HowToDoThings.com Recent Pest, Weed & Disease Control Articles

How To Make a Good Rabbit Trap

gonzo — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:32:25 -0600

People look at rabbits as cute and cuddly creatures. This is the impression that cartoons and storybooks portray. But you and I know the truth behind these bothersome bunnies. These thieving little creatures are rodents that steal the vegetables that we worked so hard to grow.

With the aid of our helpful hints we can address these pesky problem-making critters. By following these simple steps, you can create a rabbit trap that can help catch the robbing rodent and help cease the pilferage from your vegetable farm.

How To Prevent Weeds Organically

Fluffymuppet — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:08:38 -0500

How To Make Rat Poison

gonzo — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:33:29 -0500

Rat poison is a dangerous substance you should use only if your rodent problem has gotten out of hand. If you cannot call an exterminator, then you can create your own rat poison. Just follow these instructions and make sure to heed the warnings.

How To Kill Spiders

gonzo — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:31:15 -0500

Spiders are complicated creatures. In most cases they are benevolent little creatures that protect you from harm, harm that is brought about by disease-carrying flies. They also protect you from other creatures that are considered pests. It could be pests in your garden and if the spider is big enough, it can be an effective deterrent to very bothersome mice.

On the other hand, there are many species of spiders that are harmful to humans. Some of these spiders have venom that can harm your family. If you have small pets, the effects of a spider bite from these venomous little creatures may kill them. The same goes for little children. Species like the Black widow has even been known to kill full-size adult human beings.

If the need arises for you to kill a spider, then here are a few simple steps you can read to help you against these eight-legged critters.

How To Get Rid of Wasps

thedave — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:05:21 -0500

Ahhh...At last, you've finally completed your pre-barbecue tasks for the upcoming holiday. You bought enough meat to feed a small country. The buns are fresh and the propane tank is full. The cooler is loaded with juice and soda for the little ones, and it's got enough beer in it to make your brother-in-law overstay his welcome.

Everything's running smoothly, except that wasp nest in the corner of your yard. We don't want the kids to get stung by a wasp while playing, and we certainly don't need that drunk brother-in-law swallowing one from inside his beer. Heck, his face is red enough. So let's get these party-crashing wasps out of here. It's really easy, and will only take a few minutes. Here's how:

How To Kill Wasps

Mikey — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:46:08 -0500

Wasps are not insects you mess with even if you do not have an allergy. If you have a nest close to your home and family, you should get rid of the wasps and their nest as soon as possible. Follow these few simple steps to safely kill any wasps swarming your residence.

Materials:
Natural pesticide spray designed for wasps
Spray bottle

How To Compost Without Attracting Rats

Fluffymuppet — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:27:27 -0500

How To Keep Cats Off Your Garden

Fluffymuppet — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:20:24 -0600

Whether you love cats or hate them, it's certainly true that they can make pests of themselves in the garden. From rolling over seedlings and digging up newly planted areas, to leaving their 'calling cards' where you don't want them, they can do a lot of damage. They may also kill wildlife and carry fleas. Here are some ways to discourage cats from making a nuisance of themselves in your garden.

How To Use Grease or Glue Bands for Pest Control

Fluffymuppet — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:26:08 -0500

In autumn and winter, female winter moths climb into fruit trees, ready to lay eggs and cause problems in spring. In summer, ants 'farm' aphids in fruit trees. Both of these pest problems can be solved without resorting to chemicals, by applying grease/ glue bands to fruit trees. These bands prevent crawling insects from climbing trees.

How To Control Slugs Without Chemicals

Fluffymuppet — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:45:54 -0500

Many people worry about using potentially toxic chemicals in their garden and want to move towards gardening organically. One of their key concerns is how to control pests and diseases - and slugs are one of the main pests for gardeners everywhere. There are many ways to control slug populations without resorting to pesticides.

Aim for balance. An organic gardener aims for a balanced ecosystem. Pests aren't destroyed at the first sign of plant damage - small populations are allowed to become a food source for their natural predators. If the ecosystem is working properly, the predators should soon get the pest population under control and damage will be limited.
Build habitats. Make your garden wildlife friendly, by allowing small areas to get weedy or by leaving a log pile to decompose. When a suitable habitat is available, beneficial animals will soon move in and help you with all your pest problems.

