Perhaps most people love to welcome guests. But if these guests are some arthropods who decide to have breakfast with you, this definitely causes a storm of negative emotions! Unfortunately, insect infestations are a fairly common occurrence in the homes of many people, who are forced to constantly fight them. It is worth noting that humanity has been trying to destroy insects for thousands of years, either yielding to them or winning an unexpected victory. A huge number of chemical, biological and technical means have been created, the main task of which is to effectively combat insects.
Today, this industry is actively developing, as the demand for goods is growing, and with it, serious competition among manufacturers. In modern conditions, anyone can find a variety of means to rid their home of unpleasant arthropod guests. What are the methods of pest control? And for what?
Why is it necessary to exterminate insects?
As usual, people who have already learned all the “delights” of close proximity to pests do not ask such questions - peaceful coexistence between humans and parasitic insects is impossible in principle. On their paws, insects can carry dangerous infections; they harm things and products, brazenly bite people, causing scratches, abrasions and allergic reactions on the skin. Is it worth mentioning the aesthetic unattractiveness of the very fact of the presence of insects in the house?
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to insure against their occurrence. They enter houses on shoes, clothes, belongings, through ventilation or sewer openings, through windows and doors, and also simply by moving from a neighboring apartment. Actually, in order to avoid the occurrence of the latter cases, experts recommend treating the premises together with neighbors, otherwise the insects will continue their journey between apartments.
The genocide of insects, carried out on the scale of a house or apartment, is a forced protective measure, the need for which neither Greenpeace nor Buddhists will deny.
Appearance and causes of appearance
The size of pests can reach 3 mm, but most often the size of insects is 0.1-0.5 mm. Insects are classified as arachnids, and as characteristic representatives of this species, they lack wings. Adult insects have 4 pairs of legs. Orientation in space in ticks occurs due to the sensory apparatus, since they do not have eyes. Pests are able to smell a person at a distance of up to 10 m. Based on their structure, mites are divided into leathery insects with fused head and body, and armored parasites with a movable head.
There are several common causes of pests in summer cottages or in residential premises.
Once you discover a parasite infestation, it is important to find out the specific cause to prevent further reproduction.
Neighbours
In suburban areas, ticks can enter the area from neighbors or from the forest. If a neighbor's property has been attacked by a pest and no extermination measures have been taken, then there is a high probability of the insect spreading to adjacent areas.
New things and equipment
The smell of new things often attracts pests. This reason is especially relevant for new technical devices, which usually have a pronounced odor.
Animals
Many animals carry ticks and other insects. Pests live and lay eggs in the fur of dogs, cats and rodents. The population size of pests spread by this method is usually insignificant. You can notice the presence of parasites on pets by frequent scratching and gnawing of fur.
What are the difficulties of exterminating insects?
Having endowed insects with a miniature body, nature gave them colossal survival rate. It’s not for nothing that scientists joke that nuclear weapons, which destroyed the entire planet, will be powerless only against insects.
Did you know that:
- the female bug lays up to five eggs daily, so their number is rapidly increasing every day;
- house bugs are adapted to survive in any conditions; they can also exist autonomously for quite a long time, without receiving food or air;
- ants place their nests in the most inaccessible places for humans;
- several thousand individuals can live in one anthill;
- a cockroach can live without a head for about ten days;
- cockroaches can be without air for up to 45 minutes, and without food for a month;
- cockroaches are omnivorous to the point of disgrace - they sweep away all food supplies, cosmetics, pet food and even their fellow creatures;
- within one hour, the fly lays about a hundred eggs, which also develop at lightning speed;
- fleas have the unique ability to stick their eggs to any surface.
That is why the destruction of insects is a fairly important issue that requires a serious and most thoughtful approach. Indeed, in addition to incredible survival, insects are endowed with almost unlimited abilities for protective mutations. An inaccurately calculated concentration of the drug or an incorrectly selected insect control agent will not only not destroy the parasites, but will also instill in them immunity to a whole range of chemicals, which will significantly complicate your task.
Your house is being attacked by woodlice!
Often our home is visited by not the most pleasant guests - insects.
Cockroaches, ants, midges, spiders, etc. - this is not the most complete list of illegal occupants. Woodlice often inhabit the kitchen and bathroom. They love places with high humidity and are difficult to get rid of. An insect such as woodlice belongs to the order of crustaceans. Their body is divided into segments that take an oval shape. Consists of the abdomen, chest and head. Active life is mainly conducted in spring and autumn. Breeding season occurs in summer.
The female woodlice carries her eggs in a pouch inside her body and lays them only when she is sure that there are no predators nearby. Woodlice are the most adapted insects of their order for life on land, but they breathe with gills.
What requirements must insect repellents meet?
