Getting Rid of Japanese Beetles Naturally – The Continuing Saga

13. August 2009 · 1 comment · Categories: Natural Pest Control, Remedies · Tags: , ,

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Wanted Dead or Alive. On Second Thought, Let's Just Say "Dead".

Wanted Dead or Alive. On Second Thought, Let's Just Say "Dead".

Few things get me as worked up as spotting more Japanese beetles in my yard!  I’ve lost one tree and have two or three more in my yard that are on their way out due to these invasive pests, not to mention the almost certain demise of my favorite rosebush.  Sadly, I’ve had such a busy summer that my usual fight against the beetle has been set aside, leaving certain plants (even my petunias!) up for grabs.  So it’s time to roll up my sleeves and see what can be done for the poor little Betty Boop rosebush.  She’s really taken a beating this year.  Time to go back to getting rid of those nasty Japanese beetles, and as naturally as possible.

Time to go back to some of the remedies I used with some success last year.  The first is a homemade insecticidal soap.  This is a simple mixture of a couple squirts dish soap, a glop of cooking oil (any variety), and then a teaspoon or two dried ground cayenne pepper.  Spray that on the plants and you’re good to go.  You’ll probably have to reapply after a hard rain, but it is rather satisfying watching those beetles drop off the plants.  I guess they’re not into Cajun spices.

One trick that I learned about from the site Get Rid of it All, will actually take a few years to fully take effect is milky spore.   With milky spore, you apply it to the grass to kill the Japanese Beetle grubs.  Although it apparently does start to work the first year, it takes some time because milky spore is a bacteria.  I’m not totally convinced of this method because it does attack many different insects, not just Japanese beetles.  And no matter what you think of bugs, we do need certain ones around.  No bugs, no birds to eat them, etc.  My other concern is that, unless all your neighbors go hog wild with the milky spore too, neighboring beetles can drop by your house anyway.

There is something I learned from Get Rid of it All that I’d love to try: neem.  Apparently Japanese beetles can’t stand the stuff, so I’m considering adding a few drops of neem oil to the spray I mentioned earlier.

No matter what remedy you decide to try, chemical-laden insecticides should always be a last resort. There are countless possible solutions for getting rid of Japanese beetles as naturally as possible, and I’ll continue to look for more ways, testing them out as I go.  In the meantime, feel free to check out my other remedies I’ve written about in the past.  And please join in on the comments!  It’s been great hearing from you all about which ones worked for you and which didn’t.  My other articles are: How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles Naturally, How to Make Your Own Japanese Beetle Trap,  The Continuing Story of Natural Remedies for Japanese Beetles, and More Tips on How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles Naturally.  Any remedies of your own you like?  Email me at themommyspot (at) gmail (dot) com!

A Simple Remedy to Get Rid of Houseflies

18. May 2009 · 2 comments · Categories: Homemade Products, Natural Pest Control · Tags: , , ,

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I don’t remember a summertime without the sight of my mother yielding her flyswatter.  She took (and still does take) special pleasure out of whacking the heck out of any fly that dared cross our threshold.  I’m not sure if given the chance she’d use this remedy – maybe at first, but in the end the flyswatter will probably win out.  My mother without the sheer glee of flywhacking?  Oh what would summer be then?  For the rest of us, I propose this simple remedy to keep the houseflies at bay.

Take several small mesh bags, such as the types used for sachets.  If you’re crafty, you can make your own little bags.  Or purchase reusable cloth tea bags or cheesecloth.  Fill each with a blend of a few of the following dried herbs:  Bay leaves, chamomile, basil, crushed cloves, pennyroyal, eucalyptus, mint leaves.  Tie up the little bags at any doors and windows that tend to get opened during warm weather.  Every now and then, to freshen the bags, give them a little squeeze when you walk by.  Alternately, you may put a few drops of essential oils of any of the previously mentioned dried herbs to give a boost when the herbs start to lose their scent.

You may notice after using these little bug repelling sachets that flies aren’t the only bugs missing from your home’s interior!  Many other bugs don’t care for these fragrances either.  Another big help: If a spider happens to find her way into your windowsill and builds her home there, let her stay.  Her bug eating prowess will beat out even my mother’s talents with her trusty flyswatter!

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More Tips on How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles Naturally

14. May 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Natural Pest Control · Tags: ,

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After the loss of one of our beloved plum trees last year, I’m on the warpath when it comes to Japanese beetles.  I’m not for chemically insecticides as you may have gathered, so it’s been tough trying to sort it all out.  First off, let me say that if an insect is native to your area, it’s best to leave it be.  Chances are, that’s another critter’s dinner and part of the food chain.  But the Japanese beetle is quite insidious because it’s not from around these parts.  In fact, perhaps you’ve noticed an awful lot of them on your Asian ornamental trees and plants.  They really love those imported goodies since they’re a taste of home!  I suppose that’s what happened to my plum tree.  So how do we get rid of them without yucky bright yellow bags and dangerous chemical sprays?

