factsheets to help you control Pests without pesticides!
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Ants
Aphids
Bees and Wasps
Billbugs
Boxelder Bugs
Carpenter Ants
Clothes Moths
Codling Moths
Compost Tea
Crane Flies
Cutworms
Deer
Earwigs
Fleas
Fruit Flies
Gophers
Grasshoppers
Growing Houseplants without Pesticides
Indian Meal Moths: A Pantry Test
Lacewings
Ladybugs
Mice
Moles
Mosquito Control and West Nile Virus
Mosquito Control Program Guidelines by State
Mosquito Repellents
Mosquito Repellents - Plant Based
Mosquito Spraying Opt-Out Program of Idaho
Mosquitoes - Commonly Used Pesticides
Mosquitoes - Personal Protection
Mosquitoes - Taking Action: West Nile Virus
Powdery Mildew
Rats
Root Weevils
Rose Diseases
Sowbugs and Pillbugs
Spiders
Squash Bugs
Tent Caterpillars
Termites - Dampwood
Termites - Subterranean
Ticks
Voles
Web Worms
Yellow Jackets
Despite the beneficial
role ants play outdoors, ants become pests when they enter homes in
search of food, water, and shelter. If ants do invade your house, don't
panic. A management plan based on sanitation and physical controls can
effectively reduce household ant populations while still allowing ants
to play their part in the environment. Download the Factsheet
Have you found drops
of honeydew on your car after you've parked it under a tree? Or have you
found more than broccoli when you're cutting up a freshly-picked head
from your garden? You're probably dealing with aphids, a common insect
in yards and gardens. Don't reach for an insecticide, though; there are
straightforward ways of dealing with these small creatures without
having to use pesticides. Download the Factsheet
You can prevent
billbug problems by planting varieties of grass that discourage billbugs
and watering your lawn as needed to keep it healthy. If billbugs are
damaging your lawn, beneficial nematodes are an effective,
pesticide-free solution. Download the Factsheet
Living with box
elderbugs may be the easiest and simplest solution you'll find. If
you've got more of these bugs than you can comfortably live with, try
pesticide-free techniques, such as standard cleaning. Download the Factsheet
Is your home being
invaded by carpenter ants? There are straightforward, pesticide-free
ways to prevent carpenter ant problems, such as caulking and replacing
damaged wood. Download the Factsheet
In order to keep crane
flies at bay, keep your lawn healthy by giving it adequate fertilizer
and water. If your lawn has shady areas think about planting a
shade-loving grass or another ground cover. Dethatch your lawn as
necessary, because thatch is a perfect place for leatherjackets to grow.
Crane flies are rarely serious lawn pests. Most of the time they are
not abundant enough to cause permanent damage to healthy grass. If crane
fly numbers in your lawn are too high (over 25 leatherjackets per
square foot) treatments with beneficial nematodes can reduce their
numbers. Download the Factsheet
To control dampwood
termites, eliminate the moist wood in which these termites thrive.
Repair leaky pipes and roofs, make sure the area under your house is
adequately ventilated, and remove scrap wood that is near your house. In
addition, be sure that there is at least a foot between the wood
portions of your house and the ground. These steps will keep your house
in good repair while they minimize damage from dampwood termites. Download the Factsheet
It is easy to forget,
especially in urban environments, that deer are wild animals with
excellent survival instincts that all prey animals possess. This makes
them very wary and difficult to control. And sometimes there is the
other problem. Deer can become so accustomed to people that they lose
their survival instincts and become hard to chase away! This also makes
them difficult to control. Working with deer always requires patience
and tenacity. Many times it will take a combination of approaches to get
the level of control that makes you happy. Download the Factsheet
Fleas can cause
animals a great deal of discomfort and stress. Wash throw rugs and
bedding weekly, use flea combs, vacuum, and apply nematodes to soil
where your pets spend time. Download the Factsheet
Not a fan of mice?
Keep mice out of your home by eliminating all openings larger than ¼ of
an inch wide. Store food carefully and keep ivy and blackberry bushes
away from your house. And remember not to use pesticides. If you do, the
rodents may die inside your walls and start to exude a strong
and offensive odor. Pesticides can also harm your children and pets! Download the Factsheet
Moles are significant contributors to healthy soil. Raking away the mounds they create is the ideal solution, but if you are too burdened by them you can replace grass with other ground covers, use castor oil, or trap the moles. Download the Factsheet
Mosquito control
programs for disease prevention should first focus on eliminating
mosquito breeding habitats (any standing water) whenever possible. Next,
efforts should concentrate on reducing mosquito larvae in other water
habitats. However, we recognize that many communities faced with West
Nile virus outbreaks will begin or expand mosquito spray programs. Download the Factsheet
In some areas, root
weevils are a nuisance when they come inside seeking shelter during hot,
dry weather. If weevils are bothering you inside your house, remember
that they don't damage your home or your furniture, nor do they harm
people and pets. Vacuum or sweep up unwanted weevils. Seal cracks and
make sure windows and doors are tightly screened. If your problem is
particularly serious, you may want to replace plants near your house
with varieties disliked by weevils. Download the Factsheet
Try some simple steps
to keep your garden free of both pesticide use and slug problems. Clear
away weeds, stones, boards, and other shelter for slugs; handpick them
off your plants as needed; and use slug traps and barriers when
necessary. Download the Factsheet
Worried about ticks? Never fear! There are several pesticide-free ways to prevent ticks from affecting you. Modify your landscape, wear clothes that fit tightly around your wrists, ankles, and waist, and don’t let your pets climb onto the furniture. Download the Factsheet
There are many ways to
reduce vole populations, including heavy mulch, mowing, soil
cultivation, wire fences, and mouse traps. It is important to remember
that voles are an essential link in the food chain, however, and cause
no real damage when at reasonable population levels. Download the Factsheet
Although they are
useful insects, yellow jackets can also be painful pests. You can solve
your yellow jacket problems without pesticides by reducing attractive
food or drink and trapping when necessary. Download the Factsheet
Ants