Probably, many remember how in the old days insects were poisoned with dust, the “aroma” of which made people feel unwell. Modern means designed to protect homes from insects or completely destroy them must meet certain standards.
The main requirement for all disinfectant products is absolute safety for the health of people and pets.
A high-quality insect repellent should not cause allergic reactions, dizziness or physical discomfort. An equally important parameter is the absence of an unpleasant odor.
Another requirement for disinfestation products is the absence of material damage. That is, they should not harm furniture, clothing, walls and floor coverings, leaving stains or marks.
All insecticides must be certified in accordance with general quality standards.
And, perhaps, the most important thing is that the effectiveness of the product must be sufficient to complete the assigned tasks related to the destruction of insects.
Traditional methods of fighting ants
Traditional recipes are based on accessible and effective ingredients that can be purchased in a store or pharmacy at an affordable price.
Boric acid
A liquid solution or dry bait is made based on boric acid:
- The recipe for the liquid solution is simple. Granulated sugar 55 g and 6 g of boric acid are dissolved in 60 ml of water. The finished mixture is poured into shallow containers and laid out in the most common habitats of insects.
- You don't need water for the dry mixture. Sugar and boric acid are mixed and poured onto paper.
Ants slowly spread the poison, so all the inhabitants of the nest become infected. In small doses, boric acid is safe for humans
But you still need to be careful, especially if there are children and pets in the house
Using ammonia
The best remedy for expelling ants from the house is based on ammonia. The pungent odor of the component repels pests, which for a long time forget the way back to the home.
Against ants you need to make a solution based on ammonia. To do this, dilute a whole bottle of the drug in a liter of warm water. The resulting mixture should be shaken thoroughly. The prepared solution is poured into places where insects accumulate and into their nests, and the floor is also washed with it.
The pests immediately leave the room. The effect of the drug lasts for 3.5 months. During this time, the smell of alcohol will disappear, and if necessary, the procedure is repeated again.
Fragrances that insects cannot tolerate
Insects cannot tolerate strong odors, even those that are pleasant to humans. Therefore, the following scents are suitable for repelling them:
- plant mint or lavender;
- pour a few drops of essential oils, ammonia, and camphor into places where ants are most likely to enter your home;
- wormwood and tansy help;
- garlic, which is rubbed on a possible route of movement, will help;
- It is useful to add a bay leaf to food products that attract insects.
Sweet water
Ants are attracted to the sweet smell, so you need to take advantage of it. Sugary drinks act as traps:
- Leave a glass of sugar syrup on the table overnight. The insects will fall into the sticky liquid and drown.
- Another option is to place a glass with a sweet drink in the middle of cardboard coated with glue. Insects will stick to the sticky base and die.
This method is temporary, since soon the ants will give all their relatives a signal of danger. Insects stop responding to the sweet trap.
Medicinal chamomile
A safe and environmentally friendly way to get rid of pests is medicinal chamomile. Chopped grass is scattered in the habitats of insects, as well as along their routes. Additionally, you can wash the floor in your apartment with a strong chamomile decoction.
Insects cannot stand the smell of this plant, so after two days they will not be in the apartment. In addition, chamomile is absolutely safe for all family members, including pets.
Borax, honey and glycerin
Borax, honey and glycerin are dissolved in water. All components are taken in equal parts. The finished product is applied to the surface where ants were most often seen.
Essential oils
The olfactory receptors in insects are much more developed, so any substances with an odor are unpleasant for them.
Any essential oil diluted in a bucket of water is useful for repelling. Wash the floor with the resulting solution, spray it on all surfaces and fill the nest. Eucalyptus, orange, fir or juniper oil are ideal.
Modern insect repellents
We have already mentioned several times that the modern market offers a huge range of products designed to destroy parasites. However, it is sometimes very difficult for an ordinary buyer to understand this variety, especially if this is the first time a person has encountered a similar problem.
Today, experts prefer to divide all insect repellents into three main groups:
- chemical;
- biological;
- preventive.
Preventive measures against insects in the house
As a rule, preventative agents are effective against the appearance of flying insects - flies, midges, mosquitoes, moths. In this case, preventive measures are aimed at preventing close contact with insects. These include all kinds of repellents (insect sprays and ointments), as well as various barrier prevention methods (specialized apiary suits, mosquito nets). No less effective are technical innovations - ultrasonic insect repellers, the development of which is based on modern knowledge about the communication and behavioral motives of parasites. For example, a very common mosquito repeller today is based on the use of certain sound signals in the ultrasonic range emitted by male mosquitoes. Probably due to concern for their offspring, female mosquitoes that bite people prefer to avoid contact with males during this period.
