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So I'm a pretty relaxed guy about living with nature, but one of my kids sleeps in the basement and has been finding a steady stream of spiders, earwigs and stuff in her bedroom. She even claims there's ants down there, although I've never found any. Basement is developed, house built around 2007.
Suggestions?
The best ant poisons are the ones with Borax in them. Couple drops near where you see them and they identify it as valuable food, take it home to the Queen and lay pheromones to tell the others to do the same! Boom - dead.
If you keep killing the spiders physically, their numbers really drop. Poisons for them are a lot less human-friendly iMO.
We don't have earwigs here (I'm pretty sure). Do you mean Sowbugs?
Hmm, yeah, I guess I was wrong. Funny I've always called them earwigs, but some quick google searching tells me they are "pill bugs" which are close relations to sow bugs.Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePenIsMightier
Borax and Icing sugar for ants... find a common area they are in and put a piece of tinfoil or something low for them to crawl into and they'll be gone in quick order.
Pill bugs.. fuck I hate those things with a passion and have zero ways of destroying them. My dog tries to eat them but then she starts foaming at the mouth lol!
You actually want the spiders (if your daughter isn't scared of them) as they eat all the other bugs that you don't like. They also stay out of the way and want nothing to do with humans, where as the other pests that the spiders eat seek us out.
They have to be getting in from somewhere, but it could be as simple as an open window.
Lots of good tips for ants, but I don't think they are actually down there. Haven't seen any, kid might have made it up.
I don't mind a few spiders, but we are finding a couple a week and have been for months. Not going looking for them either, they are out in the open. Good variety of sized and types, which is neat. I just put em outside because I know they are beneficial.
At which point they crawl back inside, into your kids bedroom. Just squish them. There's hundreds more behind your walls, where they came from.Quote:
Originally Posted by ExtraSlow
Check where your gas line goes into the house, it is never sealed properly.
Also where your electrical and phone, etc come in. Usually it's just a big gaping hole.
Attachment 86453
I spay every year and never see any bugs in my basement. I also give the corners in the furnace room (or place that no one goes) a small shot every month. Glue strips or fly paper in the corners of a room or under the bed will catch a lot of bugs if you have any. Then you can confirm.
You don't want those chemicals around your kids. Seriously, look into essential oils. Better for your family and the environment.
https://helloglow.co/essential-oils-that-repel-bugs/
Sticky traps
Replace as needed
We have an older home and have spiders in our basement too - we combined some peppermint oil and water in a spray bottle and have been spraying the corners and such.. noticed a reduced amount of spiders and i don't mind the aroma.
I'm no hippy about this shit, but yeah... Cholinesterase inhibitors are how some of these poisons work and I's gots that stuff workin in my own brain box, too! I'm not a fan of interrupting neuro transmitters!Quote:
Originally Posted by heavyfuel