Insect Deterrence & Removal

Spring is here and with it, in addition to flowers and butterflies, are various pest ranging from Japanese Beetles who eat the leaves off our trees, to Tomato Hornworms who devastate our tomato crops, and to fleas, ticks, and other biting insects who make us and our animal companions miserable.

Every year we have insect incursions into our home and garden. While there are various natural remedies, none seem to be quite as effective as the harsh and toxic chemicals available on the commercial market. I'm not a fan of these, but sometimes, nothing else will do.

Tomato Hornworm

We use a variety of methods to attempt to moderate their damage, which includes having a contract with our local exterminator to spray around the outside of our house to keep as many of the pests from getting in as possible. However, this system isn't perfect, and does nothing for our food plants. As with many things, a defense in depth is important.

Indoors

To help keep insects from gaining entrance to our home, I use a light layer of diatomaceous earth (DE) on the thresholds of exterior doors. To deal with any bugs who managed to get in anyway, I sprinkle some on rugs prior to vacuuming. In case of a more major infestation, placing a dusting of DE in corners and along baseboards, then leaving it for at least several hours or up to a day before vacuuming, can help significantly.

Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of single-cell algae called diatoms. Present in most soil and many bodies of water, these tiny creatures had cell walls or shells made of silica that's similar to glass. When crushed, the resulting powder has sharp edges capable of cutting through the exoskeleton of insects, sometimes even removing it entirely. It can also absorb fat and oil from the exoskeleton, causing the bug to dry out. Basically, DE can kill a wide variety of insects as long as they have an open circulatory system and an exoskeleton, although some pests (such as caterpillars and cabbage worms) have a coating of mucus or slime on their bodies which renders DE ineffective.

Diatomaceous Earth, Food Grade

If you are considering this option, make sure to purchase food grade DE. By FDA regulation, it must contain less than 1% crystalline silica, which makes it safer for humans and the best option for pest control around the home. There's also feed-grade DE, which is held to lower standards, as it's intended for use in animal feed.

A commercially available, more natural option we purchased recently is Vet's Best Flea & Tick Spray for Cats. Made from a relatively low concentration of peppermint and clove extracts, it's supposed to be both safe and effective. It's also highly regarded and seems to work well.

Vet's Best

Important Notes:

• Cats don’t have a necessary liver enzyme, so most mint oils are particularly dangerous to them. Read and follow the directions carefully.
• Allow any products used to dry completely before allowing pets back into the area. 
• Do not spray any of these solutions directly on the animal.

Outdoors

A common folk remedy for dealing with pests on plants is to spray them with soap and water. However, several sources noted this can harm the plant directly, and also make the leaves more susceptible to sun damage by removing the waxy outer surface.

A safer, but less effective option is cayenne pepper, either dusted around the base of the plant or mixed with water and used as a spray. This reportedly makes the plant less palatable to many pests, both insect and rodent. As I mentioned in a previous post, mint extract can be used for a similar purpose. Note: there is some evidence that cayenne pepper can be harmful to bees, and some types of plants react poorly to the spray. Test it on a single leaf before applying more.

A less natural option is called Permethrin, a chemical insecticide used for pest removal on everything from farms to aircraft. However, we will not be trying this remedy. Even though Permethrin is noted as being safe for cattle, birds, dogs, etc, it's extremely toxic to cats. While our cats are indoor only, we don't want to chance tracking it inside and putting them at risk.

Many people use citronella candles or diffusers to keep bugs away outdoors. Again, be careful with this extract, as citronella oil is also not safe for use around cats; whether inhaled, ingested or applied topically, citronella oil can cause a variety of health issues to our feline friends. There's also debate on whether commercial citronella candles or oil have a high enough concentration to repel mosquitos.

Some additional options for natural outdoor pest repellents include cinnamon oil, clove oil, and other pungent herbs or their extracts. Planting marigolds around the periphery of an area can also help reduce invading insect populations.

Marigolds

 

This is in no way an exhaustive list of pest preventatives or remedies, but hopefully it will be of some benefit to our readers.

Good luck... and I hope you can stop scratching.

Product Review: Hiearcool Waterproof Phone Pouch

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I like to listen to audiobooks while I shower. Like most people, I use my smartphone to play my audiobooks, which of course must be kept dry in order to function. Normally this wouldn't be a problem and I'd just keep my phone on the hamper, but I'm slightly hard of hearing and therefore often have to back up 10 to 30 seconds because I didn't quite understand what was being said, and it was awkward to stick my head out of the curtain and try to find the rewind button without my glasses, and then successfully press it with wet, soapy hands. 