No less effective preventive measures are insect repellent lamps, fumigators, mosquito coils and many other devices.
Biological substances from insects
These products can be used against insects that settle in people’s homes (flies, ants, cockroaches). In this case, the most common method is a specialized trap. That is, an individual caught in a trap becomes infected with a fatal disease, after which it infects its relatives. The essence of the method is a chain reaction, a kind of local epidemic.
Chemical insecticides
An insecticide is generally understood as any product that is intended to kill insects. This group includes a huge list of drugs designed to influence parasites through chemistry, simply poisoning them. Most often, the form of release of such products is determined either by the direct purpose or by the specific properties of the active substance. For example, flying insect killers are usually available in the form of aerosols or sprays, while products for getting rid of crawling ants and cockroaches are usually available in the form of crayons or powders.
The most widespread on the market are crayons, creams, aerosols, powders and other variations aimed at chemically killing insects.
Hot fog
A rather complex generator apparatus with a jet engine acts on the drug by splitting it into tiny nanoparticles, heating it to room temperature.
Thanks to this, the product penetrates into all the smallest cracks and cracks, covering all surfaces with the thinnest film. It is safe for people and animals, but is destructive for synanthropic pests and their oviposition.
There are enough positive points:
- penetration of the product everywhere with guaranteed destruction of parasites and eggs;
- disinfection from viruses and pathogenic microorganisms;
- no preparation is required to provide access to all areas of the premises;
- immediate effect on pests.
Statistics, customer reviews and specialist experience show the guaranteed effectiveness of this method. As with cold exposure, all surfaces are covered with a film of insecticide, which will retain its characteristics for a long time. Larvae that hatch from some surviving eggs will invariably be affected, as will any individuals that come into contact with treated surfaces.
What methods are used to exterminate insects?
Following the example of dividing insect repellents into subgroups, methods aimed at combating them can also be classified.
Effective folk remedies
If for some reason (financial problems, precautions due to the presence of small children in the house, or simple forgetfulness) it is impossible to purchase a full-fledged insecticide, our grandmothers’ recipes are used.
Do not underestimate or be skeptical of the wisdom of experience accumulated over generations. In practice, many of these measures are justified. However, sometimes the effectiveness and longevity of the results obtained leaves much to be desired.
Modern flies absolutely do not want to drown in sweet water, just as cockroaches cheerfully breakfast on potatoes, eggs and boric acid balls.
But mosquitoes are really afraid of sharp specific odors, which also bother all residents...
The main advantage of all folk remedies is their exceptional environmental friendliness, as well as the low cost of the necessary ingredients for preparing the remedies.
Homemade insect repellents
This technique implies the competent use of appropriate products from the supermarket assortment. All kinds of traps, powders, crayons and sprays - any of these products can forever save you from the unpleasant neighborhood of mosquitoes, moths, midges, wasps and fleas. You will have to work a little in the process of getting rid of species such as flies, ants, cockroaches, since in these cases a one-time procedure can turn into protracted military operations.
And the independent extermination of bedbugs and ticks looks completely sad. This is a rather complex and initially economically unprofitable operation, which is better to entrust to professionals, or to replace the contaminated furniture with new ones.
An effective method of struggle
Pathogenic microorganisms settle in cereals, dried fruits, and flour damaged by bugs, but not everyone knows whether it is possible to avoid the appearance of insects in food products and how to deal with them.
Inventory inspection
If there are cereals, spices, tea in the kitchen or pantry, or beans, beans, dried apples, plums or pears are stored, the first thing to do is to carefully inspect the bulk products. The presence of insects is indicated by the appearance of husks.
Damage assessment
Having found traces of beetles, you need to check how damaged the cereals or dried fruits are. The flour can be sifted to get rid of the larvae if there are only a few of them. It is better to destroy products that are heavily chewed by insects.
Safe processing methods
To remove bugs and larvae, you must first try a method that does not harm humans.
Freezing
Most insects that live in bulk products die at low temperatures. Having identified traces of pests in a bag of cereal, it is left in the freezer for several days.
Roasting in the oven and sifting through a sieve
If the number of beetles and larvae in semolina, flour, and millet is small, it is worth trying to save the products. Insects cannot tolerate not only low but also high temperatures. The cereal and ground grain are passed through a fine sieve and then put into the oven, heated to 50 °C.
Disposal
Products found that cannot be fried or frozen due to severe damage by insects must be immediately taken to the trash pit along with their containers; the compounds used to treat the cabinets must be poured into the toilet.
Disinfection
To finally remove bugs from the kitchen or pantry, all shelves are cleared of food, crumbs are swept out and disinfected with a solution prepared from a liter of water and 20 ml of vinegar. The cracks in which insects lay eggs are poured with boiling water or removed with a vacuum cleaner.
