Unwanted Pests: Fleas, Mosquitoes & Ants
I need to inform all of you about how I deal with fleas, mosquitoes, ants and the like. So, hold on and get ready for a whole lot of Beth style preaching.
First off, I avoid all forms of pesticides in dealing with pests. I figure if something kills them then my body probably isn’t keen about it either. There are many types of oils and herbs that bugs don’t like and the key to your success lies in understanding which ones will keep them away. It’s also important to understand pests must be approached in two ways, prevention and elimination. The best way to be flea, mosquito and ant free is to never allow them a stronghold in the first place.
Most insects despise citrus, rosemary, wormwood, and cayenne. I make a spray that can be multi-purpose in a 2 ounce spray bottle comprised of a citrus based oil (i.e., orange or lemon) along with a few drops of a wormwood oil mixture we sell here at the clinic called WO oil. I normally place about 15-20 drops of my favorite citrus oil (mandarin orange) with 5 drops of WO Oil in 2 ounces of vodka. One quick shake and the oils mix in immediately. I use this concoction to spray my window screens at night in order to keep mosquitoes out. I live in a historic building and don’t have air tight screens. I also use the spray to treat my patio prior to having family and friends over for barbecues. This has been effective through 4 summers for me in keeping the pests away. You can substitute the vodka for water but you will need to shake it prior to each use.
When it comes to dealing with fleas, I use the same mixture for them as I do for mosquitoes with the addition of 1 drop of rosemary oil. If you mist your dog or cat lightly with it prior to going outside (be sure to get good coverage on their legs), this will provide a great preventative step toward not getting an infestation. Prior to your first application you will need to wash your pet and be sure to remove all fleas currently on him or her. I also use this same spray on my ankles and lower legs when walking in fields with taller grass or going on hikes.
Ants are the last insect I will cover here. I was just talking to Ila about what she does and comparing notes to what I do. There are 2 ways to look at ant problems in your home. The first is prevention and the second elimination. You must be sure to do both. Ila and I both use different means of preventing ants from entering our spaces and I will share them both with you.
Ila takes vinegar and she wipes down all surfaces with it. She says that you can see the ants scurrying to get away. I haven’t tried this yet but will if I need to this season. I have always used cayenne pepper as a border to any entrances I find for ants. I have found that they don’t like to cross that border. The second side of this issue is the elimination. I take a mixture of something that ants can’t digest (i.e., baking soda, borax or corn meal) along with sugar and a bit of water and place it in a small dish or lid to a jar. You want to use just enough water to get the mineral covered in sugar but not create a liquid (If you put too much water into the mix, you can soak a cotton ball in it and that will work also). I place this mixture in multiple locations directly in the path of the ants. You want them to carry the food back to their home. The closer you place the mixture to their nest, the faster you’ll see them leave.
With the weather warming up, we will all need to figure out how to protect our loved ones (pet and human variety) from insects while keeping our environment safe and clean. I’m not sure exactly why this has made me want to barbecue, but it has. I’m off to the market. Enjoy your weekend!