How to keep down the insect population?

[crtrlovr]

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If I'm following this correctly, it's similar to making a slug trap except this one hangs up. Take the empty 2 liter bottle, cut off the top 1/3 and set aside. punch 3 evenly spaced holes around the top of the bottom 2/3 portion of the bottle for running the hanging cord through. Turn the previously cut off top part UPSIDE DOWN and insert into the bottom part of the upright bottle. *if I were making this, I'd punch 3 evenly spaced holes into the cut off TOP portion of the bottle too, so the hanging cord would run through both the top & bottom portions of the bottle at the same time).* The top part of the bottle that you would ordinarily pour from should be pointing down toward the bottom of the bottle. Run the cord through the holes for hanging or use the small chains made for plant hangers and add the water, vinegar, and dishwashing detergent.

 

[kees]

OMG! I've done the garlic, the megadoses of B-Complex vitamins and I'm the only one who still is bitten or stung! Tried Citronella and lemonbalm. Everything short of self-immolation, but that would be painful too!

If anyone wants to rid themselves of biting and stinging insects whenever they have company, I can rent myself out by the hour and you'll be fine.

Suzy

 

[Imp]

I don't have much of a flying insect problem here in western Washington, except yellow jackets. I bought a glass trap on the clearance shelf last year and mostly for fun put it up in the coop. I was surprised how many bugs it caught. I baited it with vinegar and sugar. The one time I found the coop full of flies, it was at night and I was just getting home from work. I turned off the lights in the coop and stood outside with the flashkight on my white shirt. Sure enough the flies made a "beeline strait" towards me. After a few moments I turned off the light and shut the coop door. Usually we only have a minor problem with flies for a week or two in June (compared to other parts of the country) For the yellow jackets I just grab the nests and toss on the ground when they are small. I have to check frequently so they don't get too big. Hard to get rid of ground nests, spent a summer getting rid of one. Ignoring the other.

Kees,
My dad swore by the old trick of hanging a slice of raw bacon above a pie tin of oil, for wasps and hornets. They are supposed to eat the bacon and fall in the oil.

Imp-doubtfully

 

[kees]

Do you have to replace the mixture on a daily basis or whenever it rains? Is it better to let it ferment, or will that scare away other flies?

Suzy

 

[Imp]

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It's in the coop so the rain doesn't reach it. So I change when it goes dry or gets so many bugs that it's full. I guess I change it about 3 times in the warm months. Haven't changed it since November. I don't know where you are, but remember I live in Puget Sound, we don't get the amount or size of bugs that the rest of the country gets. It is pretty small. I actually bought it cause it was about 50 cents on clearance. But I liked its performance so I now have one to hang in the kitchen, I really don't care for bugs in the house.
If you are talking about the bacon/oil trap. Dad used to live in California in a biting fly and bee area. Used to put it about 15 feet from the campsite. Said it kept them away from the campsite. I imagine you'd have to change the bacon daily, or when it dried out. The oil should last for a long time.

Imp- And anything fermented around here goes into a glass- you get the pix.

 

[kees]

Okay, can your dad take care of these little boogers for me?

Suzy

 

[Imp]

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Maybe, Are you anywhere near Phoenix, Az in the winter or Ketchikan, Ak in the summer?

Imp- He's a snowbird.

 

[fairladi_chick]

here are the pics of the fly catcher,, there is no liquid in it as it dried up over winter,, have to make more.

 

[riderbecky]

To the OP...I've started getting my soaps from The Bulk Barn who sell product from a company called The Soap Works. www.puresoapworks.com They have a soap call Carbolic Soap which is purported to repel moskitoes. I haven't tried it yet...just found them and haven't gotten to moskito season yet. However there are some stories about its miracle repelling properties in the testimonial section of the site. I dunno but maybe give it a try.

 

[kees]

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Ohhh...I get it now. I was really having a hard time picturing it in my head. I'm going to have to try to make a couple of them. What kind of things does it attract? Are there other solutions that would attract a specific type of pest?

Suzy