Making bait from borax
You can attract bugs in order to deal with them later using balls, which are placed in cabinets that have been washed and disinfected in advance. To prepare them you will need only 3 components:
- ground millet;
- powdered sugar;
- borax.
All ingredients are mixed in equal parts. In addition to the balls, pieces of paper with a ground mixture of baker's dry yeast, sugar and borax are laid out on the shelves. Very quickly bugs will appear near them.
How to deal with odor
Products and herbs that have a rich aroma are effective in combating food moths, red flour beetles and other kitchen insects.
Pyrethrum sprigs
The powder of the plant, found in Transcaucasia and the Balkans, has been popularly used for a very long time to kill bedbugs and harmful insects. The medicine is made from pyrethrum. The twigs of the perennial have a pungent odor that food bugs do not like.
Bay leaf
The spice, which is always present in the kitchen, gives a bright aroma to any dish, drives away insects that adore flour and lay eggs in dried fruits. Bay leaves are scattered in the corners of the disinfected shelf; the bugs do not like the smell of the seasoning.
Dried wormwood
The bitter herb, which has healing properties, grows near houses and gardens like a weed. It is harvested and dried to remove worms and improve appetite. Insects are not able to withstand the smell of wormwood, and bugs will definitely not crawl into the place where the leaves lie.
Carnation buds
Cotton pads lubricated with essential oils are placed in the cabinet, disinfected after identifying food moths:
- geraniums;
- fir;
- rosemary.
The aroma emanating from clove buds repels bugs. Insects do not tolerate the smell of basil.
Peeled garlic cloves
Bugs rarely appear in buckwheat, millet, or rice if a bay leaf or cloves separated from a head of garlic are placed in the container or jar where they are stored.
Lavender
The plant, which has a unique aroma and delicate purple flowers, is used as a seasoning, brewed as tea, and added to alcohol tincture. People really like the smell; insects hate it. You can place a bouquet of lavender flowers and leaves or a swab lubricated with essential oil in the closet. The aroma will drive away bugs.
To destroy eggs, larvae, and adult insects, shelves, cabinets, and glass or plastic containers are disinfected if cereals, flour, beans or dried fruits are stored in them. In addition to wiping surfaces with vinegar, you need to treat the container and room with boiling water and steam.
Professional help or heavy artillery
Today, pest control issues are professionally dealt with not only by SES services, but also by various private organizations whose main activity is the destruction of insects.
If we compare the efforts and funds independently spent on such events with their final effectiveness, then we can make a completely reasonable conclusion about the profitability of the services of specialized companies. Any of these organizations provides a one-year guarantee for the disinsection performed. It is most effective and convenient to trust professionals with work aimed at exterminating ticks and bedbugs, since with the help of special equipment, specially trained employees will be able to carry out all the work perfectly.
Specialists in this industry constantly monitor new scientific research in the field of identifying the behavioral preferences of insects and study new specialized means aimed at destroying parasites. However, most often their services are too expensive for the majority of the population.
Main aspects of disinfestation
First of all, when preparing for an operation to destroy unwanted neighbors, the immediate habitats of pests should be identified and pre-treated. These could be ventilation ducts, garbage disposals, plumbing lines. In addition, close attention should be paid to places where insects are likely to move “paths” (sockets, door frames, baseboards, other hidden surfaces).
The main condition that must be adhered to when exterminating insects in a living space is complete and thorough processing, without “hackwork” or omissions. After all, it is important to exterminate not only adult individuals, but also to identify secluded places where the larvae are located, and correctly calculate the means to create invisible protection for the entire life cycle of pest eggs. This is the only way to prevent relapses, accompanied by the reappearance of offspring of cockroaches, bedbugs, and flies.
In any case, the success of disinfestation can be assessed by the presence of insect corpses after the measures taken, as well as by the increased (literally panicky) activity of the surviving individuals.
Treatment of premises - preparatory procedures
Crawling and flying insects take up residence in the apartment. Some of them lead open life activities - flies, mosquitoes, others skillfully hide - moths, cockroaches, ants, bedbugs, fleas, etc. To destroy a colony of pests as quickly as possible, it is necessary to find their habitat, nest, or calculate the trajectory of movement. You will have to process one room or the entire apartment. First you need to carry out preparatory procedures:
- vacuum;
- wash the floors;
- move furniture away from the walls;
- put away dishes and food;
- hide clothes;
- cover the aquarium, terrarium, insectarium or take it to another room.
The choice of a suitable product depends on the number of pests and their types.
On a note!
The term “disinsection” translated from Latin means the removal or destruction of insects. Provides for the use of chemical, biological, physical methods of control. Disinfection means the destruction of microorganisms.
