Alternatives to the use of pesticides

Birds, squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, possum, feral cats, mice, fox, gophers and raccoons provide a touch of nature in our urban environment.  These animals coexist in our neighborhoods because as we bulldoze and cement their habitat they are displaced and involuntarily forced to live among us.

While one neighbor may not want these animals in their yards, others see watching them as relaxing and an enjoyable pastime.

However when using pesticides to control rodents such as mice – it is not a humane solution to wildlife control.  In fact it harms the non-targeted animals with fatal or debilitating results.  When the dead bodies of poisoned animals are eaten by other animals, such as birds, the toxin enters the food chain where it continues a cycle of misery and death for a variety of other animals.  Storm or watering runoff carry the toxins into our water supply which persist in the environment, bio-accumulate and move up the food chain.

Between 2001 and 2003 there were 52,000 rodenticide poisoning cases nationwide – more than for any other pesticide.  Many of these incidents involved children resulting in serious outcomes, including death.

Consider these animals our new wave of urban immigrants.  With a little patience, a good dose of compassion, old-fashioned common sense and a few simple and non-lethal tricks we can have a more humane solution to pest control.

Below is information compiled from the internet on alternatives to using pesticides, fungicides etc.

Birds:

State & Federal laws restrict disturbing or destroying certain birds’ nests so before using any product to deter birds, check that there are no active nests in your yard. Wind chimes or silhouettes of hawks can be put in the yard to scare birds away.

Deer, rabbits and other herbivores in your garden:

When planting your garden, don’t plant all the petunias together in one spot, it’s a big and easy target.  Spread them around.  Hide your parsley in with your roses or tuck the petunia behind marigolds.  These animals don’t like the smell or taste of marigolds so planting marigolds as a perimeter or “fence” around your garden are a great deterrent.

Mice & rats:

1.  Place cat hair around entry holes.  Collect it from friends who have cats or a groomer in your neighborhood.

2.  Mice and rats are also repelled by pure peppermint oil.

Killing does not work because it simply opens up a space for another animal to move in. 

Don’t use sticky glue traps to control mice or birds.  Once a tiny paw or wing becomes stuck in the glue, these little creatures frantically struggle to free themselves.  As their struggles escalate, these animals may tear patches of skin and hair or feathers from their bodies or gnaw of a leg in their panic to escape.  Many will die slowly of hunger or thirst.  If their faces become trapped in the glue, they may suffocate after experiencing a period of intense fear and panic.

Raccoons & Skunks:

1.  Locate the entry ways of their homes and close off all but one.  Leave one exit open so they can make their final getaway.  Not sure if it is an active home for these creatures, spread baking soda, flour or cornstarch around the likely place and watch for tracks.  Eliminate the darkness by lighting the den continuously, a mechanic’s light or flashlight work well.  When you are absolutely certain the raccoons and skunks have left, seal the remaining entry way.  Keep in mind that mothers may take up to a week to evacuate babies from the den -- in the spring and summer is when these animals are raising their offspring.

2.  Disturb the den with noise during the day – such as a radio with music near the den entrance.  Dens under porches or stairs may be dampened (NOT FLOODED) with a hose at night when the animals are out.

3.  Spread cayenne pepper over the area and install several pinwheels to scare them away.  Also you can spray the area with vegetable oil.  These animals don’t like getting their coats oily.

4.  Secure all garbage cans.  Metal trash barrels are not likely to be chewed as the plastic ones can.

5.  Rubber snakes or 18 inch pieces of black hose placed near the area are effective because they capitalize on the raccoon/skunk’s fear of their natural predator.  Do not suspend or hang the “fake snake” as snakes do not naturally hang.

6.  Ponds and/or water fountains appeal to raccoons.  Surround the area in the evening with pinwheels to deter them.

7.  Spray hot pepper oil or bittering agent onto the lawn or digging area.  Red pepper oil can be found in Asian food markets.

Steel-jaw traps are outlawed in NH, even for hunters.

If a raccoon or skunk is living in your chimney, DO NOT SMOKE HER OUT.  Both the adults and youngsters may die of smoke inhalation before they get to leave the chimney.  When you know they have left, cap the chimney.

Trapping and killing raccoons and skunks is illegal unless done by a licensed “pest” control company.

Trapping and relocating raccoons and skunks is an almost certain death sentence for them.  Almost half of all raccoons who are relocated die within the first 3 months as they become nomads, traveling endlessly, starving, looking for available space to feed and sleep. Animals remain because of habitat and food sources.

Squirrels:

Squirrels do not like the smell of cayenne pepper.  Sprinkle it along the ground near and in the bird seed.  The pepper does not harm the birds.

