Insect Sprays

Ahh thats it then. Kitties can decide when to go out instead of having the human stand at the door while they think about it. LOL. Thats when the flies sneak in, here. Mozzies too.

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We use a Gecko [Bunnings] for the mozzies. We have it just outside the back door and sleep with the back door and the bedroom window open.
For Blow Flies (not house flies) we use EnviroSafe fly trap [Bunnings].
For cockroaches we have a man called Stop Creep who puts little dabs of “stuff” under and behind cupboards etc and other hard-to-get-to places. I think is a combination of Boric Acid and something else (maybe sugar?). It needs redoing every 10 to 15 years although you probably could do it yourself. Wikipedia states " Boric acid was first registered in the US as an insecticide in 1948 for control of cockroaches, termites, fire ants, fleas, silverfish, and many other insects. The product is generally considered to be safe to use in household kitchens to control cockroaches and ants. It acts as a stomach poison affecting the insects’ metabolism, and the dry powder is abrasive to the insects’ exoskeletons. Boric acid also has the reputation as “the gift that keeps on killing” in that cockroaches that cross over lightly dusted areas do not die immediately, but that the effect is like shards of glass cutting them apart. This often allows a roach to go back to the nest where it soon dies. Cockroaches, being cannibalistic, eat others killed by contact or consumption of boric acid, consuming the powder trapped in the dead roach and killing them, too.

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Alas, I have a cat who is so stupid, he licks insect repellent off my arms and legs. I have to put it on when he’s in and I am out. I dont think those things (I’m particularly attracted by the notion of StopCreep) would be safe fr him. Do you have any info about safety with pets?

Oh yeah… whats the Gecko? I think I need two.

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Gecko Triple Lure Insect Trapper (it is not a zapper).

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Thanks for that. Looks great, but for me, powered… not so great :frowning:

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I live in Indonesia. Eucalyptus oil is the best mozzie treatment I know, as deterrent and as a topical treatment for bites. Flies are deterred by it, but less effectively. I am experimenting with a traditional method for flies, hanging bags of water - including a chilli is supposed to help. Apparently the water distorts their vision. I avoid cans of spray.

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In Indonesia there is a product, Kapur aijab - very effective for ants and cockroaches - possibly borax. However simply spraying cockroaches with soapy water kills them quickly. Apparently they dont like cucumber peel!

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It might stop them breathing too. They must love their chilli to get into a bag of water to get to it.

The large yellow sheets I bought were called The Buzz Household Pest Glue Trap. I hung some of them above pot plants that had lots of vinegar flies and put some flat on the floor to catch earwigs and beetles that were coming through the sliding channels of the glass sliding door windows.

They worked quite well although some earwigs would bypass them but I’d pick them up with a paper towel and drop them on the yellow paper. Never tried them with flies as didn’t have any coming in. Also it would take a long time for them to die, you could see them trying to escape for days!

Don’t mind the geckos, they eat the mossies.

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Absolutely, only fly screen does the job…no spray, no swatter, no running after the fly…just peace. You can buy mesh and the various fittings to make your own fly screens from Bunnings and if you just make ones that you use only when required (mesh in portable frame, that can be held in position by small clips) the expense is not great…

I agree insect screens are great. But what if you have Stealth Bugs? I have small insects that burrow in damp fibrous matter discarded by horses and cattle that can get through or around standard insect screens.

You can stand at the window and scream 'Out damned spot!" but it does no good. Maybe they are deaf or don’t like The Bard.

You have to close the window, on hot nights this means more aircon. Bugs cause GHG - who knew? Would anybody like to send me some tame geckos?

I have heard that spraying the screen with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water or citronella oil will deter most bugs but if you have the ones “from hell” my sincere sympathy!

All our windows and doors are screened but our local flying cadres might be more clever than others. I find any time I open a door on a warm day at least one will whiz by my head and often be leading a small flight of them into the cooler house.

I also suspect the most clever of them have learned how to crawl into the evap cooling tower on the roof and find their way in through the ducting. The openings are not large, but evaps are not sealed systems.

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Maybe those sticky strip fly traps would help? I discovered some a couple of years ago, so maybe still available. Look disgusting, but shows they work.

Midge’s (Assumed similar in size) are noted for their ability to bypass the standard screens. Common along the tropical coast line and out west around the flood plains after any big rain.

There is an ultra fine insect screen mesh available that keeps them at bay, mostly. The best example of it’s use was rented accommodation on the North Queensland tropical mangrove coast. Quite close to the aptly named community of Midge Point. We retreated indoors just before dusk every evening.

Bunnings list a Cyclone brand product. Others on line offer midge screen.

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On this same theme. I seem to always have problems with 135mm sized pump action sprays. Doesn’t seem to matter if they are old or new, they seldom pump reliably. If you take the top off, the liquid is too thin to apply by hand over say arms and legs, obviously intentionally thin to act as a spray.

How many decades do we have to be used as guinea pigs, surely they ought to have figured out the perfect design.

For spray type things, I spray onto a cotton pad and wipe it on from there.