house of these little monsters for good

More Pest Control Articles

EcoFirst Pest Control: The Best for You and Your Environment

When it comes to controlling pests, a lot of people are not sure where exactly to turn. There are so many pest control services and products on the market that offer potential results – but knowing what chemicals to choose as a means of controlling pests can be difficult. So what can you do to ensure a responsible treatment to protect your family’s environment?

This is where EcoFirst Pest Control comes in. EcoFirst Pest Control seeks to be the professional pest control service provider you turn to for environmentally responsible pest control solutions. By using only the most progressive products, we can help rid your home of many different household pests with minimal toxicity to those areas where your pets live and your children play.

Taking Care of Business

Pests can carry harmful bacteria and spread disease. We have rebranded in order to provide you with better services and more ways to help you as a customer so you know exactly what to expect and how to protect yourself in the future. Our goal is to not only help you rid your home of unwanted pests, but to also provide you with the knowledge to keep your family protected in the future.

We have very specific methods, training, and products that make us different from the competition. You will quickly discover our professionalism, the benefits of our products, and the difference we can make in your home. We want you to be completely satisfied with our service, which is why we also offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If pests show up between treatments, we will return to your home and take care of them for absolutely free.

From getting rid of just a few annoying pests to signing up for our innovative Four Seasons Protection plan, you can count on us for all of your pest control needs. We’re serious about giving you the best service in the business. Our products will give you a pest-free environment, only utilizing pet-friendly and family-friendly pest control products. We want you to be healthy, for your home to be safe from unwanted invaders, and for pests to stay clear from your property year round.

Enjoy Being Pest-Free

EcoFirst Pest Control offers other great services as well. Want to know something specific about pest control services? Call one of our pest specialists. Refer a friend and receive a credit on your next service visit. We make sure that our customers are always happy so that they will be eager to tell others about our premier customer service.

Forget about using store-bought poisons and trying to find out where those unwanted pests are getting in. Let us handle everything so you can rest easy knowing your home is in the hands of a professional. EcoFirst Pest Control is all about putting you and your family first. Call EcoFirst today to ask about our services and see what we can do for your home today. We know you will be glad you called.

Related Pest Control Articles

Environment Friendly Pest Controls In Sydney

The world we live today is surrounded by number of pollutants and promoting healthy environment should be the goal of each one of us. In all things that we deal with everyday we should consider how it will affect the environment. Even when we look for the best pest controls in Sydney we should consider those who can give us utmost benefit with the consideration of the environment.

The vast number of pest controls in Sydney comes with different methods of eradication. You will be given different offers and deals and you should be aware of the things you need to know and consider before you make the right decision. One of the essential characteristic of the best pest controls are the one that can give you efficient service at the same time promoting safe methods that are harmless to the environment.

Chemicals used for pest controls are effective but not all are environment friendly. If you really have the aspiration to be an environment advocate then you can find pest controls in Sydney that can support your desires. Pest control companies use physical and chemical means to help you get rid of the annoying cockroaches, ants, termites, etc. Any of these methods can still be efficient even if they promote safe milieu.

The latest invention that can eliminate the colonies is called the Sentricon. This pest control method works through baiting systems wherein even the pests that do not have direct contact to the bait can still be killed. This cannot reassure you that you are promoting a healthy environment that is why other companies find way to satisfy that desire for eliminating pests through harmless means. Electronic Invoicing is an environment friendly and convenient system proven effective in providing eradication of destroying pests.

How to find environment friendly pest controls?

The means of finding the best pro-environment pest controls in Sydney is the same as looking for the typical pest control method. One should be determined in searching for the best company offering the best deal.

You can look for pest controls company through the use of World Wide Web. Encode some related keywords in the search engines and look for the best deal that suits your desires and budget as well. You can set qualifications to measure the quality of service a particular company for pest controls can do. You can try to gather information through vast of forums, blogs, reviews and other related web pages that can give you idea of which company can meet your standards. You can also ask a friend or a family for their recommendation of pest controls in Sydney that are proven to be reliable and can provide high quality service. Look for companies that can support your needs for an environment friendly pest controls. All you need is to be patient and determined to have the best service among the others.

Pests can destroy your home but the worst that can happen is when you and your family will be put into risks of having unhealthy living environment. So it is your responsibility to find the best way of keeping your family well and good.

Related Pest Control Articles

How does liquid pest control negatively affect the environment?
Like if there was a giant spill on like the middle of the highway how could the environment be affected?
thanks
best answerr will get best answerr!

Mice or rats need to eat poison bait each day for about a week before they die. Mice gnaw into the packet to feed on the bait. Block style baits are also very effective. Mice seldom venture far from their shelter and food supply, so space traps no more than about 10 feet apart in areas where mice are active.

Mice reach sexual maturity at between five and six weeks of age and have tremendous reproductive potential. They breed throughout the year and may produce as many as eight litters in a single year, with the average litter consisting of four to seven pups. Mice should be fed a commercial pelleted mouse diet and water ad lib. These diets are nutritionally complete, but they still need a large variety of vegetables. Mice have become powerful, living research tools.

Mice have even been known to trim the plants along their runways. In the winter tracks can sometimes be seen on snow. Mice gather seeds that have fallen or blown onto the sand or climb plant stems to harvest attached seed heads. Sea oats make up the bulk of a beach mouse’s diet ( Figure 5 ). Mice love grass seed. Or birdseed or pet foods.

Mice are smaller and therefore can enter narrower openings, making rodent-proofing more difficult. They have limited areas of movement (home range) and require little or no free water. Mice weigh between one and two ounces. Wild mice are active at night, but domesticated mice can be active throughout the day. Mice are very good climbers, and can enter houses through roofs just as easily as they enter at the ground level. Once each and every one of these openings is properly sealed the mice will no longer be able to enter the house.

Mice that live in the fields eat seeds, roots, nuts, berries, and insects. Mice that live in barns eat grain and cattle food. Mice contain at least one button and sometimes as many as three, which have different functions depending on what program is running . Some newer mice also include a scroll wheel for scrolling through long documents. Mice with less image-processing power also have problems tracking fast movement, though high-end mice can track at 2 m/s (80?inches per second) and faster.

Mice constantly explore and learn about their environment, memorizing the locations of pathways, obstacles, food and water, shelter and other elements in their domain. They quickly detect new objects in their environment, but they do not fear novel objects as do rats. Mice are agricultural pests in some areas, however, and they do consume and contaminate stored human food with their droppings. They also destroy woodwork, furniture, upholstery, and clothing. Mice will gnaw to enlarge such openings so they can gain entry.

Mice originated in Asia and spread through Europe many centuries ago. In the 1500s, mice arrived on the ships of the explorers in what is now Florida and Latin America.

Females are ready to mate every four or five days. When males and female mice mate, the male’s sperm enters the female’s body and joins with eggs inside the female’s body. Females can have up to four litters per year with an average of three to six young per litter. The gestation period is from 22 to 25 days long. Females produce litters of four to eight young after a gestation period of three weeks; under favorable conditions they breed throughout the year. The young mature in two months.