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These guys are buggin' me...
Farmhouse bug problems like this almost always come down to a handful of usual suspects: gaps around door thresholds, unsealed vents, and foundation cracks that let crawling insects wander in from outside, especially once the weather starts to warm up or cool down and bugs go looking for shelter. Sticky traps are a great diagnostic tool even before they solve the problem, since checking what actually gets caught tells you whether you are dealing with spiders, ants, roaches, or something else entirely, which changes how you tackle it.
For an older farmhouse, a layered approach tends to work best. Sealing obvious entry points with caulk or weather stripping cuts down on new arrivals, while sticky traps and natural deterrents like diatomaceous earth handle what is already inside without resorting to harsh chemicals around kids and pets. Keeping food sources sealed up and floors swept also removes a lot of the incentive for bugs to stick around in the first place. For persistent problem spots like bathrooms, a combination of moisture control, since many bugs are drawn to damp areas, and consistent trap placement usually clears things up within a couple of weeks.
After an extended drive due to a good Samaritan (me, helping three stranded drivers), I finally arrived back at the farm at 3:30am this morning. Since I have to be at work by 8am, I don't have time to post.
However, suffice it to say, Wifey was VERY happy to see me...as were the girls. I got a video of her surprise as I woke her up. I'll have to edit it to make sure it is appropriate. Since I arrived home at 4am and couldn't wait for her to wake up, I woke her while she slept in the bed and her gown might be showing. We can't have that! ;-)
We got lots done and I'll post all about it very soon. Much to my dismay, I arrived back at the farm to find BOTH sticky traps FULL of bugs. Back to square one with the critters...
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| Bathroom critters (4 days) |
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| Living room critters (4 days) |
That must be your "bug" out cabin. Hey, they were there first, you are the intruder (grin).
ReplyDeleteDizzy-Dick, it's his "bug-in" cabin. ;)
ReplyDeleteGood to hear the trip went well.
ReplyDeleteAs for the bugs, I ran into rule 9 of the article on 45 uses of lemon. Both washing the floor and using some in a spray bottle daily and I haven't seen a bug since, even mosquitoes on the porch have stayed away since. It has been a couple months now so it may work for your bugs too. I spray every other day on my baseboards.
""9. Keep Insects Out of the Kitchen
You don’t need insecticides or ant traps to ant-proof your kitchen. Just give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message that they aren’t welcome. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas: Simply mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it; then watch the fleas and roaches flee. They hate the smell.""
http://preventdisease.com/news/13/052713_45-Uses-For-Lemons-That-Will-Blow-Your-Socks-Off.shtml
Be glad your wife doesn't spook like mine does sometimes. I probably would have ended up getting shot sneaking in to wake her up.:)
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you're back safe and sound. Looking forward to more updates. Jenny
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