Insects and what to do about them

[jimindenver]

Since this is in hobbys, I've made a hobby out of taking pictures of them.

 

[Kathleen]

Since this is in hobbys, I've made a hobby out of taking pictures of them.

jimindenver,

love that dragonfly photo, can see it really good when i clicked on it. collected bugs as a lil girl. parents let me keep them in an empty aquarium on the back porch where i studied what they like to eat and drink. taught other kids about them and released them within 3 days. you lady bug looks like it has miniature yellow ping pong balls behind it!

 

[Kathleen]

Since this is in hobbys, I've made a hobby out of taking pictures of them.

jimindenver,

love that dragonfly photo, can see it really good when i clicked on it. collected bugs as a lil girl. parents let me keep them in an empty aquarium on the back porch where i studied what they like to eat and drink. taught other kids about them and released them within 3 days. you lady bug looks like it has miniature yellow ping pong balls behind it!

 

[Kathleen]

I wonder if the bay leaves work on ants?

I wondered that too. Ants don't like cinnamon. I've scared them off with that. I get true cinnamon at the herb store. Studied natural herbal medicine in school. Most people don't know there's true cinnamon and something else that seems to be real but is not.

Watched an AZ video of a guy who sprinkled food grade BT (long name, can't remember it now) all around his RV. It was a big bag and he made a large swath with it. It's crushed tiny shellfish, non toxic, not dangerous, but it gets stuck in the arm and leg joints of ants, repels them. He said he wanted to keep scorpions away.

 

[abnorm]

BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a bacteria for controlling caterpillars on plants.........also in Mosquito dunks

You're thinking DE.......................diatomaceous earth

I'm a "farmer"

 

[Kathleen]

BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) is a bacteria for controlling caterpillars on plants.........also in Mosquito dunks

You're thinking  DE.......................diatomaceous earth

I'm a "farmer"

Thanks, abnorm!!!! Yes, thx for correcting me on that. Want people to buy the right stuff. Get harmless food grade, at the more natural greenhouse supply stores in your area. A search would show who else sells it. Comes in big bags for about 10 bucks. Ok to put inside on counters, non toxic. That's what I understand. Sound right to you??

An herbalist friend mixes Cayenne pepper in hers for a little extra anti ant activity.

 

[TrainChaser]

Yes, DE is non-toxic. It also has some nutrients in, and some people add it to fruit juice. Others say it kills intestinal parasites, but I think that's just a rumor; it's not effective if it's wet. I did think of bringing some with me and putting it around the tires to prevent fire ants (etc) from getting into the van. It is said to kill anything with a carapace, but can kill beneficials like bees, too, if you put it on something that attracts them.

 

[jimindenver]

Please keep DE down wind as you spread it or better yet, use a mask. It's terrible stuff to breath in.

 

[AngryVanMan]

Bug-A-Salt

You will have more fun with this pest control method than anything else... Well, with the possible exception of the kill it with fire method!

 

[TrainChaser]

Get one of those electrified tennis racquet things. If you've got kids with you, put them to work.
These: https://www.amazon.com/SE-MP-Electric-Zapper-Assorted/dp/B003U55W6Y
Assorted colors.

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

]I was driving through the backwoods the other day, when I saw a guy with two tires on the side of the road. I stopped and agreed to give the guy a ride to Walmart, as he had run over a piece of metal and needed both tires replaced.  I get down the road almost to the highway, and a small herd of deer crossed the road in font of me. The guy asked m "What in tarnation is that!?" 
I answered, "That's a brush deer, what did you think it was?" He shrugged and said, "We grow 'em alot bigger'n that back home in Texas." We get a little farther on and came to a few buffalo in a field. He again asked in a puzzled tone "What are those?
"Those are buffalo; you gotta be kiddin me, you really don't recognize them?" The guy replied "Well, I guess they're kinda familiar --it's just that we grow 'em so much bigger back in Texas."

We get down close to the highway, and there is one of the Alligator Snapping Turtles that plague the state.  This one must have been about 150 lbs. Well this large snapping turtle lumbered onto the road. The Texan peered intently at the creature and said "Now what the heck is that thing!?" "Wood tick". 

