I’m a pest control expert – how to get rid of flies, wasps and pesky ants and all for under £10
WHILE the warmer weather is great for hosting loved ones, the sunshine can also invite some rather unwanted guests.
From ant infestations to fruit flies hovering around your kitchen, pests can prove to be a huge pain and annoyance in the summer months.
So, if you’re looking to get rid of them for good, then you’ve come to the right place…because pest control expert Adam Juson has revealed his top tips and tricks exclusively with Fabulous Digital.
And what’s more is they won’t break the bank, with each solution costing under £10 – thanks to bargain buys from the likes of Wilko and B&Q.
Fruit flies
Let’s face it, fruit flies might be small in size but they’re huge in annoyance.
“They can actually cause havoc all year round,” says Adam, who is the co-founder of Merlin Commercial Pest Control Company.
“But summer’s their prime time as they’re attracted to ripening fruit and veg – which is often sped up when the sunshine soars.”
According to the expert, the best way to prevent fruit flies is to get rid of any waste that’s hanging around and to try and keep fruit and vegetables out of sight.
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“Be sure to empty bins daily, and wash any produce that you do buy before putting it away to stop fruit flies from being attracted to it,” he urges.
However, if you’ve already spotted a few fruit flies around, Adam suggests a cheap but effective solution.
“Mix up a combination of dish soap and apple cider vinegar and leave it out in a small bowl,” he advises.
“The fruit flies will be attracted to this sticky mixture and will fall into it.
“Washing up liquid costs about 65p and cider vinegar costs just £1.30 in Tesco.”
House flies and blue bottles
The pest control whizz points out that house flies and blue bottles are attracted to rotting meat and faeces where they hope to lay eggs.
“Once the eggs hatch into maggots, they’ll eat the surrounding material and turn into flies, so you end up with lots more flies buzzing around,” he explains.
“Flies can carry disease, so it’s best to get them under control quickly.”
Adam goes on to say that they normally target bins or pet food dishes.
“To get rid of flies quickly, you can use fly spray,” he suggests.
“You can pick some up in your local Wilko’s for just £2.50.”
However, he warns: “Always read the safety information on the pack when using fly spray.”
Mosquitoes
Adam explains that mosquitoes bite and drink our blood.
But more than that, he notes: “They’re sometimes called the most dangerous creature in the animal kingdom due to the number of deaths they have caused by spreading diseases.
“At the very least, getting bitten will leave an itchy lump on the skin.”
However, he points out that mosquitoes will not go near you if your skin has DEET on it.
“DEET is the key ingredient used in many highly effective insect repellants,” he says.
“For only £5 in Wilko, you can get your hands on Jungle Formula insect repellant.
“What makes this product great is that the solution is made up of 50% DEET – and the more DEET the better.”
The pest control expert adds that DEET not only keeps mosquitoes at bay, but also ticks, fleas, bed bugs and other blood-sucking insects, too.”
Wasps
Adam says that another common summer pest is wasps, which can not only be irritating, and painful if you get stung, but also dangerous if someone has an allergy.
“Wasps are both attracted to sweet foods and drinks which is why the summer bonanza of fizzy drinks, ice cream, and even meat often make them appear in masses,” he explains.
“Since wasps love sugary treats, you can use some as bait to trap the wasps so they won’t bother you.”
The pest control guru advises buying a large sized Coca-Cola bottle for £2 and pourung out 80% of the contents.
Next, he says to cut the top third of the bottle off with a blade, cutting where the top of the red branded label is.
Adam then recommends turning the cut-off portion upside-down, so it’s like a funnel, and placing it back into the Coke bottle.
Finally, he says to add some sticky tape to seal around the edge.
“The wasps will enter into the bottle through the ‘funnel’ to get the sweet Cola, and will get stuck,” he explains.
“Always use Coca-Cola that contains sugar as opposed to Diet or Zero varieties.”
Ants
Last but not least, Adam comments: “Ants can multiply like crazy by laying new queen ants with wings, who take to the skies in swarms in July to find places to create to colonies.
“Sometimes black ants will set up residence in people’s homes if there’s access to food.”
The pest control whizz says that to manage ants, you should always clean up crumbs and spills, and store opened food in airtight containers or in the fridge so ants can’t get to it.
“If you have ants in your home, using Diatomaceous-earth will be a highly effective solution for getting rid of them,” he explains.
“Simply sprinkle generously everywhere you see ants entering the home.
“A small pack of Diatomaceous-earth can cost about £7 on eBay.”
However, he notes that failing this, you can also try crumbled charcoal powder.
“You may have a bag of charcoal lying around if you’ve had a BBQ this summer,” he continues.
“Charcoal confuses ants and inhibits their ability to communicate with each other.
“Just sprinkle the powder where the ants like to march or their entry point into the building.
“If you don’t have any charcoal lying around, you can pick up a bag for £7 in B&Q.”