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How To Get Rid of Cockroaches

Brian263 — Wed, 02 May 2007 14:20:00 -0500

Sometimes a description just can't ever capture the sheer horror of a particular event. For example, if I were to describe what it's like to step on a cockroach barefoot on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night - the unexpected crunch as the smooth exoskeleton shatters against your soft skin, the tiny little legs perhaps barely perceptible, antennae quivering, bits of the body stuck to the roach goo on your heel - anyone with a cockroach problem could tell me that it pales in comparison to the real event.

How To Get Rid of a Beehive

Staff468 — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:17:00 -0500

Who doesn't enjoy watching honeybees traipsing from flower to flower as they conduct their vital duties? It reaffirms our faith in the order and elegance of our natural world. Who doesn't enjoy it, you ask? To those of us who have intense allergies to a bee sting, the scene may not seem so idyllic.

Sadly, honeybees fall victim to parasites and other insects as they go about their business, so we should avoid killing them if at all possible. And wasps like yellow jackets can give people the impression that all bees are similarly vicious (in truth, yellow jackets aren't "bees" at all). We must be judicious whenever we figure out how best to get rid of a beehive.

How To Get Rid of Canadian Geese

Staff468 — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:38:00 -0500

A short time ago, my relative faced a moral and legal crisis. In an attempt to scare Canadian geese (technically known as Canada geese) away with the sound of a BB gun shot, or maybe just sting one of the many geese who had been depositing pounds of feces on his property each day, this relative inadvertently shot a Canadian goose in the head, killing it instantly on his suburban property. It was a moral crisis because he had never intended to kill any animal, and a legal crisis since killing a Canadian goose violates the North American Migratory Bird Treaty. To any eyewitness, it would have appeared that he deliberately assassinated the bird.

How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Susie254 — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 11:13:00 -0600

"Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite." This common goodnight verse may be truer than you think. Bed bugs are worldwide travelers, notorious for latching on to luggage items and stowing away to a new destination. When you consider all of the travelers and the hotels and motels all over the world, it is easy to understand why bed bugs seem to be making a comeback.

How To Use Wasp Traps

Tonya249 — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 11:47:00 -0600

If you garden, you have almost certainly had the experience of being dive-bombed by a voracious wasp as you attempt to work in your garden. And, if the wasp was successful in his attempt to make you his entree for lunch, you also know that wasp stings hurt - a lot! Fortunately, there are a lot of wasp traps on the market that can make your garden a friendlier place to work.

How To Control Rodents

Wendy118 — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 11:37:00 -0600

No one wants to deal with rodents in or around the home. Rodents are nuisance pests and they carry germs and disease. The chances are high that if you have had one rodent in your garage or home, there are others lurking nearby just waiting to enter your home. Consider this: A mouse can have up to six dozen babies a year. Considering that most rodents (like mice) can mate when they are around two months old, it is imperative that rodents have no way of getting into your home. In addition, they should not be given a chance to even build their nests on your property.

How To Get Rid of Pigeons

Wendy118 — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 18:08:00 -0500

There is no denying that pigeons have played an important part in the lives of human. Pigeons were used during wars to send messages. They are used in laboratories to aid in the study of health and medicine. They are also used to help spot shipwrecked victims. However, despite the good things that pigeons do for mankind, pigeons that flock in cities can be a very large nuisance.

The problem for city dwellers is that, if they have a pigeon problem, it usually is not a small one. Pigeons live in flocks and they are not very afraid of people. They will nest on most any structure, leaving unsanitary droppings behind. Reports tell us that these city dwelling pigeons carry more pests and disease than rats. Here are a few things you can try to rid your property of pigeons:

How To Get Rid of Moles

Wendy118 — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 17:12:00 -0500

Although moles are small, they are a huge agricultural pest. Moles burrow in gardens and lawns. Not only do they leave molehills behind, but those dreadful tunnels that can be dangerous to walk on. Their tunneling can reduce the size and yield of crops, as well as promote weed growth. A mole is about six to eight inches long and weighs between three to six ounces. Moles are very strong for their size and they are great tunnel diggers. They can tunnel about 18 feet in an hour. Moles have one litter of two to six babies every year. Moles nurse their young, which makes them mammals. Moles do not hibernate. This means they can cause damage to your lawn year round.

