I’m a pest control expert – moths hate my 25p DIY mixture and a £1 Poundland buy keeps bed bugs away
THE spring weather is finally here, but sadly sunshine brings with it unwanted guests.
Wasps, ants, fruit flies and more will be plaguing homes as temperatures rise.
But fear not, as Natalie Bungay, from the British Pest Control Association, is here to tell you how to keep spring pests out of your homes.
Natalie says: “Prevention is always the best approach, and there’s plenty you can do to help protect your home.”
She tells Nikki Watkins how to keep bugs at bay, while we share some top tips on self-help.
- You can find a list of professional pest controllers at bpca.org.uk/find.
WASPS
Natalie says: “Queen wasps emerge and start working on new nests in the spring – and you don’t want your home to become a wasp headquarters.
“Open bins will attract them, so make sure the lids of bins are secure.
“Inspect sheds, outbuildings and attics for wasp nests, as the bigger the nest gets, the more problems you’ll have.
“Never be tempted to treat a nest yourself, even if it’s only the size of a golf ball, as wasp stings can be dangerous. Always call a professional.”
BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: When it comes to deterring wasps, peppermint oil, £1.40, Asda, is your friend as wasps don’t like the minty scent.
Soak an old cloth or cotton wool balls in it and place them where wasps may enter your home. This will stop them from building nests.
ANTS
Natalie says: “Ants are often found inside homes in the warmer months, as they look for sweet foodstuffs to feed their larvae and the queen.
“Cleaning behind large appliances in your kitchen and wiping down the inside of all your cupboards will discourage ants from feeding from your scraps.
“To get rid of them, you’ll need to find the entrance to their nest. Look for small piles of earth, or you can follow the ants and see where they take the food to.
“Pouring a kettle of boiling water over the nest site will get rid of them – but prevention is better.”
BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Chances are you have an ant deterrent sitting in your kitchen cupboard in the form of black pepper.
Ants aren’t a fan of this at all (or cayenne pepper), so sprinkle some around the problem area or mix some with water and spray them.
It won’t kill them but it could stop them from returning.
SILVERFISH
Natalie says: “Silverfish are carrot-shaped insects – not fish – and about 12mm long.
“They’re nocturnal and feed on starchy substances like wallpaper paste and carby food debris.
“So keep your cupboards clear of any spilt food.”
BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Paper is one of silverfish’s go-to foods. Before you go to bed, take an old newspaper, roll it up lengthways, secure it with elastic bands and soak with water until it’s damp, but not mushy.
Leave a few of these “traps” around your home in places where you’ve seen silverfish.
The insects will be attracted to the traps and should take refuge in them overnight.
In the morning, discard the newspapers and repeat the process until you get rid of them.
FRUIT FLIES
Natalie says: “These pests are attracted to ripe fruit and veg. To prevent fruit flies being interested in your home, keep dustbin lids closed, clean up sugary spills, clear rotting fruit from your garden trees and don’t leave food out.
“Putting an insect screen, such as Flyzzz fly screen insects mesh window nets, £6.99, Amazon, on your windows and doors will also prevent flying insects getting into your home.”
BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: If there’s a drop of red wine left at the bottom of last night’s bottle, pour it into an empty container with a dash of washing-up liquid.
Stir, then cover the container with cling film and poke small holes in it.
The smell will draw the fruit flies to the container. The holes in the cling film will let them in but it will be hard for them to get out again.
MOTHS
Natalie says: “Before putting away winter clothes, make sure everything made of natural fibres is washed, as moth larvae are drawn to sweat and food stains.
“If you have clothes that have been affected by moths, pop them into a plastic bag and keep them in the freezer at -18C for at least two weeks to kill eggs.”
BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Place dried rosemary, thyme, cloves, lavender or bay leaves into a small cloth bag (a clean sock will do) and hang in your wardrobe to keep moths away, as they hate the smell.
Alternatively, trichogramma parasitic wasps, available to buy from sites including dragonfli.co.uk (£14.99), will kill clothes’ moth eggs.
These wasps, which are tiny parasites that attack moth eggs, are harmless to humans and remain only for as long as there are moth eggs present.
SLUGS
Natalie says: “It’s peak slug season and the slimy pests can end up inside your home, usually in moisture-rich areas such as hallways. If your home is damp, get it treated to stop slugs in their tracks.
“And getting rid of any plants or debris close to the affected area will help too.”
BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Slugs love Weetabix, so crumble up cheaper own-brand Weetabix-type cereal, such as Aldi’s Wheat Bisks, £1.99, and place between where you’ve seen the slugs coming from outside and the place you want to stop the slug entering, for example the back-door step.
Slugs love this cereal so much, it will distract them and deter them from entering your home.
You can also try sprinkling crumbled eggshells or nut shells around the plants.
The shells act like shards of glass, which will keep slugs at bay.
BED BUGS
Natalie says: “Bed bugs are almost impossible to prevent, but the sooner you act when you spot one, the less severe an outbreak will be.
“Regularly check for signs of bed bugs by examining the edges of the mattress and headboard.
“If you see evidence, wash everything at 60C at least, tumble dry at a hot setting for at least 30 minutes, dry clean everything or place into a bag and then in the deep freezer for at least three days.”
BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: Poundland has a £1 product that could help to eliminate bed bugs in the form of tea tree oil, which not only kills them, but also masks the human smells which attract them.
Dilute twenty drops of the oil with 200ml water and spray on to affected areas.
MICE
NATALIE SAYS: “Mice only need a gap of 6mm to gain entry to your home, so if you have an infestation, search for entry points and seal them up with wire wool and quick-setting cement.
“Only store food in airtight containers to prevent mice getting at it.
“ If you do find evidence of a mouse infestation, you can place humane traps at right angles to walls so the lever may be activated from either direction.
“Be sure to keep traps away from children and pets, though.”
BUDGET BUG-BUSTER: People on internet forums are finding that plug-in air fresheners work well at preventing mice.
Mice hate the smell of cinnamon and peppermint, so scents including these may put them off.