Pest Control

Chemical Pesticides are a major cause of death, disease and immune dysfunction when used inside. When used outside they throw off the environmental balance. They kill the predators of the bugs as well as the bugs, thereby causing a bigger pest problem, making you think you need more pesticide, creating a vicious cycle and false dependence on the pesticide. Another problem is that poisons find their way into the water cycle thereby poisoning unintended victims like fish and humans. If you learn about bugs and you leave the bugs outside alone they will attract the lizards, birds and other good bugs that eat them.

Scroll down for whats bugging you :)
Inside Your Home:
Keep it clean and take out your trash daily to greatly reduce bug problem. If you see bugs look for cracks under the sinks or along baseboards or anywhere else, seal them with the appropriate filler such as wood, mortar, caulk or wood filler. If you get an occasional bug inside, just throw it outside to feed the lizards. I have not used pesticides in my home for decades and don’t have any bug problem. If you feel compelled to use a product instead of keeping clean and sealing, use boric acid or traps such as a 1/4 full beer can for roaches behind furniture and cabinets it is much safer. You may also use dish soap mixed with water as a spray that works just as good and is cheaper and much safer. Dr Bonners peppermint castile soap is the best. Pesticide Sprays like "raid" are the worst for you! Remember any pesticides you use will absorb through your skin and in the air you breathe- then attack your liver and nervous system along with causing cancers and tumors.

The Orkin man is NOT your friend - that’s just a commercial from a greedy corporation with expensive marketing to pay for...

The only exception to the No Pesticide rule is a topical such as Advantage to be used on your pet. (Even though this still causes cancer to the pet and you- it is far safer and effective than chemical dips and spraying your home and yard. No other flea treatments are necessary with the topical. The lizards will eat fleas on the outside, (unless you kill the lizards with pesticides.) There are alternatives to topical’s such as garlic and other oils but none I have found as effective in a high flea environment. This is the ONLY exception. I have found that bathing my dog daily (sometimes every other day, depending on outdoor activity, will be enough to keep the fleas and other bugs off. You must use a mild natural shampoo to not dry the skin. I use "Veterinarians Best, Hypo allergenic shampoo" I get if from PetsSmart. It is available elsewhere.
Fleas

Don’t pollute your inside environment with pesticides. Get rid of them naturally by cleaning your home instead and balance your yard with nature.

Vacuuming

Vacuuming is perhaps the most important part of any nonchemical flea control program. A laboratory study done at the University of California showed that vacuuming catches about 96 percent of adult fleas.
In addition to capturing the adult fleas, vacuuming may help to dislodge eggs and larvae from the carpeting and bedding. It also stimulates emerging adults to leave their cocoons, so that they can be vacuumed up next time you vacuum. Vacuum often, even daily. After use, seal the vacuum bag inside a plastic trash bag to keep fleas from escaping and throw it away. Or fasten a plastic bag over the end of the vacuum cleaner hose until you vacuum again.



FOR THE YARD; The worst thing you can do is use pesticides outside as that kills and reduces the number of predators. Pesticides and Granules in the yard and screw up the balance of predators vs prey. The more pesticides you use the more you will need. Don’t let your pet wander in and out of house it only picks them up and brings them inside. A heavy watering of your yard can kill fleas alone.

FOR THE PETS: Imagine what would be living in your hair if you dragged it close to the ground inside and outside all day for days at a time without washing it. A pet kept properly cleaned has much less of a problem with fleas and other problems such as itching, biting and skin sores. Make sure you use a mild shampoo that won’t bother the skin or strip the hair of oil. Change the shampoo until you find one that works. My favorites are olive oil shampoo (from health food stores) and "Veterinarian’s Best Hypo Allergenic Shampoo" you can check it out at PetsSmart or www.vetsbest.com Both of these are so good I use them for my hair as well! Don't forget to use a conditioner generously on your dogs hair if its dry (it helps keep fleas from holding on as well) It is essential that you wash everything including the pets at least every other day and flea comb them (kill fleas between fingernails or against the comb as you catch them in the comb)

Clip long hair or fur off dogs can help you keep up on seeing the fleas.

Cleaning is the main key to all pest control! If you take your pet outside, they will pick them up. Especially if you take them to the parks – they are loaded with fleas.

Citronella or Lemon grass oil can be applied to the pet. Use it just like Advantage and if you must use Advantage, use it, as it is the only one that won’t screw up the natural balance outside any more than it already is.

Flea comb daily and crush fleas quickly between your fingernails as they will jump away fast.

Get rid of carpets or fabrics that cannot be washed in a washing machine to get rid of flea eggs and dirt.

Pet beds should be washed every time you bathe the pet (every other day)- use a big towel and a pillow case on a big pillow as covers to make it easy.

