Repellents for Pests
- , by Trudy Chuoke Trudy Chuoke
Pests are everywhere right now—inside and outside the house. Inside, it’s mosquitoes, gnats, fruit flies, ants, roaches, and mice. Outside, it’s mosquitoes, flies, ants, and pests underground, like grubs. So, I put together the answers that I feel work the best for South Texas.
Let's start outside. Right now, it’s mosquitoes and flies. And in South Texas, there is not just one answer. It’s going to take several products to combat those flying biting 747’s that we have. First if you have a Dyna Trap, hopefully you have plugged it in. And if you have an older unit, remember you need to put in a new bulb every season. Leave it plugged in 24/7. Then you need to have back up plan and that would be Spartan Pro Tech tubes that you fill with water and place in a shady tree. While you are waiting for Dyna Trap and Spartan to reduce the mosquito population, you will need to use a product that will act immediately. Use Cutter Backyard Bug Control or Ortho Home Defense for outdoors. Hook up to your hose, start spraying your yard at the farthest edge and work back to the faucet. It will be safe when it’s dry and should last for 30 days. You can also use Skeeter Screen. These are mosquito incense yard sticks that when lite will emit a smoke that deters mosquitoes that is deet free and safe. Place them around the yard or place them in in your potted plants. Each stick will burn for 4 hours.
But what about flies? When it gets hot enough, the mosquito population dwindles, but the fly population doesn't. I hate flies. I’m not even crazy about how to take care of flies. But if you have a tough time with flies, Rescue has several answers. Rescue Fly Traps come in reusable and throwaway units. Let me tell you how to use them. They are simple: unscrew the lid, put in the included lure, then fill with water. Replace the lid, lift the lid cap, and place it in a tree about 20 feet from where you like to hang out in the yard. Why 20 feet away? Because it stinks so bad. The flies think it is honey, and they go in the trap and die. The trap will last for 30 days. They also make a simple-to-use corrugated fly pad. Place it on the table outdoors, whether at your home or when you go on a picnic. They also make fly traps that you can place inside your home or outdoors. The nice part: they don’t stink. And they are blue and yellow, which evidently is very attractive to flies.
Now let's get your home inside pest-free. First, I would use a Safer Plug-In Trap. They attract pests with a light, and they get captured on a sticky pad. They plug into an outlet and can swivel to attract mosquitoes, gnats, and no-see-ums. They will last for 30 days; then replace the sticky pad. If you have plants with saucers that have standing water, use Mosquito Dunks. These will kill the mosquito larvae. For flies, you have lots to choose from. Rescue makes indoor fly traps that you can place in the window. JT Eaton has one too. Eaton fly traps are designed so you don’t see the trapped flies. You could also use the Fly Trap Pads, place them in the window, or use the enclosed tape and place them on your sliding glass door. They are not sticky when you handle them because they are corrugated.
For indoor roaches, ants, and scorpions, use Clobber. It’s the best pest control that you can do yourself for the inside of the house. It will take you 15 minutes to spray, and you will not have to worry about crawling pests for 60 – 90 days. It’s water-based and has no smell. Safe around children and pets as soon as it’s dry. For the garage, use VS102. It’s a sister product, but it’s oil-based.
One more answer, and that's for mice and rats. Use Morgan’s. I know you hear people say, “this product changed my life,” and well, you take it with a grain of salt. But this product finally allowed us to carry birdseed in the store. If you struggle with mice and rats, you won’t need those messy traps or poison any longer. Use Morgan’s, and they will just stay away, and that’s what you want.