Contrary to what many people think, moles do not eat plants. However, their tunneling can damage or kill vegetation if they come in contact with plant roots while they are tunneling.

How To Get Rid of Gophers

Wendy118 — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 16:31:00 -0500

Do you have mounds of dirt showing up in your lawn or garden? Is something munching on your plants and vegetables? If the answer to these two questions is "yes," you probably have at least one gopher residing on your property.

Gophers are burrowers and they like moist soil because it makes it easier for them to tunnel, dig and feed on the delicious vegetation growing in your yard. Any good gopher will try to flee if you stumble upon him doing his "pesky" deeds. However, they have been known to attack or bite when they feel cornered or provoked.

How To Get Rid of Mice

Wendy118 — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 18:51:00 -0500

If one mouse has taken up residence in your home, you can almost be guaranteed that he or she isn't alone. The chances are great that the mouse has a family. A mouse has between 30-60 babies each year. Mice are capable of mating and having other babies when they are only six weeks old. If you have spotted a mouse in your home, you should act quickly before an infestation occurs. Once you have rid your home of mice, you should inspect regularly for mouse droppings to ensure their cousins do not move in.

How To Get Rid of Rabbits

Tonya249 — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 19:09:00 -0500

As every gardener knows, there are two kinds of rabbits: the rabbits that you see in the pet store (cute, cuddly and as sweet as can be), and then the other rabbits who ravenously devour every single thing in your garden if given the chance. If your goal is to never see another rabbit-munched leaf in your garden -- well, good luck! You can get rid of most of them, though. There are a variety of ways to rid your flowers and veggies of these little pests. Here are some of the most effective.

How To Get Rid of Ants

Bryan344 — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 18:04:00 -0500

Ants are a yearly nuisance for anyone. To get rid of ants, you must first understand when and why they come around. Ants begin their arrival in middle to late spring when the weather starts to warm up. You need to be prepared for them. Removing the items that attract ants will safeguard your home for the future, and preparedness is key.

How To Keep Deer Away from Your Garden

Mike342 — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 08:02:00 -0500

Don't be lulled into feeling bad for Bambi. Yes, these giant stomachs with legs have big eyes and cute lashes, but they eat six to 10 pounds of arborvitae and rhododendron a day, carry ticks that cause Lyme disease and other ills, kill 150 people a year in car accidents, and are threatening many wild plants and animals with extinction. Think Darwin; not Disney-or your landscape will look like Mount St. Helens on Day Two.

There is only one guaranteed way to prevent deer: Erect a fence. The fence should be 11 inches taller than Shaquille O'Neal. The experts at Cornell University's Cayuga Heights Deer Project warn that for a fence to be an "absolute barrier" it must be a full eight feet tall. All professional deer fencing is this height. Be assured that 'invisible deer fencing' really is-you can't see it from most angles, so you get the protection without feeling like you're living inside a cage.

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How To Get Rid of Aphids

Tonya249 — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 19:22:00 -0500

Aphids are the most common of all garden pests. If you have an aphid infestation in your garden, you'll know it very quickly. The leaves of your plants will curl inward and new shoots will be deformed. If you look under the leaves of your plants, you'll see pear-shaped bugs about the size of a pinhead. You may also see a sticky residue, which aphids secrete when they feed. Aphids come in many colors, but white and green are the most prevalent. You can control aphids in many ways, but it will take patience to completely eliminate them.

How To Weed Pesticide-Free

Tonya249 — Wed, 24 May 2006 19:03:00 -0500

Organic weed control is the process of ridding your garden of weeds without the use of chemicals. Organic weeding methods are especially appropriate in a vegetable garden. Herbicides can leach into the ground or be splashed on your produce. Washing the veggies will eliminate most, but not all, of the residue. There are many ways to control weeds without the use of chemicals. We will explore the four most common ways here.