Menu

Unwelcome Visitors: Advice About Pest Control


About Me

Unwelcome Visitors: Advice About Pest Control

Hello all. My name is William and I have always been a farmer. Recently, the farm next door subdivided into one-hectare blocks and a lot of urbanites moved in to enjoy the countryside. Many were excited to start their own vegetable gardens until they realised that there were some unwelcome visitors. Insects, mice and birds seemed to love their crops too! As an old hand at the game, I was able to prevent them from poisoning everything in sight! In some cases, I got them to plant flowers like marigolds to stop particular insects. In other cases I recommended calling in the experts. After all, the idea is to control the pests but keep crops healthy. I know a lot of people are faced with unexpected pests when they move. Hopefully, this blog will provide helpful advice and encourage you to assess the situation calmly. All the best.

Natural Method of Termite Control

If you're concerned about termites invading your home, but you don't like the idea of using toxic chemicals to kill them or deter them, you may be interested to learn about some alternative termite treatments.

Here are a few suggestions to help get rid of termites without using poisons.

Method #1

This method works by providing termite bait. The worker termites take the bait back to the colony where the queen and her youngsters will eat it. The bait is poisonous to termites and will eventually kill them all.

What you will need

  • jam
  • tinned cat food
  • boric acid (available from chemist's shops)

Mix four tablespoons of jam with a tablespoon of cat food and a teaspoon of boric acid. Place a teaspoon of the mixture in locations where you've noticed termite activity. Repeat the treatment every spring when you see swarmers around your property.

Method #2

This method uses natural, essential oils and aloe to repel termites.

You can use either clove bud oil or vetiver oil for this method. Take a few aloe leaves and crush them in water. Leave the preparation to soak for a few hours, and then strain out the leaves so that you're just left with the water.

Make up a mixture of one part aloe juice to five parts water, and place it into a plant sprayer. Add a few drops of your preferred essential oil to the mixture. Go around your home misting any areas of wood that could be attractive to termites. If you see any active termites, spray the mixture onto them directly to kill them.

Tips for natural termite control

Here are a few other tips to control termites naturally.

  1. Go around your home and paint over any chipped areas of old paint where the wood is exposed.  
  2. Be careful not to lean any ladders or garden tools against the exterior of your home; these could allow termites to crawl inside.  
  3. Any wooden structures, such as trellises attached to the exterior of your home should never touch the soil.  
  4. Trim back shrubbery and overhanging trees to remove attractive colony habitat.  
  5. Don't store firewood in piles near to your house. Make a concrete or stone base on which to stack firewood or place your wood store.  
  6. Take steps to repair any damage or cracking to the external walls of your property, especially around the foundations.  
  7. Take steps to damp proof your crawlspace and make sure there are no bits of wood left lying around under there.

All these tips and natural methods will help to keep termites away from your home. However, if you think you have a serious termite infestation, always consult a professional pest control firm for more advice and information on how to get rid of these destructive pests.