Pests

JayC · Oct 21, 2001

Does anybody have a lady bug problem? Around here every fall and spring the lady bugs seem to "attack" in force. There are thousands every spring and fall. When driving down the road you can actually here them hitting the car--as if it were raining out. Also, does anybody have moles? Those buggers are around here too. I stepped out onto the front yard and sank about 6" into the ground. I saw their "interstate." It goes around the front yard to the back and around the house. I can't believe it. Those things can really work. I was cutting the grass on the tractor around the garden, and when I made a pass and came around I saw I had run over one of them suckers. I'm just glad I didn't have the mulch plug in... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

TerryinMD · Oct 21, 2001

Oh yeah - got's them all.

We have been plagued this year by moles, voles, mice, woodchucks, deer, feral cats, mosquitos, gnats, fleas, ticks, hornets, yellow jackets, box elder bugs, flea beetles, two varieties of ladybugs, ants, and noisy neighbors.

Usually can easily control anything that has more than two legs. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Have yet to find any effective controls for the two legged variety of pests. Well, anything legal and above the law. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Terry

Wheeldog · Oct 21, 2001

Yep, tons of lady bugs here now too. The other pest-of-the-month winner is the common tick. We can't seem to take the dog near the woods without her coming back crawling with them.

Rob

TWINKLE_TOES · Oct 21, 2001

Terry,
feral cats

What the heck is a feral cat????

Al

Anonymous Poster · Oct 22, 2001

Feral cat is commonly thought of as a previous "domestic" cat that has lived on it's own for long enough to decide

"I ain't takin' anymore of this kitty kitty crap and I am now as wild as anything else"

Some people consider feral cats to be only those offspring of domestic cats and bobcats I believe.

Sometimes I've lived or worked where there's a cat that would require a year trying to get it to stick around near you even if you feed it.

del

HR_Mutt · Oct 22, 2001

Syxx_Killer
Ladybugs!!!!
Was away from the house and left the garage door open.....by the time I swept them off the walls,ceiling,& floor there was enough for a bucket full (hey! a tractor project)/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
regards
Mutt

Oscar · Oct 22, 2001

H_R Mutt
Had same problem as you did. Left garage door open while outside, and when I came back the ceiling was crawling with them. Not to mention the 1000's of them outside flying around and crawling on the house and barn.

Craig

MossRoad · Oct 22, 2001

Those lady bugs try to come into the house in the fall to winter over. Then they try to get out in the spring. 2 years ago we had the house re-sided. They started coming in through the cracks around the old wood storm windows. You could suck them up with the shop vac, there were so many. This year I put on new storm windows. 3 days ago they returned to try to get in for the winter. I thought it was rain against the glass, but the sun was out. It was ladybugs bouncing off the new storm windows. Only 3 have gotten in the house so far this year.

As far as moles go, killing them with traps is the only method that is effective over the long run. Chemicals and smoke bombs and noise makers only make them dig new tunnels. Check out http://www.themoleman.com/
This guy is the king of mole control.

 MossRoad

jinman · Oct 22, 2001

In the last few days I've seen 1000s of red wasps trying to find a way inside my country cabin. One year I was away for a week and they found a way inside. When I opened the door the place was swarming with hundreds of them. Luckily, red wasps are not that agressive and I was able to get them cleared out without a single sting./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Also, at the risk of being labelled a raving lunatic, they tell me that you can get rid of moles by putting Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum down in their trails. I'm told they smell and eat it, which causes them to die because they can't digest it. Having said this, I want you to know that I've never tried it, so don't take this as anything but a rumor./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

JimI

Anonymous Poster · Oct 22, 2001

...I've seen 1000s of red wasps trying to find a way inside my country cabin. ...

Jim,

I was wondering where all my stinging bees went...

You can keep them... no extra charge.../w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

P.S.- Did you ever buy that carport from "Lone Star Carport"?
{shipping was going to cost about $767. ea. for two!}