Pest control

[Wulf202]

So I've got some experience now with various vermin, thought I'd throw out some products and tactics for dealing with them, usually they work before and after SHTF. I buy most of my stuff from Domyownpestcontrol.com

Mice:
Nothing beats a good mouse hunter. This can include snakes. Be careful of terrier dogs, they will dig into walls if they hear something.
If you find where they get in, use something metal to plug it up, wire mesh or steel wool, held firmly in place. They can eat thru anything including 5 gallon buckets and drywall to get what they want.

The blue bait is simply an anti-coagulant that they eat, then a simple cut causes them to bleed out. Eliminate their food/water source.
Snap traps, they work for about the first dozen firings, being made in china, they wear out fast.
Glue traps, work for everything that touches them. Not shelf stable.
The internet famous bucket trap
Tactic: place along the edges, mice tend to run the perimeter of an area vs the middle.
Sign: small black droppings and screaming women.

General bugs: I'll add specifics for different types.
They're usually only there for food unless its a weather change. Eliminate the bugs food or water source and they may move on.
Glue traps will catch anything going across
DE (diatomaceous earth): a powder made of crushed petrified sea shells acts like barbed spears when they crawl over it and kills them within a day. Use caution with severe shellfish allergies. As long as it's there, it works. Can be put into carpets for fleas or silverfish.
Drione dust/delta dust etc: silica gel dust mixed with a small amount of insecticides. More expensive than DE by far but less likely to cause reactions. Better if used with a duster applicator
Sprays: Tempo SC, SUSPEND SC. These have some staying power, do not let animals/ children drink the liquid.
Petroleum products: no need for the lighter, a spray of oil will kill almost all bugs. Simple green or windex also works.
There are various pitfall type traps that will work with appropriate bait.

Spiders:
All of the above, Black widows and brown recluse are the real dangerous types, they like it dark and damp. Webs are flammable, black widow webs crackle when lit.
Webs can be found around lights that attract bugs and under wasp/bee nests, look for their food source, it might be another type of issue also.

Ants:
Best way to kill them is to bait the colony with a store bought bait station. When they take it home and distribute it, the entire colony will die off.
They leave pheromone trails. Mop up the area with simple green to remove the trail.
Corn starch, they are unable to digest it, so you have to bait them with it and it's not super effective. Sugar ants will just ignore it.

Roaches:
Boric acid powder: basically sticks to them and eats into them
Gel baits: combined with the sprays are the most effective.

Wasps/yellow jackets:
Hit them with a spray early or late without a queen the survivors will likely just build another nest near by. If they're inside the siding, flood the area with TEMPO SC.
Spiders generally located directly under the nest. They always leave a guard at the entrance if you can find where they fly in and out of.
Wasp traps, home built or store built

Bed bugs:
Hit the nuke button, you need to treat, be completely thorough and anal about these guys. Signs: itchy clusters of bites, usually in hairless areas. Women and children more likely to be bit. Streaks that look like a black pen streak is a fecal smear, usually located on the piping of a mattress.
Heat: over 140F will melt the wax on the bug, they dehydrate and die. Put all bedding and every piece of clothing into the dryer.
Sprays, most of the ones you can get without a license are partially effective. TEMPO SC is one of the good ones, the dusts are effective.
Covers, get one that completely covers the mattress (better than walmart please)
Sources: anything new or used, any travel local (ihop? theater?), international travel.
When you treat, get every room you reside in, bedrooms, offices, living rooms, etc. Flip every piece of furniture and treat every crack and crevice, they love the screw holes. Dust the base boards and behind the outlet plates. Dry all of you clothing and put it in trash bags immediately to prevent re-contamination.
Spray again two weeks later, keep in mind eggs can hatch up to 6 months later.

Mosquito:
Drain/chemical treat/stock with predatory fish any local water source.
Smoke from a fire is somewhat effective. Citronella also works.
High sulfur diet, also high lemon diets reportedly a good deterrent.
Mosquito nets
Propane powered bait/burners work but expensive to operate.
DEET or off!

Flys:
swatters, high capacity bug-a-salt gun
Fly paper posted around their watering hole
Various DIY traps

Slugs:
Plate of beer, the slugs will come and drown in it.
Salt

Pigeons:
Live traps and/or a pellet gun
A brave cat
You might be able to haze them into moving on.

[Irving]

I have the sea shell stuff. Tips on application?

[rondog]

I have the sea shell stuff. Tips on application?

Just sprinkle it around where the bugs are so they'll crawl through it. Once it gets on them it's abrasive on their exoskeletons and basically grinds them up. If the DE gets wet though it'll just turn to mud.

[rbeau30]

I hear Boric Acid works on a lot more than just Roaches ( like ants and other bugs ) as an effective barrier.

[Wulf202]

Mix it with sugar water for sugar ants and wipe em out!

It is not effective at all against bed bugs.

[rbeau30]

Mix it with sugar water for sugar ants and wipe em out!

It is not effective at all against bed bugs.

I have some ant bait that worked well in the summer for the ants looking for liquid. Reading the ingredients it basically is sugar, water and borax. I like the idea of using 'natural stuff' like Boric Acid or regular borax and other stuff for good results.