While he was waiting for his tires, I saw him stocking up on Deep Woods Off

Now that is one big turtle!!!!
I have never seen one that big, up close, and that picture is really up close.
Thanks!!!!

 

[Kathleen]

Please keep DE down wind as you spread it or better yet, use a mask. It's terrible stuff to breath in.

Hope people read this, really imortant to know!

 

[Kathleen]

Yes, DE is non-toxic.  It also has some nutrients in, and some people add it to fruit juice.  Others say it kills intestinal parasites, but I think that's just a rumor; it's not effective if it's wet.  I did think of bringing some with me and putting it around the tires to prevent fire ants (etc) from getting into the van.  It is said to kill anything with a carapace, but can kill beneficials like bees, too, if you put it on something that attracts them.

Have to be real careful not to harm the bees. They do so much for us, even though many may not realize this.

 

[Ticklebellly]

Eucalyptus oil or Oil of Cloves or Dettol in baby oil, is what I use. The odour of the essential oils or Dettol hides my scent from mozzies and the sand flies. The Baby Oil keeps the sand fly pee off the skin and I don't get the local allergic reaction at the bite (pee) site.

A Yellow filter on the headlamp is somewhat effective in minimising the bug swarm down in the marshes.

DEET seems the only effective repellent for ticks, in my experience.

Ticklebellly

 

[BobBski]

I get invaded daily by thousands, no exaggeration, by these imported Asian Lady Beetles, not lady bugs.  Only lasts for a couple hours, thank goodness for Skeeter Beaters.  Also seeing more and more of the imported stink bugs.  When will man learn to quit trying to manipulate nature.

 

[TrainChaser]

BobBski: "When will man learn to quit trying to manipulate nature."

When man ceases to exist due to his own poor judgment.

 

[DrJean]

Ok my 2 cents...

I also use a battery belt-clipped mosquito repeller. It has a dial on it because believe it or not mosquitoes in different parts of the country are repelled by different frequencies.

Citronella is really good.

Foggers in emergencies, and low wind (or if in van, cover countertops before hand).

CLOSE your van up, screen your windows and doors. Flying insects, especially mosquitoes and other flying ones like to enter a place during the day and wait till the night to bother you (eat, draw blood etc.)

Now what you eat can also make a difference. Onion and garlic help keep insects away (and keeps people away too fortunately).
Do not eat bananas nor carrots if there's an insect problem where you're camping. These two foods are not processed through the pancreas and the sugar dumps straight into your blood stream: a red flag/light for flying biting insects that supper's on! Type O people are more desirable btw. Obese people and pregnant women (who else?) are more prone to be bitten due to the increased co2 emissions, and possibly increased sweating.

If you want to use insect spray sparingly, spray your ankles and feet at least. Low energy insects (like hungry lady mosquitoes) fly lower (and most mosquitoes do not fly above the first floor level btw).

Do not use perfumed soaps, shampoos, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, cologne, after shave etc as this draws biting insects to you (but then it might also draw a person you want to you...)

They still have the chrysanthemum plant-based coils and these work quite well at ground level when outside (though didn't we burn them inside the car at the drive in theater? ouch! Some incense sticks (not the sweet ones) will also work mildly.

DO NOT SPRAY anything inside a tent or canvas --water treated cloth! (insect spray, deodorant, hair spray...) This will generally break the waterproof barrier (kind of like touching the inside of a tent roof when it's raining?) and let it leak.

 

[Kathleen]

Ok my 2 cents...

I also use a battery belt-clipped mosquito repeller.  It has a dial on it because believe it or not mosquitoes in different parts of the country are repelled by different frequencies.

Citronella is really good.  

Foggers in emergencies, and low wind (or if in van, cover countertops before hand).

CLOSE your van up, screen your windows and doors.  Flying insects, especially mosquitoes and other flying ones like to enter a place during the day and wait till the night to bother you (eat, draw blood etc.)

