Field Tips 85632

Pest & Pet Food Pets don’t want insects in their food any more than you do, so avoid putting dog and cat food out that will not be eaten immediately. I recommend that you put the pet food dishes down on the ground or floor only long enough for the pet to consume the meal. If you leave it out during the day and overnight, pet food may attract ants, cockroaches and flies. Petroleum Jelly Stops Ladybugs and Ants If you experience an invasion of ladybugs into your home, consider using a petroleum jelly product (e.g. Vaseline®) around doors and window frames to prevent them from getting inside. Such products are also helpful for keeping ants off of hummingbird feeders. Simply spread some petroleum jelly around the hanging portion of the feeder to keep the ants from getting to the sugar water. Mold and Mildew in Crawl Spaces If you have mold and mildew in your home or office crawl space, it's a symptom of an excess moisture problem. In most situations, installing more foundation vents and a vapor barrier will help. If standing water or poor drainage are also problems, you may want to consider other measures, such as installing a sump pump, foundation vent fans and/or excavating the crawl space to create more ventilated space Cricket Invasion Crickets are attracted to buildings by bright outdoor lights. Once at a building, they will crawl through any crack to enter. The first step is to seal as many cracks as possible and to install weather-stripping on the bottom of doors. Another good practice to consider is changing the exterior light bulbs to yellow "bug lights" each summer to reduce the number of pests attracted to your home or office. Some of my customers keep their lights turned off as much as possible during cricket season to reduce the problem. Flea Infestation To deal with flea infestations, it's best to remember where they live and reproduce. Flea larvae develop in cracks in concrete and in carpets and rugs which is why they are difficult to eliminate. Thorough cleaning is one of the best ways to get rid of the larvae and eggs. On concrete floors, you need to vacuum and wash the floor thoroughly with lots of soap and water to remove dust, flea larvae and flea eggs. Carpeted areas need to be vacuumed thoroughly and treated with a residual flea control product labeled for indoor carpet treatment. The concrete floor may be treated with the same product. Remember to vacuum daily to help encourage the fleas to emerge from their cocoons and come in contact with the treatment. Pill bugs in Large Quantities If you have a large number of pill bugs, or "roly poly bugs" as kids call them, it's probably because you have excess moisture and a lot of organic matter such as mulch or leaf litter. Mulch should be only 2 inches thick in beds and kept a minimum of 12 inches from the foundation. You should also remove leaf litter from around your home and make sure you are not over watering, especially right next to the house. Scorpions in the Yard If you find scorpions in your yard, it is usually directly related to the amount of harborage they can find. I recommend you remove all items lying in contact with the soil. Also, be aware that landscaping edged with stacked timbers or stacked flagstones provides considerable shelter for scorpions and the insects they eat. Using edging without cracks reduces the potential harborage for scorpions as does eliminating heavy ground cover, such as ivy, in landscaping. You should seal all cracks and holes in your home's exterior to prevent scorpions from entering. Scorpions glow blue-green under UV light, and so you can use a UV backlight at night to find scorpions on your property. Sandbox has Bees Solitary or "digger" bees may use sandboxes to locate their nests. The sand is attractive as a nesting site to many bees and wasps. Don't treat the sand with any pest control product. Instead, try pouring very soapy water into the holes. The soap helps the water drown the insects. If bumblebees or yellow jackets happen to be involved (the bees are aggressive!), call a professional to treat the nest, then replace the sand.