I’ve been looking into who is the natural predator of the Japanese beetle.  I must have a yard full of the larvae, and someone would surely like them for dinner!  Turns out there are several species of birds that rather enjoy them.  Since Japanese beetles lay their eggs in nice green lawns (and especially thrive in the lawns that are manicured and weed-free), certain birds will enjoy eating the larvae if invited to your yard:  grackles, starlings, and crows.  (I know some people hate those birds and even shoot them off their feeders, but they’re doing quite a disservice to themselves and their landscaping!) Birds that like eating adult Japanese beetles are:  robins, cardinals, meadowlarks, catbirds, English sparrows, wood thrushes, brown thrashers, purple grackles, and European starlings.  Try adding birdbaths and feeders to your yard to attract more of these birds.  

Birds aren’t the only ones who like a meal of Japanese beetles.  There are many spiders, ants, and other insects who eat the larvae if given enough lawn.  Try keeping your lawn no shorter than 2 inches so these bugs have a place to hang out.  You’ll find a longer lawn and no pesticides in the grass will actually reduce your insect problem much more than trying to do them in with chemicals!  Ironically, the larger the variety of insects found in your yard, the fewer problems you’ll have with any one species taking over.  They tend to keep each other in check.

Read more on how to get rid of Japanese beetles.

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How to Get Rid of Spiders in the Home Naturally

08. March 2009 · 2 comments · Categories: Household, Natural Pest Control, Remedies · Tags: ,

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I have had several questions lately regarding natural pest control.  One reader, Beth, has a home that’s over 100 years old and as old homes often do, it attracts a nice array of creepy-crawlies. She has a pest control service come by regularly but it makes her nervous.  I sure understand that! We can’t allow our homes to be taken over by home destroying critters, so I’ve been doing some more research on this topic. We’ve already talked about Japanese beetles, carpenter ants, earwigs and others. Today we’re going to tackle spiders.

Ick.  Who wants to tackle spiders???  While these are far from being my favorite bug (if I even really have one), we don’t just want to get rid of them because they are notoriously unattractive; some states have poisonous versions.  So what can you do?  The first solution is rather funny but I’m told it works.  Lady bugs are voracious bug eaters – they can gobble up to 50 a day, among them spiders.  If you have a real bug problem, invite some of these darlings in for a bite.  They may just eat you out of house and home.  Or at least bug.

Although I haven’t used this myself, I hear Riddex makes a plug-in pest repeller unit (called an L1112) that works without chemicals; it apparently makes a high pitched noise above what any of us or our pets can hear, driving away things like spiders, roaches, mice, etc.  Checking around online, an overwhelming number of people rate this unit highly, many of them claiming they’ve used them successfully for years. 

Spiders love things like cardboard boxes, piles of clothing, and left-out food.  Hey, sounds like a recipe for getting your teenagers to clean their rooms!  (If you don’t pick up those clothes, Mary, spiders will crawl in and take up residence!)  In addition to taking care of clutter, vacuuming helps keep spiders out as well.  Make sure to vacuum in the corners and up by the ceiling where spiders make webs and lay eggs.  If you find a spider, take it out to your garden – having them outdoors is a benefit!  After all, they do enjoy mosquitos.  

These are just a few ideas on how to get rid of spiders you find in your home, and how to do it naturally.  If you have any suggestions or ways you’ve found work for you, please leave a comment and let us know.  And make sure to check back here… I’ll be on the lookout for more natural pest control ideas!

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How to Get Rid of Earwigs Naturally

28. July 2008 · 32 comments · Categories: Household, Money Saving Tips, Natural Pest Control, Remedies · Tags: , ,

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PhotobucketWe’ve talked about how to get rid of Japanese beetles a lot lately, but dkMommy Spot reader Leane says her problem is the earwig.  She emailed me to ask how to get rid of earwigs naturally, since her new house seems to have lots of them, both inside and out.  Well, Leane, I don’t like earwigs either.  So I did a little research, and I’ve got some helpful information for you.  (I’m not thrilled about the earwig picture here, so just put a Post-It note over it while you read.  I figured someone may not know how icky these guys look, so there’s the picture just in case.)

First of all, earwigs aren’t going to build a nest in your house.  They just like to wander in and make you scream when you pull back the shower curtain.  So if you make sure there are no little holes or openings in or around screen doors and windows, that’s the best step to deterring them from paying you a visit.  

Earwigs like damp, dark places, especially outdoors.  Keep the area around the perimeter of your house free of leaf piles, log piles, etc. If the problem is pretty severe, you can invest in putting pebbles around the border of your house, but I’d say you’d have to be darned anti-earwig for that sort of treatment.  Adding bird feeders and birdbaths will bring in birds that like earwigs for dessert.  (A great way to cut down on mosquitoes too!)  And if those ugly bugs are eating your marigolds, roses, and other plants, take an empty tin can (short, like for tuna fish) and put about 1/4 inch vegetable oil in there.  Some people suggest a dab of bacon grease too, but since this is a health blog, I would probably lose my reputation by suggesting it.  (No, soy products don’t cut it for earwigs.)

Lastly, know that even if they do get in your house, earwigs will NOT climb into your ear and look for lunch while you sleep.  An old wives tale that gave me the creeps as a child and is fortunately just not true.  There you have it; a few natural remedies on how to get rid of earwigs without resulting to pesticides and other nasties, which incidentally, the earwig must walk through first before it works.  And since earwigs are not known for wiping their feet first before entering a house, they’d be tracking chemicals in on your carpet.  No one likes a carpet full of earwig repellant.  Opt for the natural.

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