Thursday, May 27, 2010

Natural Pest Control



Since I have been blogging recently on going green and natural, I thought I would share a few tips I have for natural pest control.  We use an exterminator but we use one that is non-toxic and uses more natural means.  This sometimes means that they don't get rid of all the bugs.  At least they don't get rid of the ones I want.  You could probably guess from the picture that I absolutely hate, despise, and abominate house flies.  Yuck!!!  My neighborhood knows that I hate flies because every time my children go out the back door you can hear me literally scream "FLIES!!!!  CLOSE THE DOOR!!!!!"  I own at least 3 fly swatters and have been known to pay my children $0.25 per fly that they can kill for me.  I just hate the nasty creatures.  Fruits flies run a very close second to the house fly.

Through the years I have found fairly inexpensive ways to deal with these pests.  I have tried some frugal ideas and they work to an extent.  They don't work the way I NEED them to work though.  But I stay true to my desire to be green and non-toxic so I share these ideas with you today.



1.  Flyweb Flying Insect Trap

I LOVE this contraption.  It serves as a downstairs nightlight with it's florescent light used to attached the flying insects.  You place glue boards behind the light, plug it in, and then let it do it's job.  This was my first purchase in trapping bugs.  It runs about $30 on the web.  You can also purchase extra glue boards.  They comes 10 to a package.  This will last me a full year and sometimes more.






2. Vector Fruit Fly Traps

These are the best traps out there.  I have tried many, including my own homemade traps.  We do have issues with fruit flies through the summer because most of our produce is organic.  There are no pesticides to keep them at bay.  There is a brand of that comes in a triangular shape but they just aren't as good in my opinion (sorry, can't remember the name of them.)  These traps run about about $13 for two.  Mine usually last all summer with no problems.  And unless you spill the liquid contents (or your children do) they don't smell at all.

As a side note, you can also make your own fruit fly traps.  I use apple cider vinegar in a glass canning jar.  I put plastic wrap and then poke holes small enough for the flies to get in but not get out.  These do work but I have found it's not as effective as I need them to be.

If you have issues with gnats as well, the best things to do here is to disinfect your disposal.  I use ammonia.  i know, not as non-toxic as I would prefer but it's the only that will do the job.  Just pour some ammonia in the disposal.  Let it sit for a few minutes and then turn the hot water on and run the disposal.



3.  Non-Toxic Fly Trap

There are many variety on non-toxic fly traps on the market.  This is the one I used last year and it was very effective.  I hung two of these babies on the fences across the yard from each other.  It really did cut down on the amount of flies we got in the house after I hung them up.  The nice thing is that they are inexpensive.  The can run from $6-10 depending on the brand and how many you purchase.


These are the natural pest control means I use to control the flies in and around our home.  As a disclaimer, the links that I have given are simply to point you to places you might purchase these if you desire.  The only e-store I have experience with is ePestSolutions.com.  Do your research to find the best prices.  I am discovering that Amazon carries alot of these items and sometimes you can get the free super saver shipping.  I am sorry that I don't have time to point to specific places with the best prices.





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