Enter the Hiearcool Waterproof Phone Pouch, with a 4.6 star rating and 96,717 reviews. For $8.50 you get two transparent pouches that will accommodate nearly every smart phone currently being sold. These pouches are made of thermoplastic polyurethane that allow you to use your phone's touchscreen (but not fingerprint sensor) while it's sealed inside, and that seal is made strong by dual locking clamps that are secure yet easy to use. Each pouch also comes with an adjustable nylon lanyard which clips onto a loop on the pouch. 

https://amzn.to/3WEig6a

The prepping uses for this waterproof pouch ought to be obvious: not only will it protect electronics from water and other forms of moisture, but it will also protect against other damaging environmental factors such as sand, dirt, and dust, all while retaining full smartphone functionality. Since smart phones are used to navigate and call for help, they must be protected at all times in an emergency situation and this is an inexpensive yet very effective solution to that problem. I have one in my bug out bag and two in my get home bag (the other is reserved for a dedicated GPS unit, which is more energy efficient than a smart phone). 

https://amzn.to/3WEig6a

I have been using this product daily since January and it has performed flawlessly every time. My phone is in a protective case and I have no problems slipping it into or out of the pouch, I can access the touchscreen with ease and accuracy no matter how wet or soapy my fingers are, and not a drop of moisture has crept inside in all that time. In fact, before writing this review I sealed some pieces of toilet paper inside the pouch and left it submerged at the bottom of my bathroom sink for an hour. When I recovered it and opened the pouch, the toilet paper was bone dry. The worst I can say about it is that the lanyard isn't great, but given that it's easily replaced with whatever fits through the loops that's hardly a criticism at all. 

In fact, I've been using a 16" MODL Infinity Loop to hang my Hiearcool pouch from the shower towel rack. I haven't fully explored all of the uses of this tool, but it functions like a cross between a carabiner and a bungee cord and seems highly configurable. I regret that they can't be bought individually (I was given one) and only come in a pack of four (two eight inch, two sixteen inch) for $35. I will definitely be keeping my eye out to see if they go on sale for the holidays, because if so these will make ideal presents for my prepper friends. 

https://amzn.to/4bRpU1t

For completeness' sake, and because I know some people are wondering, I'm using this water-resistant Bluetooth speaker to hear my audiobooks while showering. It is unfortunately not available at the moment, but given its nonsense company name ("Maoifaec") I suspect it's made in China and will be released under a different name. While I am dubious of Chinese products, I have been using mine for over a year now and I am very satisfied with its sound quality, durability, battery life, and water resistance. If you're in the market for a Bluetooth speaker and you find of these these, go ahead and pick it up; I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

https://amzn.to/4beMWPR

Finally, I'm trying out a closing line. It seems like all the cool kids have one, and I want to be considered cool too. Please tell me what you think of it:

Stay prepped or get wrecked. 

Cool? Edgy? A bit too try-hard? Let me know!

Guest Post: a Small OTC Pharmacy List

by George Groot

George is a member of our Facebook Group and has written for us before.

Every disaster prep list usually includes the words “30 days’ (or more) worth of medication.” If you are on medication, this is really great advice, but there are also a bunch of things you can purchase without a prescription that will provide you with treatment options  from a headache to a laceration, and those are good to have on hand for when stores aren’t open. This list isn’t all encompassing, and it’s meant to be generic so that you can decide, “Yeah, I need that, but not that” and customize it to your situation.

“For the Inside of You” List

• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). These are the “fever reducing” and “general aches and pains” medications. I like generic acetaminophen and naproxen, but my wife finds that ibuprofen works very well for her. The generic bottles of 100 pills or more should be sufficient for a short term disaster, and I recommend one each acetaminophen, naproxen, aspirin, and ibuprofen. 
• Antihistamines. Due to the war on some drugs, the “good stuff” is still available without a prescription, but you’ll actually have to talk to a pharmacy tech and show your ID to make the purchase. The prices for even generics are pretty high, but pseudoephedrine is still the “king of clearing things up” (especially hives) for me when diphenhydramine doesn’t cut it.  I would say that two 24 packs of pseudoephedrine pills is a good start for a household that doesn’t have environmental allergies, and one large bottle of diphenhydramine for mild “seasonal allergies”. People with chronic allergies will need a 30 day supply of their normal medication.
• Laxatives. An interruption to your normal diet can cause a person to become constipated. There are multiple options, and if you don’t want to keep laxative pills on hand, you can make a “saline laxative” out of potable water and Epsom salts.
• The “Anti-Laxative” Loperamide (aka generic Imodium) This helps avoid dehydration when illness causes diarrhea. 
• Vitamins. A generic multi-vitamin is cheap insurance; I use Walmart’s Equate brand. You’ll want one pill per person per day times the number of days you are prepping; for a 4 person family working on a month, that’s 124 pills. Generally a short term disaster doesn’t lead to any sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency, but it is pretty cheap insurance. If someone in your house has a specific supplement they need to take regularly (iron, magnesium, etc.) add that in as well.
• Caffeine can really help with headaches/migraines, which is why caffeine is an ingredient in so many OTC headache pill and powder formulas. A bottle of generic “alertness pills” is cheap insurance in case someone needs caffeine to deal with a migraine, and for some reason don’t have caffeinated beverage handy.
• Rehydration salts. These can be individual packets of sports drink mix, medical grade salt mixes, or a mix of salts in pill form. It doesn’t matter too much which you choose, but you will want some on hand to assist anyone who needs to rehydrate. This can get spendy if you buy individual packets of name brand sports drink, but electrolyte tablets seem to be fairly affordable right now on Amazon.

“For the Outside of You” List

• Sterilizing Fluids. You’ll want 90% rubbing alcohol on hand, and a bottle of povidone iodine or prep pads is also a good idea.
• Antibiotic Ointment. A generic “triple antibiotic ointment” is cheap insurance, so I recommend two tubes. 
• Super Glue. When you really, really need to hold skin together right now, this is good stuff to have on hand. It will harden in the container, so make sure you rotate in new stock every year. Of all the recommendations, super glue probably has the shortest useable shelf life.
• Calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream. This is for treating rashes, itches, and mild allergic reactions to plants on the skin. 
• Anti-fungal cream. A significant number of Americans have an active foot fungus infection at any given time. Generally this is not a problem, but you don’t want it to spread to others during a disaster.
• Petroleum Jelly. Really useful for dry, cracking skin, and it also turns a cotton ball into a great fire starter.
• Sports Tape. This is different than medical tape, as it is designed to support joints. I use the cheap three dollar generic stuff for taping my fingers for Brazilian Jiujutsu the same way rock climbers tap their fingers for that sport. This also serves as a good blister cover, and can wrap around bandages for added protection. It doesn’t last forever, but is pretty cheap to have on hand.

“Preventive Medicine” List

In the event that “normal services are disrupted” you want to be able to keep your area as clean as possible, preventing rodents and insects from invading your space. 

• Insect repellent for your skin. Being munched on by bugs is pretty miserable, and this helps prevent insect-borne illnesses from spreading. In addition to the sprays and lotions for your skin, you can get candles/torches and electronic devices that help you keep your area temporarily free from the bloodsucking insects.
• Lice shampoo/treatment kit. Do not get an “organic/natural” kit here, get the kind that has dimethicone, which interrupts the lice water metabolism and kills them that way.
• Permethrin. This is an insect killer/repellent for your living area. You can get it highly concentrated for agricultural purposes, or in spray cans to kill bed bugs. Understand that this is a pretty serious chemical, and it needs to be handled accordingly. It can be seriously nasty stuff if you let it touch your skin, but I’ve found nothing better for treating fabrics. 
• Sunscreen. Don’t make a bad situation worse by getting sunburned. 

Storage and Stock Rotation

Like most perishable things, “store in a cool, dry place” is the best advice for your medicinal preparations, but even medicinal items stored properly still have a shelf life.  If it is a dry item, like a pill or powder, that shelf life is much longer than the “use by” date on the packaging. If the product is “wet” in any way, such as a gel, adhesive tape, cream, or spray, you’ll see a much more noticeable degradation of the product the further beyond the “use by” date on the packaging. If the product is a liquid, such as hydrogen peroxide, you’ll want to replace it regularly for the same reason you rotate your stock of laundry bleach (it breaks down and loses its oxidative properties over time).

References

If you have access to the internet you can check for drug interactions here, and if you are preparing to survive offline the “Where There Is No Doctor” series comes highly rated, and the newest editions are updated with additional medicinal information. 

While I don’t plan to start a village medical clinic, having a printed reference on hand is pretty cheap insurance for those things where I don’t have a clear idea on how to proceed.