Janet Baraclough wrote:
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from Scott Hildenbrand contains these
words:

Janet Baraclough wrote:
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from contains these words:

boric acid? same stuff used to kill cockroaches? Ingrid
but that works by roaches eating it. Fleas won't.

Janet

Yup..

Ok, so I asked for something botanical to aid in keeping them out of the
yard before they reach the house but I guess there's no such solution..
Oh well.. On to other subjects.

Not effective ones, on such a large scale; and because pet fleas in
the house (or on yourself, which I've had too) are such a nuisance you
really need the fastest most effective solution. FWIW, flea infestations
are the only tinme I ever use an insecticide (indoors or out).

Janet

Just going to have the basement sprayed.. House is already under a
yearly contract.

What sort of yearly contract is that..would it be because of
termites, biting spiders or something?

Janet

House was treated for termites at expense of the prior owner before we
moved in.

Contact is for quarterly spraying if needed. I try to only have them
spray where it's actually useful and limit the inside spraying. However
since the house had a brown recluse problem before we moved in the whole
house was taken care of.

We've got alot less browns now, only spotting one like once a month tops
or so instead of opening doors and seeing 3, 4 or 5 scurry off. Granted
it's hard to kill browns with just spraying since their abdomen does not
brush the ground but it had helped greatly, if even by removing their
food source..

Too bad they can go for 2 years without eating.

At any rate, just a general contract to handle problems such as the ants
that have been creative about finding new ways to climb the walls and
get under the shingles and sneak into the second story windows.

In article ,
enigma wrote:

Billy wrote in

ct.net.au:

In article ,
enigma wrote:

where on earth did you get the idea that putting
vegetable
oil on a pond was even remotely a "good" idea? i thought
you were somewhat ecologically savvy.

Sorry, just another human being. Please note the feet of
clay. I see I don't have much time as the "Mad Cow" gang is
on their way.

Vegetable oil was just the first thing I thought of because
that is one of the things that the mosquito abatement
program in Sonoma County recommends for standing water
(usually considered non-toxic).

standing water is entirely different than a pond. standing
water would be the stuff caught in old tires, or possibly a
rain barrel. it's water that isn't part of an ecosystem (no
frogs, no fish, no other insect larvae, possibly algae but no
other plants)

The first thing they
recommend is mosquito fish or is this going to jam up the
dragonflies too (one wiggler might look much like another
wiggler, much like sharks with seals and surfers)? I'm not
an entomologist, so if this idea falls flat or you want to
explore it further, check with your local mosquito
abatement program or the Entomology Dept. of your nearest
University.

mosquito fish are too small to eat dragonfly larvae. in fact,
they're likely to be eaten *by* the dragonfly larvae
mosquito wigglers are tiny (but my chickens love them).
dragonfly larvae get much larger, up to just over an inch long
(depending on the type of dragonfly obviously). damselflies,
otoh, are what 'ant lions' (doodlebugs) turn into.
young water boatmen & watermelon seeds (i should look up the
real name of those) also eat mozzie larvae.

lee

Sorry I tried to help. No thanks required.
--
FB - FFF

Billy

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights.
Get up, stand up, Don't give up the fight.
- Bob Marley

Lar wrote in
:

Actually ant lions and damselflies are different orders of
insects...damselfly nymphs, like their cousins the
dragonfly are totally aquatic. Adult ant lions may resemble
damselflies but an easy way to tell them apart (other than
the awkward flying) is the adult ant lion will have
distinct antennae sticking out from their heads.

thanks.
don't they also hold their wings differently (folded) when at
rest? or am i confusing them with something else?
lee