Garlic oil added to food or given as a treat makes your dog less attractive a target to fleas and its good for them.


You must do all of these regularly for this to work. It will result in a much healthier pet and environment for you and your pet.

Ck out links for more

http://www.pesticide.org/fleas.html
http://www.caninenaturalcures.co.uk/fleas.htm
Roaches & Ants

The best method for keeping Roaches out of the home is to seal all entrance points and keep the house clean and simple. Seal under sinks in kitchen and bath inside cabinets, look for cracks and seal ALL of them no matter how small. Get rid of clutter as they can nest in it. If they have no way to come in and go out the only way they can live in home is if you don't clean it. If you have trouble sealing all holes let me know so we can help you. If you see bugs don't reach for can of pesticide use soap and water to clean them up. A little soap and water actually kill most bugs!

All purpose spray - Combine 2 Tablespoons of liquid peppermint castle soap with one gallon of water to make an effective pest deterrents. Spray around baseboards, under sinks, even carefully around counter tops to create barriers against flies, ants, fleas, and mice. (make sure you fill holes first & keep away from food)

Ant Traps- mix one cup boric acid with one cup of sugar water put i small jars with loose wads of toilet paper, punch a few holes in lids and place them where ants congregate.

An open half can of beer attracts roaches and they drown in can. Pour the other half in a saucer and you will have drunken roaches to sweep up. These really work, not joking.
Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can only thrive where there is sitting water. It only takes only a teaspoon of water and a few days. Make it a fun habit to go on a Mosquito Hunt to root out the sitting water in every corner high and low of your property.

Examples are: Flush your bird baths clean twice a week. Gutters need to be clean and free flowing. Used Tires can hold a lot of water and look trashy so get rid of them. Plastic trash in bushes can hold water. Bromileads are also a source of sitting water thus mosquitoes. I call them moquitoe machines because they can really harbor a lot of mosquitoes. The best way to deal with these plants is to pull them like weeds and compost them. That is what I will do if I find them on my property. Eliminate these and any other nearby source of sitting water you will find mosquitoes will disappear.

Always make sure your property is free of the sources of mosquitoes (sitting water), then talk with neighbors asking them if you can help them to get rid of sources of mosquitoes.

If you can't find the source of sitting water - ask me to or mosquito control or city. Also going inside during peak mosquito hours is a good idea.

Essential Oil Repellents can be helpful during rainy season as mosquitoes are plentiful then. These must be reapplied regularly. Here is a link for some ideas on how to use essential oils as repellent. http://www.pesticide.org/pubs/alts/mosquitoes/mosquitorepellents.html

You can make your own essential oil sprays cheap and they smell great by mixing in a spray bottle fill it with water, vodka and drops of the oils you find work best for you like LEMONGRASS, citronella, eucalyptus, rose and other highly aromatic oils. Don't use full strength oils they can be toxic. Spray this on your pant legs for flea repel and where ever you need it. keep out of eyes and mouth of course.

Citronella torches do not work well and are more hazardous than they are worth. The candles are nice but also pretty ineffective.

Yard spray pesticides are toxic and do not work for more than 10 minutes (just long enough for you to breathe in the poison) They are also against your lease terms as they just toxic spray poison that make problems worse for you. Please let me know if this helps or if you have other ideas to add to this site Contact Us
Bees & other pollinators

Please don't poison the Bees, they are good for us and we need them to survive. Without bees we would lose most of the crops grown here. Leave them alone & they will leave you alone. Bee colony's are collapsing and dieing because of pesticide use. If you must get rid of them soapy water kills them. Better yet learn to live with them as I do. If they come inside I set a glass jar slowly over them then slide a piece of paper over hole in jar and walk it outside setting it down for it to fly away. Same goes for other pests.
Termites

I have been having battles with termites and found this interesting link
http://www.pesticide.org/drywoodterm.pdf try also http://www.pesticide.org/factsheets.html#alternatives
Flies

Make your own fly paper: cut a brown paper bag into 2" wide strips. Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1/2 cup sugar and spread the mixture onto the strips. Hang them up and watch the flies swarm toward the sweet stuff. - from Utne Reader & Cara Binder.

Google for more info on all of the pests but don’t buy products just learn about their living habits and then you will know how to keep them under control naturally.
Rodents

Filling holes is most important so they cannot enter houses. If you are intent on killing them instead of letting them outside to feed the birds and snkes here are 2 safe ways without poison

1. Crush an over the counter Vitamin D pill & mix with cheese or peanut butter. The vitamin D lethally disrupts rodents calcium metabolism.

2. Mix plaster of paris with oatmeal and leave in container in safe spot in attic. they eat it and dry up dead after drinking water. happy now killer - just trap em and put em outside

Let me know if this helps or if you other ideas that work.