Bugs in Arizona can be a handful. They infest into the woodwork, destroy your gardens, and even attack you and your children. All is not lost though; there are numerous ways to keep these pests under control for little or no cost to you.
Slugs are one of the pests that plague your garden. If the law permits and you have an adequate area for ducks to roam freely, pet ducks are a smart and easy way to free yourself from slugs. However, if you are within city limits ducks may not be an option. When this is the case, a simple bleach solution will get the job done. Simply take a spray bottle and fill it mostly with water, add a cap full of bleach to the water. Also salt dries the slugs out; sprinkle a good amount of salt though your garden and the slugs will stay away.
Repelling mosquitoes in this day and age is a must. Not only do they carry various diseases, they are bothersome. We all have had bug repellent lights and lamps to try and protect us from these pests. However, these do more harm than good. The light draws insects towards them. Which means, three times more bugs will swarm towards the light. An Australian company makes Sandalwood Mosquito Sticks. Place these sticks around a gathering area to keep gnats, black flies and mosquitoes away. The smoke repels these insects for three to four hours.
Kissing bug, also known as the conenose bug is common in southern Arizona. They are blood-sucking insects almost like the mosquito. Most of the time homes don’t have these insects infesting them. However if a den of rats, bats, or other types of rodents is found near the dwelling, these pests are sure to be lurking around. When getting rid of a nest near the home, be careful to remove the insects as well. They migrate to animals but any hosts they find will be efficient. Also conenose bugs tend to hang around their blood source, so if they bite you they will continue to do so. The best way to rid homes of these is to manually search them out, checking under your bed, in the corners, where your pets usually are. For chemical treatments, there are a few insecticides labeled for conenose bugs. Even some household management for cockroaches will work. When spraying pay careful attention to corners of the home, windows, pet spaces and doorframes. For non-chemical ways to take precautions put the legs of your bed in coffee cans of water or to use mosquito netting.
Ants are a huge problem for most homeowners. The workers forage in your gardens and kitchens in search of food. To prevent these bugs from entering your home make sure all cracks are properly sealed. Cut and trim trees and bushes away from your house to avert carpenter ants. Baby powder is a good way to keep away ants. Sprinkle baby powder in your gardens, under your sinks, doorways anywhere ants are seen. The powder clogs their pores so they won’t enter beyond that point.
The bark scorpion is primarily found in southern Arizona. Even though these are the most poisonous scorpions found in the United States, they rarely take lives. You can spot these pests because barks are the only scorpions that can climb. To avoid having these in your homes or gardens, clear debris or anything these insects can hide under. Also, if there are many crickets near your home or garden they will draw in scorpions. Another trick to riding yourself from bark scorpions are cats. Cats will take care of them for you and the best part; cats are immune to their poison.
Black widows are found all over the United States however they are more common in Arizona. The spider’s bite can be deadly; precautions to protect you and your family need to be taken. Most important, clean all spider webs away from inside and outside your home with a vacuum. Again, remove all debris outside anywhere black widows could nest. If you have a porch light, be sure it’s a yellow tinted bug-free light. Regular outside lights attracts other insects, which will draw widows towards the homes.
A numerous amount of insects have different types of predators. Some less harmful bugs may be used to control the annoying pests. Pesticides are widely available for different types of pest control. Chemical treatment is the easiest way to control any bugs that plague your garden and home. Also the instructions for these products are simple to understand. Home remedies are always an alternative, however they don’t work all the time. Experiments and research is the ideal way to protect your plants and family from any types for insects.
