Organic Pest Control In the Home

What Will we be Talking About?  Safer Pest Control  Methods for specific pests  Plants for Pest Control pond.net.au

Safer Pest Control  Keep pests out  Look for breeding places  Try deterrents (sulphur or diatomaceous earth)  Use mechanical means where possible  Use only organic methods pond.net.au

What Pests?  Ants  Cockroaches  Fleas  House Flies  Mosquitoes  Moths  Rodents  Wasps pond.net.au

Ants Ants are valuable predators Come inside during dry times  Prevention Remove food scraps Mulch house plants Apply grease band to trees  Repellents Pennyroyal, spearmint or tansy Cayenne pepper, camphor or borax  Control 1:1 borax & icing sugar bait Pyrethrum spray

Cockroaches Very adaptable Carry disease (hepatitis, typhoid)  Prevention Install screens on doors/windows Seal all crevices Clean up breeding sites Remove food scraps  Repellents Tea tree leaves  Control Sticky cockroach traps Icing sugar/nicotine baits Trap – fill margarine container ¾ full of red wine, add dessert spoon of cooking oil

Fleas Usually from cat or dog Can carry disease (bubonic plague, murine typhus)  Prevention/Control Hard daily vacuuming  Repellents Lavender oil  Control Pyrethrum spray Wormwood spray Diatomaceous earth dusted on pet areas Long dishes of water to trap fleas

House Flies 200 species in Australia Carry disease (typhoid, polio, gastroenteritis)  Prevention Screen all doors and windows Check breeding places – rubbish bins, chook house, septic outlets  Repellents Pennyroyal oil Tomato leaf & wormwood tea  Control Fly swatter Sticky paper Bottle fly trap (see fruit fly trap) Pyrethrum spray

Mosquitoes Only the females suck blood Need water to breed  Prevention Screen all doors and windows Cleanup stagnant water Add fish to ponds or oil cover  Repellents Lavender oil Scented candles (citronella)  Control Garlic spray Home made fly spray Pyrethrum spray

Moths Clothes or pantry Webbing in dry food  Prevention Store food in airtight jars Store bulk in airtight drum with candle  Repellents Bay leaves Chopped dried garlic in a paper bag  Control Trap – fry breadcrumbs in old oil then pour into open jar, one per shelf Pyrethrum spray Tennis racket zapper

Mice Nests made from any shredded material  Prevention Clean up potential nest sites Vermin-proof all outside food containers Cover all openings into the house  Repellents Fresh or died mint leaves, lavender, camphor, mothballs  Control Trap – set against a wall Bait – bread, peanut butter, honey, bacon rind, chocolate

Wasps Most wasps are beneficial Generally not aggressive European wasps are not beneficial but are aggressive Be aware of paper wasps in summer when working around shrubbery  Control Knock down and burn nests at night or in winter

Plants for Pest Control

 Bay Tree Repels silverfish and weevils  Camphor weed Tea from leaves is used as a general insecticide  Castor Oil Plant Powdered leaves as an insect repellent  Catnip Bruised leaves to keep ants away

Plants for Pest Control  Elder Tree Crushed leaves repel flies  Fennel Smell form the leaves is a flea repellent  Feverfew Use instead of pyrethrum  Garlic Dried cloves keep out weevils, general insecticide

Plants for Pest Control  Horehound tea repels flies & other insects  Larkspur Decoction of seeds kills lice & fleas  Lavender Strewing herb, general insect repellent  Mints Leaves repel mice and rats

Plants for Pest Control  Melaleuca oil (paperbark, Teatree) Repels mosquitos  Pennyroyal Leaves repel mosquitoes, ants and fleas  Rhubarb Leaves are an insecticide  Rosemary Leaves repel moths  Rue Flea, cockroach and silverfish repellent

Plants for Pest Control  Stinking Roger General insect Repellent  Tansy Leaves repel flies, ants and fleas – strewing herb  Thyme Thyme oil kills lice and is a powerful antiseptic  Wormwood Powerful insecticide and insect repellent

What did we Talk About?  Safer Pest Control  Methods for specific pests  Plants for Pest Control pond.net.au