HOW TO CONTROL LIZARDS NATURALLY

This is a popular and common solution shared by elders and has been followed at home for ages. These are some natural methods to control lizards.

 Egg shells. Lots of people swear by egg shells. If you place cracked eggshells around the house, in corners, and in windows, the occurrence of lizards should decrease noticeably. Lizards associate the broken shells with larger predators such as birds and larger reptiles.

Peacock feathers. This works on the same principal as the egg shell idea. Lizards associate large feathers with death. Birds love a tasty little lizard snack. So decorate with some peacock feathers. Put them in a vase, hang them on the wall, bunch them together, and place them in the corners.

Getting Rid of Lizards

• Get rid of the food source.

If there is no food for the lizard, there is no lizard. Keep away any source of insect or pest entry.

• How to make your home inhospitable.

Keep your place clean. A dirty / messy house provides not only floor but also a hiding place for the insects. Dirty dishes, garbage, floors not dusted, piles of laundry, piles of newspapers etc. all need to get taken care of. Lizards like warmth, therefore if possible reduce heat in the rooms.

Keep furniture at least six inches from the wall, and don’t hang lots of pictures and mirrors. Lizards like to hang out on and behind them. Fix any leaky faucets or pipes. Remember lizards and their food need water.

• Make it difficult for lizards to get in:

Lizards can squeeze their bodies and pass through holes. Therefore check walls especially near electrical wiring entry points , gap below doors and windows. Place mothballs near windows. They are not liked by lizards.

• How to make your yard inhospitable.

Standing waters are a major source of problem. Insects breed in them and is a source of food. Trim plants that are too close to doors and windows. Don’t use outdoor lighting at night. It attracts bugs for lizards to eat. If you must use lighting, use yellow lights or sodium vapor lights.

• You can use glue boards to trap lizards. This is a physical measure to trap lizards. Chemical agents need to be done by direct contact. Not recommended at homes.

 

HOW TO CONTROL SPIDERS AT HOME

Spiders are one of the feared insects at home. A cob web indicates the presence of a spider in the surroundings. Spider bites are dangerous. The venom can sometimes land you in hospital.

An effective approach to spider control is to use the knowledge that they are predators; they primarily consume other insects. So if you can reduce the other insects around your home, spiders will be less interested in hanging around. Most spiders like to hang out near light sources, as they rely on flying insectsthat instinctively move towards light.

It is not easy to control spiders through treatment.  Therefore do not expect perfection in spider control; as they are biologically not very receptive tochemical agents and not very cooperative in picking up pesticides.

The best way to control running and jumping spiders at home is to control their food sources around the house . Make sure, get rid of your other bugs. Crack and crevice treatment with insecticides provide some control, but you can also use glue boards or sticky traps.The most effective places to put glue traps are in dark, quiet areas.

One good point to know about spiders is that they are basically loners – they aren’t social insects that live in big groups, like ants or bees. As predators, they like to operate on their own and not share their food. So you’re often just as effective whacking a spider with a shoe or a newspaper as you would be to spray for them.

General sanitation, both indoors and outdoors, is very important in spider control. All areas must be clean and uncluttered. Control of excess moisture is also helpful.

Exercise caution when working around any materials that have been stockpiled for a long time. There are few spiders that do not make webs . Therefore ensure to keep your home free of their food sources.

Those spiders that enter buildings from outdoors usually do so through small cracks and crevices. Thus, the sealing or caulking of these entrances will aid in spider control. Screens, and tight-fitting doors and windows will also help keep spiders out.

Do not allow objects to remain in one place too long. Also, since spiders are strictly carnivorous, the elimination of household insects such as cockroaches, bedbugs, ants, and other prey will help discouragespider infestations.

The best mechanical control device is the vacuum. Vacuum corners, wall angles and window angles often. If you are opting for a chemical control then use proper precautions and follow the label instructions precisely.

You can also use glue boards that are readily available in the market. These glue boards will also enable you to identify from where they are entering into homes. Accordingly you can address the problem.

It is also recommended to use Chloropyriphos 20 % EC or some equivalent formulations. Prior to purchase check if it can be used indoors. Before use read the label carefully, use personnel protective equipment like safety glasses, rubber gloves and masks to avoid contact and excessive inhalation.

HOW TO CONTROL MICE AND RATS

Mice and rats are two of the most common pests in the home. Mice and rats are nocturnal pests. You can identify their presence if you observe finding partially nibbled food, packaging or other materials and small droppings. You may also find nests, which look like balls of material loosely woven together.

As rats have poor vision, they rely mostly on their other four senses – taste, smell, touch and hearing. They move through darkness by using their long whiskers and guard hairs on their bodies to guide them.

The most common sign of rats is droppings, along with evidence of gnawing, tracks, burrows and nests. You will also observe a musky smell.

Mice and rats can carry a wide range of diseases. These can be passed on to humans by contaminating food or surfaces with urine, droppings and hairs . Rats can also cause structural damage to property. They can bite a range of materials, including electric cables and wiring, which could cause fire or electrocution.

It is not advised to place baits inside the house. If the rats consume and get stuck in some corner , the entire house will smell. Place glue boards in the corners of the room within the house. Rats will get trapped as they move corner to corner.

The preventive measure will be to seal all gaps which could be a source of entry. Keep all food material covered.

The precautionary methods are to make sure drain covers are in place and not damaged. Watch out for any crevices and gaps around electrical fittings,pipe connections. You can also minimize entry by restricting their food. Close all garbage bins tightly, clear spills immediately. Keep all containers closed. Clear garbage bins frequently. Piling up attracts rats.

Rats are good at senses like taste and odor. Therefore placing baits must be done that attracts the attention of the rats. Ensure you place baits externally as it may attract other crawling insects like ants and cockroaches too.