The Good Old Flyswatter

Most effective ways to get rid of flies.

Old fashioned fly swatting is an art form.

Fly swattersThe good old-fashioned fly swatter hasn’t changed design in years.  Much more effective than newspapers and magazines, the fly swatter is good clean sport.

Flies have an uncanny perception of air currents and nearby movements, so a good swatting technique is required to be a successful fly swat artist.  Unfortunately, this is a skill that can only be attained through years of diligent practice.

Have fun swatting, and stay tuned … in the next few days we’ll be looking at a few more elegant ways to get rid of flies in the house.

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.

A wasp

  • 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!)

Keep crickets out of your house.

Beautiful outside, annoying inside.

Crickets can drive you bonkers with their incessant chirping.

One cricket alone in your home is bad enough, but four or five can drive you mad. Luckily, it is easy to get rid of crickets.

The Mysterious Cricket

  • Keep your grass short and keep lawn debris and compost piles away from your foundation.
  • Check the perimeter of your house for cracks and crevices where crickets may enter.
  • Clean out your gutters and remove garbage regularly, and turn off or reduce bright lights outside your home during cricket season.

You can make your own cricket trap with a solution of water and molasses, and you can purchase bug sprays and poisons that will kill crickets.

Good luck in your valiant effort to get rid of crickets!

Kill Bed Bugs With Steam

Steam is an effective way to kill bed bugs

Safety and care required when using dry vapor steam.

Bed bug infestationYou can get rid of bed bugs yourself by killing them on contact with dry steam.  Bedbugger.com oozes knowledge of all things bed bug, and their thorough analysis of using steam to kill bed bugs is a must-read for DIY-ers.

Steam is one of several ways to kill bed bugs. wikiHow offers an exhaustive list of methods for finding bed bugs, treatment and control, and prevention.

You will need a steam cleaner to do the job. This wonderful shill of an infomercial displays what a steam cleaner looks like and how to purchase a steam cleaner.

Why Mosquitoes Bite

Mosquitoes want to suck your blood.

Female mosquito

 

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.

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