Now what you eat can also make a difference.   Onion and garlic help keep insects away (and keeps people away too fortunately).
Do not eat bananas nor carrots if there's an insect problem where you're camping.  These two foods are not processed through the pancreas and the sugar dumps straight into your blood stream: a red flag/light  for flying biting insects that supper's on!   Type O people are more desirable  btw.  Obese people and pregnant women (who else?) are more prone to be bitten due to the increased co2 emissions, and possibly increased sweating.

If you want to use insect spray sparingly, spray your ankles and feet at least.  Low energy insects (like hungry lady mosquitoes) fly lower  (and most mosquitoes do not fly above the first floor level btw).

Do not use perfumed soaps, shampoos, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, cologne, after shave etc as this draws biting insects to you (but then it might also draw a person you want to you...)

They still have the chrysanthemum plant-based coils and these work quite well at ground level when outside (though didn't we burn them inside the car at the drive in theater?  ouch!  Some incense sticks (not the sweet ones) will also work mildly.

DO NOT SPRAY anything inside a tent or canvas --water treated cloth! (insect spray, deodorant, hair spray...)  This will generally break the waterproof barrier (kind of like touching the inside of a tent roof when it's raining?) and let it leak.

Lucky me, O blood type. No wonder the bugs like me. Interesting to learn about the frequency gadget on your belt. Glad to hear it keeps skeeters away. My landlady plugged in a frequency device to repel mice. So far, no luck. Maybe insects are more sensitive.

Carrot and bananas, ok, none of those while on the road. We have an herb shop here with a repellent that keeps the dratted gnats away. They buzz around eyes, ears, mouth, nose and back of neck when hiking. Really annoying. But in AZ it's the scorpions I want to keep at bay. Saw a giant one while camped there years ago. Reminded me of a small lobster. Wonder if they climb straight up van walls to enter vehicles?? The smaller ones are more dangerous in a way, harder to see.

 

[DrJean]

I have the electronic bug repellers in my current home...keeps all the crawlers away but never a mouse problem. I do know that the ones that work through the electric wiring in the house versus the ones that put out a non-noticiable tone work better. Has to be the right frequency for the target?

I grew up with scorpions in the house. The young ones are more dangerous because their venom is fresh and strong. Older scorpion's venom is weakened because of age.

They like dark wet areas. Yes, they can climb vertically. Caulk and block all openings to the outside. If you see any in your sink you can put bleach down the drain every few weeks or so. They fluoresce at night under ultraviolet, so maybe a game of "snipe hunting" scorpion version might work if you are stuck in one spot with scorpions.

Lavender and citrus can help repel them. And if you keep a spider around, they eat the crickets and ants and other food stuffs that scorpions like, and you might run the scorpions off.

 

[Kathleen]

I have the electronic bug repellers in my current home...keeps all the crawlers away but never a mouse problem.  I do know that the ones that work through the electric wiring in the house versus the ones that put out a non-noticiable tone work better.  Has to be the right frequency for the target?

I grew up with scorpions in the house.  The young ones are more dangerous because their venom is fresh and strong.  Older scorpion's venom is weakened because of age.

They like dark wet areas.  Yes, they can climb vertically.  Caulk and block all openings to the outside.  If you see any in your sink you can put bleach down the drain every few weeks or so.   They fluoresce at night under ultraviolet, so maybe a game of "snipe hunting" scorpion version might work if you are stuck in one spot with scorpions.  

Lavender and citrus can help repel them.   And if you keep a spider around, they eat the crickets and ants and other food stuffs that scorpions like, and you might run the scorpions off.

Ugghh, DrJean, scorpions that crawl up walls. I never ran into one when I lived in AZ. But years later on a camping trip with several hundred people the lobster sized one showed up. A man with heavy gloves held it up for all to see.. We had people from other countries camping with us that week. Our trip leader wanted everyone to know what a scorpion looked like. 

I heard the small ones were more dangerous. Harder to spot too. Not afraid of tarantulas but prefer meetups with bears, moose, elk, and buffalo than scorpions. Your snipe hunting under ultraviolet is good. My rocks that fluoresce would look pretty too. Thx for that idea.  :dodgy: