Questions tagged [pest-control]
The pest-control tag has no usage guidance.
234
questions
0
votes
1answer
68 views
Fly in my house (Santa Clara County, California)
Not exactly a DIY question. But I have recently noticed a lot of flies in my house. They look like mostly horse flies (completely black in color).
I have used electric impulse swing racquet to kill ...
0
votes
3answers
70 views
Does Rosemary repel mosquitoes from home? [closed]
Setting out the mosquito repellent plants in your home is the best option to keep mosquitos away. Plants not only avoid mosquitoes away but also provide you fresh air to breathe.
0
votes
2answers
116 views
is this due to termites? any idea what's causing the wood to turn to sawdust?
Pics below.
I had this gouge on some wood paneling. The area inside the gouge seemed to be crumbling, and there was always a pool of sawdust below it. I covered it up with some caulk (brown caulk). ...
-2
votes
1answer
106 views
How to keep lizards away from my patio?
I live in San Diego and weather here is pretty accommodating to reptiles like lizards. Now, I have a house which has a patio facing bushes and I think lizards are making their way in through these ...
2
votes
2answers
117 views
What are these small flies in my apartment?
I've been having a problem with flies in my apartment that I can't get rid of. They look like fruit flies from, and behave like them too. They are attracted to food and definitely are too small and ...
0
votes
0answers
54 views
Cockroaches coming from floor drain in bathroom, way to prevent it?
Basically I have Oriental cockroaches coming from the bathroom floor drain. Now the floor drain is not really in use, as in there hasn't been water going in there as there is only a sink that works in ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
How to prevent cockroaches climbing onto something?
Not much info I could find on what surfaces do cockroaches are unable to climb - nor I have read much into their precise methods of how do they climb stuff, however on this website: https://www....
0
votes
0answers
33 views
How to exorcise squirrels?
We have (at least) one squirrel abiding under the roof of the garage, and we'd like to get rid of it (them) before it gets really cold.
I installed a sound-generating "anti-pest" device in there two ...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
What material should I use to seal door moldings, small holes between walls and floors to prevent roaches?
To clear it up, I am mostly using sealing/caulking interchangeably in this text.
Some days ago I started seeing cockroaches in one room that is also connected to another bathroom. I caught 4 over an ...
3
votes
8answers
152 views
How to get rid of fleas in house without animals nor carpets?
tl; dr
I started having problems with fleas last week. I don't have and never had pets and no one in my close circle has reported problems, so I am puzzled about the problem. Therefore, this post is ...
1
vote
1answer
134 views
Is it a hazard to use spray foam around baseboard heater pipe?
I probably should have asked this before doing it, but I will now anyways.
I have noticed mice coming in and out of the (fairly large) hole where the baseboard heater pipes are. I removed the casing ...
0
votes
2answers
96 views
How to fix gap between carpet and wall to prevent rodent?
Our condo is located in a forest/mountain area and we have suffered some rodent issues lately. We have two stories, and bedrooms are located downstairs. As I sleep at night, I often hear sound of ...
0
votes
3answers
74 views
Can you use aluminum foil around gap at floor of hot water tank then seal?
Fairly big gap at floor around pipes of hot water tank. For mice prevention I read some where you could fill gap with aluminum foil then seal. Is this correct. If so what kind of sealant should be ...
0
votes
1answer
77 views
Tiny White Insects Under Peeling Stucco
I'm having trouble identifying some insects I came across crawling around my foundation outdoors. This is in southwest Ontario.
On two sides of my house the foundation concrete is covered with a ...
0
votes
4answers
101 views
Ant proofing a wall
For some reason yellow meadow ants have developed a fascination with a certain interior wall in our house. The usual gels, powders and sprays are having little effect. They do slow down for a while ...
0
votes
0answers
42 views
Cheap way to close wall cupboard
Currently we are staying in a rented house. It has several open cement wall cupboards with different sizes and shapes. I am providing the following image reference for cement cupboards.
We placed ...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Sealing gaps to prevent pest ingress
I have a shed next to a house we bought last year. The back of the shed serves as a windbreak and decorative back to a decking area but they didnt make a very good job of fixing the decorative lumber ...
2
votes
2answers
96 views
What are these black bugs and how do I get rid of them?
These bugs keep appearing from under my baseboard. The ones laying out are never moving but when I vacuumed them up, I sucked whatever would come out from under the baseboard which made some lives ...
2
votes
1answer
59 views
Drain Fly Infestation
After having a bathroom toilet drain clog cleared by a plumber by using a snake, we have experienced an infestation of drain moths. How may we eliminate the infestation?
1
vote
2answers
53 views
How to powder silica gel?
We are having serious cockroach problem. I was advised to mix silica gel and boric acid and powder the surfaces where roaches come in. I can't find the silica gel in powder form in my location. I can ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Rats - dealing with what appears to be a colony of them
Appears that we have a a large amount of rats that have taken to forming a complex tunnel system in a small patch of ground between the alley and our garage. There is an old stump, whose submerged ...
0
votes
0answers
84 views
What bug is this? And how can I get rid of them?
I recently became an expat to a southeast Asian country and found that bugs are a fact of life here, this one particular breed has really brought out the heeby-jeebies in me. This little critter tends ...
3
votes
3answers
98 views
Carpenter Ants - Bait vs Spray
Last year I had an infestation of carpenter ants, so I contacted a pest control company and paid for a year's worth of service. Now, exactly a week after the contract expired, I'm seeing them come ...
0
votes
2answers
391 views
Insects coming from gap under baseboard radiator, seeking solution
I have a ground-level apartment in Metro Detroit, Michigan and am renting.
I have old-style baseboard radiator heat with a large opening that goes across the length of it, as shown in the photo.
...
2
votes
1answer
44 views
seal gap between door and frame
i'm trying to prevent rats from getting into an outdoor shed. i've thoroughly checked the whole interior, and the only opening is from the front door (see the right door in the picture. ignore the ...
1
vote
2answers
105 views
1
vote
2answers
65 views
fissures in joist: natural or insect damge
I have noticed that one of the joists in our crawl space has a small crack in it, and near to it are some small (1-2 inch long) fissures. I didn't notice it at the time, but in the photos (see below) ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Winter fly problem in the UK
I live in the northwest UK. On Christmas Eve 2018, flies started to appear in my living room during the evening. I have never had anything happen like this before. I have a very very clean house. The ...
0
votes
3answers
82 views
How to get rid of cockroaches using natural products?
They come from open junction box on kitchen wall, and they spotted around fridge. Recently been seeing one or two in bedrooms. I think its because I sprayed Raid in the kitchen. This been going around ...
1
vote
1answer
73 views
Is this a termite? What bug has been eating my wood?
Replacing some drywall revealed something has been destroying the wood behind it. While removing things to see more, I saw 3 of these kind of bugs. I originally thought carpenter ants were the cause ...
0
votes
0answers
142 views
Applying bird spike strips to deter squirrels?
I have some squirrel that love running on top of my roof that I'm trying to
get rid of.
I am considering using bird spike strips to deter squirrels from getting on my roof. I was wondering if ...
0
votes
1answer
127 views
What is this bug? And should I be concerned?
I live in a high-rise condo. I have noticed a few bugs flying or crawling around in the room lately. They look harmless, but I am not sure where they come from. They have a unique trapezoid shape. ...
1
vote
1answer
238 views
How to remove wasp paper from soffit vents and siding
Paper wasps built a huge nest under the second-story eave shown below (photo taken looking straight up). I killed and scraped off the nest, but there is still paper-like residue clinging to the vinyl ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Is this insect a pest?
I have seen many of these insects lately. Usually just on the outside of the house - around the front door or the patio - but sometimes also inside.
Is this some kind of cockroach or other pest? Can ...
1
vote
3answers
168 views
Is this a wood destroying insect?
I live in Austin, TX, USA.
Just looked under a wooden table in my dining room (shares wall with outside of house) and saw this little tubes hanging underneath. A few still had live worm-like guys ...
0
votes
1answer
319 views
Is this a drain fly? [closed]
The fly/moths have been increasing in my apartment. All my windows are closed. All summer there would occasionally be a few in my bathroom, and in the past week I sometimes come home to find tens of ...
2
votes
6answers
1k views
What foam is best for sealing radiator pipes in floor to prevent mice from getting in?
Is there a specific foam recommended for radiator pipes coming up through the floor?
3
votes
2answers
488 views
Spray can pole extender
I have a hornets' nest that I want to spray with insecticide.
The hive is approximately 20-25ft from ground level.
The insecticide that I have is in a aerosol spray can with a large actuator.
...
0
votes
1answer
129 views
Get rid of hornets: The nest has been removed, but the hornets keep rebuilding
I have what I think is a hornets' nest on the soffit of my house (I'm not sure exactly what kind of bee or insect it is).
The nest has been removed since the photo was taken, however, the hornets ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
What to do about a rat living in drain line
We have what I think is a rat, or family of rats, that are coming out of an outdoor drain. The outdoor drain is connected into our interior drain system. They chewed through the drain cover, I ...
1
vote
2answers
79 views
Do I need to sanitize my air vents after I remove a bird from them?
I am quite positive I have a bird in my air vents. I plan to remove it tonight but I'm not sure what I should do afterwards. Should I have a company sanitize the vents/system? I just don't want any ...
2
votes
2answers
90 views
How can I get rid of a yellowjacket nest under a flat roof without using poison
I have a nest of yellowjackets (the not very aggressive european kind) that is just below my flat roof. I would normally just leave them, but I have no way of getting to the yard without passing by ...
0
votes
1answer
216 views
Pests infestation in bathroom - identification and termination
Roughly every night, these strange pests are crawling all over our master bathroom, mainly close to the ceiling. By morning time they're usually gone or I find some of their bodies scattered on the ...
4
votes
1answer
69 views
How can I kill black ants?
I have been finding black ants in random rooms in my house. On walls and/or floors.
I called exterminators and they want >$350, which I can't afford right now.
They claim they are going to lay bait ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
How to get rid of odors in wood?
My attic floor was home to nesting mice for years before I bought the house. I've kept the mice away, but the smell hasn't lessened after a year of ventilation.
Short of replacing the wood, is there ...
3
votes
1answer
401 views
What screen to use to keep flies and gnats out at night?
Every Summer, I like having the windows open in my house. The problem is that if there is a light on, small flies and gnats always come in through the window screen as they are drawn to the light. I ...
1
vote
1answer
696 views
How to get rid of pigeons under an air conditioner outdoor unit, on the high floor of an apartment?
My family lives on the high floor of an apartment. Pigeons live under our air conditioner outdoor unit too. They cry every morning so it bothers my brother. But there is nothing much we can do. The ...
5
votes
1answer
137 views
How can I prevent wasps from nesting in my eaves?
Every season paper and / or mud wasps like to build nests in my eaves. I have no compunction with spraying them with raid when I see them but I'd like to prevent the nesting from the start if I can.
...
0
votes
1answer
448 views
Sealing siding at foundation wall
I've been trying to determine if and how siding (aluminum in my case) should be sealed along the bottom edge at the foundation wall.
I've found some small gaps that last summer let ants in and I'm ...
2
votes
2answers
197 views
When buying a rental home after many years of our occupancy, is a home inspection still necessary? [closed]
I lived in a rental home for around 8 years and am currently negotiating the cash purchase of it. Because I've lived here for so long and (this is my first home purchase),I'm very familiar with the ...
