DIY Pest Control

Servall Termite & Pest Control knows there are always going to be pests around, so some do it yourself tips for controlling pests can be pretty helpful. Pest control is a group effort when you combine our efforts with your efforts you will get closer to a pest free environment. Here are some easy ways to control pests.

Here's another use for duct tape: bug trap.

The June issue of The Family Handyman magazine suggests setting out long strips of it -- sticky side up -- in an infested room. Then you'll have homemade glue traps that can be changed as needed. The trap is suggested for homes with lots of crickets, but don't be surprised to find other creepy crawlies trapped there as well. To permanently keep out crickets and other bugs, the magazine suggests caulking around windows and in other voids where they can enter. For basements, a dehumidifier also might be in order to eliminate the damp conditions preferred by crickets, spiders, centipedes and others.

Among the issue's home-spun pest-control tactics are using mint to stop ants and rigging up empty bottles to trap mice. Below are their tips for discouraging summer pests.

Lights and sprinklers deter unwanted visitors: Uninvited backyard guests — raccoons, foxes, skunks, etc.— can be a nuisance, cause messes and even damage your property. Installing motion-activated lights and sprinklers are two of the best methods to rid your yard of these intruders.

Keep ants out: Discourage ants from entering your home by planting a mint barrier around the foundation. You can also set whole bay leaves around kitchen food canisters and sprinkle crushed bay leaves along windowsills.

Fend off mosquitoes with lemongrass and basil: Lemongrass contains citronella. Repel mosquitoes by growing it in clumps around your deck—you can mash up the inner leaves and rub the juice on your skin. Basil has the same effect, so planting a bunch in pots around your patio will help keep you swat-free.

A better mousetrap: Got a mouse problem? Try propping up a soda bottle at about a 20-degree angle, then baiting it with peanut butter. A small amount of vegetable oil around the inside of the lip will prevent the mouse from “slipping away.”

Bleach away drain flies: Tiny drain flies are harmless insects that live on the gunky slime in your drainpipes, but they can gather in huge numbers in your house. Try pouring a teaspoon of bleach down the drainpipe and keeping the drain hole blocked for about an hour. If this method doesn’t work, you can starve the flies by cleaning the gunky slime out of the drain with a long-handled brush.

Obviously these are just additional tactics for pest control, for a serious pest problem contact us today and visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com.