yard & garden pests

Do Not Squish Stink Bugs

Crushed stink bugs emit an odor quite foul.

Don’t “go hatin” on the stink bug, or you’ll be sorry!

Do not under any circumstances squish, squash, stomp, crush or snuff out stink bugs. Any squishing, squashing, stomping, crushing and snuffing will result in the release of a malodorous chemical. You will be sorry.

Vacuuming is an effective strategy to get rid of stink bugs but you must be very careful when handling the vacuum bag or cannister. Vacuuming will not kill the insects, but it will disturb them enough that they may emit their smell. Work quickly to remove the vacuum bag, place in an airtight plastic garbage sack and throw it out far away from your home or any other inhabitable area.

The only sure fire way to get rid of stink bugs is to conduct a thorough inspection of your home and seal up any entry points you may see. Check your outside foundation, water spigots, siding, windows and window sills, doors, basement and attic. You will find openings and you should caulk them shut.

Stink Bugs Guide educates us all about the brown marmorated stink bug. The site uses words like pentatomoidea and heteroptera suborder, so you know it’s got to be good!

Good luck getting rid of stink bugs!

Welcome Back Stink Bugs!

Stink bugs are beginning to come indoors.

Searching for warmer temperatures, pests come through doors and windows.

Temperatures are beginning to dip down into the range of what meteorologist call “chilly.” The change in temperature makes our friend, the brown marmorated stink bug look for warmth.

Stink bugs come into our homes because they are looking for a place to hibernate over autumn and winter. This means that we are witnessing the first of an ever mounting ascension of these pesky bugs around our doors and windows.

Remember, stink bugs do more damage outside than they do inside. Crops and foliage pierced by their pincers are susceptible to fungus and disease. Stink bugs, however, do very little damage to homes, furniture or clothing.

Great stink bug information can be found at stinkbug411.com. Highly recommended site.

They simply bother humans when they are inside our homes. Maybe it’s because we know that a disturbed stink bug will live up to its name.

Let’s home this year’s crop of stink bugs is imperturbable!

How to Attack a Wasp Nest

Get rid of wasp nests using a spray that projects 15-20 feet.

Commercial wasp killers do work effectively and we recommend their use.

Projectile sprays are available that will allow you to squirt poison into above-ground wasp nests.
Drench the nest, trying to spray into the opening if possible.
Spray at night when the wasps are dormant.

And finally, be sure you have an escape route just in case you have to “run for it!” (Just joking, but please be safe!)

Why Mosquitoes Bite

Mosquitoes want to suck your blood.

Blame mosquito bites on the female of the species.

The female mosquito needs blood for her eggs to develop and humans provide a healthy store of blood for her feast. Human blood contains supplemental proteins and iron that help develop eggs.

After biting the skin, the mosquito emits a chemical substance that keeps your blood from clotting. It is this anti-clotting agent that irritates human skin and creates an itch.

Where Mosquitoes Breed

Mosquitoes live and breed in stagnant water.

You should check your house for potential mosquito breeding grounds. Bird feeders, window wells, puddles and other standing water should be flushed with a hose.

This will keep mosquitoes from breeding in your yard. Yet, getting rid of mosquitoes is not that easy.

A mosquito travels an average of one mile per day. So unless you plan on flushing all your neighborhood areas of standing water, you should have a back-up plan!

Build a Gnat Trap

An effective way to trap indoor gnats.

You can trap gnats using an easily made home trap. Gnats and fruit flies are attracted to the smell of vinegar and sweetness, so ingredients are key.

Place some vinegar and and either dish washing detergent in a jar with a screw-on cap. Sugar and bananas will also work when combined with vinegar.

Punch holes in the cap like you would with a childhood firefly jar. Most gnats will not be able to get out and will drown in the vinegar.

Several traps will work better than one. It’s not the best smelling solution, but it is effective.

Tracking Carpenter Ants

You need to find carpenter ant colonies before you can get rid of them.

Set bait such as honey and wait until they come to feast, then follow the carpenter ants after they visit the honey. Yes, follow them! Carpenter ants form well traveled paths back to their colonies.

Carpenter ants are nocturnal so the best time to do this is at night. You can pinpoint the ants if they are inside your walls by tapping the wall.

The colony area will have a hollow sound. You can also hear the sound of a lively ant colony. A soft rustling noise can be heard from a lively colony of ants at night.

Boric Acid and Carpenter Ants

You can get rid of carpenter ants with boric acid.

Don’t be alarmed by the sound of this chemical. It is safe to use and is available online and at most hardware stores and garden centers.

If the ants reside in your walls you will need to drill a few holes and spray or puff the boric acid into the holes. You should make several holes to make sure you get the colony and the trails
to/from the nest.

Remember, there may be several colonies so continue to track and monitor the trails made by the carpenter ants and repeat this process if you find additional colonies.

The carpenter ants will take 7-14 days to die.

Carpenter Ant Colonies

Carpenter ants make their colonies indoors or outdoors.

Outdoor colonies house thousands of ants and there is always a home nest (where the queen ant lives) and satellite colonies with smaller pockets of worker ants.

Carpenter ants make their colonies in damp wood so a good place to look for them is in moist areas. Outdoor locations are firewood piles, dead rotting trees and damp wood trim around the house.

Indoors, carpenter ants love to live behind the dishwasher and sink and damp window sills and door frames.

Listerine Gets Rid of Mosquitos

Mosquitoes are repelled by the smell of Listerine Original formula.

Yes, it’s true. Store brands will work too. It seems the trick here is to purchase the original formula.

Combine the original mouthwash formula with water in a spray bottle — one part mouthwash to four parts water.

Spray the outside area you will be using and the mosquitoes should stay away for hours.

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