Get Rid of Backyard Bugs

Your backyard has become an inviting oasis where your kids play and friends and family gather. But your invited guests aren’t the only ones attracted to all the fun your backyard has to offer. Unwanted visitors – the crawling, flying and slithering variety – can turn a fun and relaxing day or evening outdoors into an annoying washout.

Luckily, your local True Value garden expert has all the products and advice you need to keep insects, bugs and slugs from ruining your backyard fun. Read on for some simple tips to send those pesky intruders packing.

Declare War on Bees & Wasps
Keep Stinging Bugs Away
Avoidance Maneuvers
Say So Long to Snails and Slugs
Tips on Going Pesticidal

Unwelcome Ants

If ants have made themselves at home on your deck, table, plants or any other visible surface, it's easy to make a clean sweep of them. Simply fill a spray bottle with a solution of soap and water and spray them away.

Sometimes ants can also make a beeline from your backyard into your home. If the problem isn't too severe, a few simple homemade remedies can do the trick. First, determine where they're coming in and caulk any visible holes and cracks. Then take a piece of chalk and draw a boundary line in front of their entry point. If you don't have chalk, raid your spice rack and create a line of red chili pepper powder or cream of tartar. Crisis averted - the ants will steer clear of the lines and march off in a different direction.

And to keep ants from returning - especially in problem areas like the corners of your kitchen countertops - apply a paste made of one teaspoon of cinnamon and a few drops of water. Not only does the cinnamon smell good, but it also kills ants on contact.

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Don't Get Stung

While most areas of the country are home to bees, yellow jackets and wasps, some places even hold the dubious distinction of attracting tens of thousands every summer and fall.

But bees, yellow jackets and wasps are more than annoying - their stings can be downright dangerous to kids and adults who are allergic to them.

Your best bet to avoid getting stung is to attack stinging culprits right where they live - and that means destroying their nests and hives. Wasps and yellow jackets like to build their homes in protected spots, like beneath the eaves of your home or at ground level where your house and soil meet.

To destroy a visible hive or nest, ambush it with a pesticide spray specifically designed for that purpose. Your local True Value has a selection of sprays that shoot from a distance of about 20 feet (a good, safe distance for you). The best time to spray is at sunset, when all of the hive's inhabitants check in for the night. If you're a bait and trap type person, try Safer® Deluxe Yellow Jacket/Wasp Trap, available at your local True Value store .

Helpful Tips:

Prepare for battle by covering any exposed skin, in case the natives become hostile.
Even though you have the element of surprise on your side, it's best to plan out an escape route, just in case.
Check the hive after about a week to make sure it's abandoned. To check if the hive is abandoned, tap it gently with a stick. Once they're gone for good, remove hive and throw it away.

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Avoidance Maneuvers

Even if bees, yellow jackets or wasps haven't built a nest nearby, there are no guarantees they won't drop in for an unwelcome visit. So if you know you're going to be outdoors, follow these tips to keep stingers far away:

Helpful Tips:

Stinging insects have definite fashion preferences - they're attracted to dark colored clothing, especially floral prints. That means it's best to dress in light colored outfits (more comfortable in the sun, anyway) and stick to solids or simple patterns to avoid being mistaken for a bouquet.
Always wear shoes and socks to prevent stings to bare feet and ankles. Plus, covered feet are a good idea in case you accidentally step on a stinging insect resting on the ground.
Skip the perfumes, colognes or heavily scented body lotions - they're reminiscent of flowers, which stinging insects can't resist.
When you're eating outdoors, make sure to cover all food and drink, especially cans - that's not the kind of buzz you want to get from your beverage!
Insects like to swarm around garbage cans, dumpsters and puddles of water, so be careful when throwing out your trash.
If a bee, yellow jacket or wasp approaches you, don't flail your arms or try to swat at it. Contrary to popular belief (and instinct), keeping calm and still, and if possible, moving away slowly, are the best ways to make it fly away - in fact, any aggressive moves on your part will only serve to make it angry.

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Don't Get Slimed

Got snails and slugs? If so, you know they do more than just leave slimy trails on your patio - they also enjoy munching on the plants in your garden. But you've got to hand it to these creepy crawlers - they sure know how to party. Specifically, they love beer, and a little goes a long way to keeping them at bay.

Just empty about one-third of a bottle of beer (you're on your own for how to do that) and bury the 2/3 full bottle upright in your garden, letting the neck stick out about an inch. Snails and slugs will find their beloved beverage and fall right into the bottle, without being able to escape (hey, there are worse ways to go). Since larger slugs and snails with shells won't fit, you'll get the same results by pouring some beer into a shallow dish and setting it near some tasty garden treats.

Don't want to waste your beer on those slimy suckers? Believe it or not, copper wire gives off just enough electrical charge to repel snails and slugs without harming them. Simply wrap thin copper wire around each outdoor or potted plant and twist the ends with pliers.

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Chemical Reactions

If natural remedies don't work their magic, or if you'd prefer the heavy artillery right away, pesticides are the way to go. Ask your True Value garden expert to recommend the right pesticide for your particular problem, whether you've got ants, aphids, caterpillars or other crawlers making short work of your garden.

Helpful Tips:

Before you treat your plants with toxic chemicals, consider if you're going to eat them or if your children or pets will come in contact with them. If so, stick to safe, organic products.
Whatever pesticide you choose, apply it moderately - insects are great adaptors and can mutate and build up immunities to toxins at lightning speeds.

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