Pest Control

One of the few luxuries I have here on the farm is a pest control
service. They come once a month. Every month they spray outside and
about every other month they spray inside. This doesn't eliminate all
our bugs. Every year we get invaded by crickets, millipedes, Right
now it's frog season and they are marching through the house every
chance they get. Lizards seem to live in the house year round. No
matter what we are going to get more than our share of certain types
of bugs just because of where we live. That's not what the pest
control is for.

Right now it's flea season. We've never had fleas before but they are
here with a vengeance. Perhaps it had something to do with the 8 dogs
and 4 cats we've had around here recently. Or it could be a new
phenomenon. The house was just sprayed so I'm sitting on the back
patio with the computer on my lap. Fleas, ticks, lice, black widow
spiders, ants, and other bugs that get into food are what I want
controlled.

I know that there are other methods for controlling pests, including
methods that use natural means such as rosemary, bay leaves, boric
acid, baking soda, beer, ivory soap, etc. Vacuuming, dusting,
sweeping, washing, are all important steps needed to get rid of bugs.
I do have a book that I've complied with such remedies for a time when
I cut off the pest control service. The best remedy is to keep things
clean. There are many different compounds they can use. I make them
use organic compounds or GRAS (generally regarded as safe). That
doesn't always mean it's safer though as some "natural" remedies such
as boric acid can be dangerous.

Native Americans in my area used to have their villages so infested
with bugs that they'd move up or down river to get away and set the
place on fire to get rid of their problem. I don't plan on setting my
place on fire or moving away to get rid of any infestation.

For now, I'll just sit back, relax (I am doing office work), sip some
lemonade, and let the other guy do the work.