Insects and plants:

1.  Using an empty spray bottle, fill it about ¾ of the way with water, then add a few drops of Ivory liquid soap, some hot peppers or hot pepper sauce and some garlic.  This needs to be reapplied after a storm and every coupled of weeks.

2.  Grind together 3 hot peppers, 3 large onions and 1 whole bunch of garlic.  Cover mash with water and place in a covered container.  Let stand over night.  Strain mixture and add enough water to make a gallon of spray.

3.  Mix 2 ½ tablespoons of mild dish detergent plus the same amount of a vegetable cooking oil with 1 gallon of water.  Remember to spray both the top and the underside of the leaves.

4.  Finely chop 10 to 15 garlic cloves and soak in 1 pint of mineral oil for 24 hours.  Strain and spray as is, or add a few drops of soap for extra stickiness.

5.  Blend ½ cup of hot peppers with 2 cups of water, strain and spray.

6.  Soak citrus rind (lemon, orange or grapefruit) in water for a few days.  Pour the water into a spray bottle and spray on plants.

7.  Basil is a natural insect repellent.  Take a few leaves along with you on a picnic and put them out on the table to keep the flies away.

8.  Bay leaves will keep pests away.  A bay leaf in a container of flour, cornmeal or cereal will keep insects out.

9.  Powdered red chili pepper, peppermint, cloves, citrus oil, lavender, rosemary tobacco, peppercorns, eucalyptus, wormwood and cedar oil are other means of repelling various types of insects.

10.  Planting certain plants in your garden, can deter certain pests. Spearmint/peppermint repels both ants and mice.

11.  For rose bushes:  Soak tomato leaves in water and apply as spray onto leaves and branches

Ants:

1.  Combine 2 cups water with 4 drops of lavender essential oils or lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary and sage essential oils, in spray bottle and shake before use.

2.  To get red/fire ants out of the garden sprinkle instant grit (a couple of spoonfuls) over the ant hill.  Within 3 weeks the mounds will be gone.

3.  Grow spearmint, southern wood and tansy plants around the border of your home to deter ants and the aphids they carry.

4.  Sprinkle powdered charcoal, red chili pepper, paprika, dried peppermint, bone meal, talcum powder or even a chalk line where the ants are trying to enter your home will deter them.  Also cinnamon or cayenne pepper sprinkled around your foundation keeps ants out as they won’t cross a line pepper or cinnamon.

5.  Squeeze lemon juice in the ant hole and put the lemon peals around the entrance to any holes where they potentially can enter your house will deter ants.

6.  Baby powder and ground cloves also repel ants.

7.  In the house, a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle works.  The acid in the vinegar wards them off.  You can also wash your cabinets and counters with the solution.

8.  Cucumber peel on a kitchen shelf will deter ants.

Beetles:  (Not Paul or Ringo)

1.  Epsom salts mixed with water used in a spray bottle

2.  Garlic repels Japanese Beetles

Fleas and Ticks:

Bring 2 pints of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons of Rosemary and let soak twenty minutes.  Drain and allow cooling.  Wash the pet with soap and warm water.  Towel dry the dog or cat, then apply the rinse with a spray bottle or sponge.  Do not rinse or towel dry.  Let coat dry thoroughly, on its own. 

Fruit Flies:

1.  Leaving a glass of soda on the table will catch a lot of fruit flies.  Cream soda works really well for this.

2.  Put some wine in glass, put a paper towel over the top held in place with a rubber band and punch a few small holes in it – the flies get in but can’t get out.

3.  Apple cider vinegar in a bowl with a couple of drops of dish liquid soap placed on a table will attract the flies.

Grubs:

Milky spore (available at most garden stores) contains a natural bacterium that gets rid of grubs in the yard.  Skunks and raccoons dig looking for these grubs.

Moths:

Sachets of lavender, mint tea bags, cedar chips or dried tobacco deter moths.

Silverfish:

Bay leaves scattered around and under sinks will keep silverfish away.

Red spiders mites, spiders, cabbage worms:

Put an ounce of table salt to a gallon of water and spray.

Termites:

Dawn liquid soap mixed with 1 to 5 cups of water in a spray bottle works.

Crabgrass:

Corn gluten controls crabgrass in the spring.  Corn gluten is a protein-based portion of corn which keeps crabgrass seeds from sprouting.  However it takes several years to work.

Weeds:

Hot water will kill most unwanted plants – just boil some water and pour it over the weeds.

Put 1 ounce of 3% hydrogen peroxide in a quart of water.  Spray it on the weeds.

Disclaimer:  This information is provided for educational purposes only.  It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind.  The Through Their Eyes, The National Animal Abuse Registry assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material.