Earwigs are known vegetarians. They've got a voracious appetite when they spot any garden, flower bed or even flower box! One day you have flowers, fruits and vegetables, the next day they've gone missing. If the earwigs are bold and you live in a moist environment, they may try to shift into your house. Consider these tips to keep earwigs away from your rental home's greenery and out of the house.
Earwigs like to feed on a variety of dead and living organisms, the University of California-Davis noted. They have some benefits to gardens, as they feed on other garden pests such as mites, aphids and insect eggs. However, they also have their cons. These pests will feed on any type of plant that shoots out of the ground, be it a vegetable, a fruit or even a flower. The only types of plants they don't like are ornamental ones, which include geraniums and lavender. Luckily, earwigs aren't around all the time. They're fond of the summer months, including June, July and August. Why do they like this time best? Because there's moisture and plenty of rain, which earwigs thrive off of. However, it also means that they may shoot for your house if the garden is looking a little measly, or if they've already devoured it.
If you live in an area prone to moisture or your rental home has a garden or even a few flower boxes, consider these tips to prevent earwigs.
If you want to prevent earwigs from crawling up the shoots of your plants, rub a generous amount of Vaseline on them, the San Francisco Chronicle suggested. The earwigs will either get stuck or be unable to crawl up the shoot and give up.
Earwigs are simple creatures, and only lust for two things - greens and water. Attract them by laying out a few fruit rinds at dusk. Aim for cantaloupe, grapefruit, orange or watermelon. The next morning, place the earwigs in a bucket of soapy water and drown them. You can also attract them by rolling up an old newspaper and dipping one end in water. Place the newspaper in the shade in the morning. By afternoon, they'll seek shelter and go there.
Earwigs have a few places they like to hide, including damp mulch, newspaper, chopped wood and so on. Most people will keep these items up against their house, not knowing they're inviting pests into their home. Keep earwigs at bay by placing all of these items at a good distance from the house.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
