household pests

Most common: Ants.

To combat them: Take the garbage out every time you leave the house, spray a bit and learn to live with the rest.

Sandra,

With good screens, caulking of all cracks, good weather stripping around our doors, and montlhy extermination services from Terminex, the most bothersome pests we sometimes find in our home are the teeny tiny sugar ants, the occasional mosquito and a few teeny flying bugs (just bigger than no see 'ums).

Before we got the house properly sealed, we had a few spiders (nothing lare or ickier than we had in DC), a large centipede (6-7 inches) show up now and then, plus a pretty large population of millipedes would come in every month, mostly after a hard rain. (We invented a new game called millipede hockey when we needed to escort them out -- we really need to get out more.) And somehow two small, very docile bats ended up inside (both of them were easily placed into tupperware containers and returned to the woods). Having cats to help track and hunt these critters was a beautiful thing -- they were excellent at keeping track of where acentipedewent while the Hip Hubby retrieved the hot dog tongs with which he nabs them.

No matter how well-sealed your house is, and how quickly you try to get in and out, the little ground lizards will find their way into your house. Even if you never see an actual lizard, there's a chance you may find a teeny lizard poo somwhere in your house from time to time. I was pretty creeped out by the whole lizard thing at first, but I realized that what everyone told me was true -- Lizards Happen! -- and I got over it. (I still don't like finding a lizard poo in my shower, though.) After much practice, the Hip Hubby can now catch these little guys with his bare hands and return them to the outdoors where they help eat the mosquitos. Our kitties had a ton of fun with the lizard chases, too. We invested in cat-proof screens for our two porches, so now most of the lizard chasing is done with the cats running up the inside of the screens and the lizards on the outside.

--HC

We live on the second floor, and have a monthly exterminator. No problems at all.

Apparently cockroaches hate catnip. I haven't tried it yet, but will as soon as I find some catnip. We don't have roaches very often, but they occasionally surprise us in the most unexpected places. I've also read they don't like bayleaf which won't kill them, but will deter them from lurking around.
For ants, a solution of Borax, water and sugar placed in a shallow dish will get rid of the ants. Just don't put it anywhere pets or kids can get into it.
Mosquitoes aren't fond of eucalyptus and it smells much nicer than Off. You can find eucalyptus oil in some drug stores.

I have seen the outdoor rats, as has everyone - after the rainy season we seemed to have an influx of little field mice who went to Cheese Heaven shortly after their arrival in the pantry.

For the mosquito that wants to drain your blood ... for some reason they seem to be able to get in anywhere in certain locations on STX, and I highly recommend the electric zapper
thing-y that looks like a tennis racket. I know you can get them at the Gallows Bay Hardware plant area for $9.95. We are the proud owners of three at this time, because we could never find the one we needed when we needed it. There's something incredibly satisfying about blowing up a 'skeeter.

The millipedes were somewhat of a nuisance last year, but only a nuisance. Regular pest control visits from the Terminix man kept that to almost nil. The only time we've seen a centipede was when some old decking was moved, but we are on a 2nd floor at this time. The landlords below us had a LOT when they first moved in, but Terminix rescued them (the landlords, not the centipedes) in a very short period of time.

I'd say pest control people are essential for the de-bugging of your home....I'm not big on chemicals but life's funny that way. Also, I put the leaves of the fresh bay leaf plant in the cabinets at one time and ran out any critters. Need to do that again - oh, and you can get the bay leaf bushes at Cruzan Gardens and they smell WONDERFUL when the leaves are broken or bruised.

Becky,
where is Cruzan Gardens?

If you're going W on Centerline, turn north there at the Ag Fair spot just west of UVI - Go north on that road (I have no idea what it's called) and you come to Midland...turn right and you will see the sign.

Tues.-Sat. 9 to 5

340.778.0700

Becky is still sniffing those Bay Leaf bushes... it's like a cat with catnip once you are hooked! lol