Pest control: Natural methods to ELIMINATE six troublesome pests
PESTS will emerge in droves this summer, drawn by warmer temperatures, and enter people's homes for food or shelter. Experts have provided six effective and all-natural solutions for dealing with pesky intruders.
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Summer will draw out a selection of creepy crawlies, many looking to use rising temperatures and humidity to take advantage of people's open windows and doors. People may find they have to tackle infestations or stubborn populations over the next few months, and they have many options open to them. But, understandably, homeowners may want to avoid the most abrasive or chemical mixtures that could harm their gardens or cause potential health problems, and experts with GardeningExpress.co.uk have some of the best natural alternatives.
Slugs
Slugs tend to come out when the weather is damp, leaving slimy messes as they come inside.
Experts recommend shoring up the boundary between windows or doors and the inside of their homes.
Gravel or wood chips should keep them away from doors, as can sticky-backed copper tape, which can produce electrical charges.
READ MORE: How to tell if a bee is tired or dying
Flies
Gardening Express experts walked through the recipe for a natural fly repellent.
A mixture of one teaspoon of cayenne pepper to a cup of water combined in a spray bottle is enough for the repellent.
People should take this and spray it over doorways, windows, and anywhere they see flies congregating.
Wasps
Wasps and hornets, their close relatives, descend in the warmest temperatures.
These insects dislike the potent smell of peppermint and will avoid areas where people spray it.
The best way to distribute it is, once again, via spray can using a mixture of one part peppermint oil to five parts water.
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Cockroaches
Cockroaches only tend to come inside when there is waste to exploit, such as old food.
They have an instinctive aversion to catnip, which will keep them out if placed tactically around potential entry points.
People can also attract them with clovite, a horse supplement preferred by cockroaches that will also kill them.
Ants
Ants are highly active in the summer and enter people's homes in many ways, through doors, windows, or cracks in the floorboards.
They often filter in long queues, carrying out scraps of food to their nests.
Once again, people should grab their spray bottles and pour in vinegar and water in a 50/50 solution to kill and deter ants.
Mosquitoes
As one of the most troublesome summer pests, people have developed several mosquito repellant methods.
They tend to break in during the warmest nights and hate lavender.
Rubbing crushed flowers on exposed areas of the body will keep them away, and eucalyptus gum trees have a similar latent effect.