How do you cope with the winter?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

But we don't have palmetto bugs! Don't have gators or hurricanes either!

"Palmetto bugs" aka Southern-speak for "flying cockroaches so big you can saddle one up and fly it around like Pegasus."

Yeah, I'll take our version of bugs, thanks.

[Junita]

Originally Posted by knitgirl

But we don't have palmetto bugs! Don't have gators or hurricanes either!

When you find gators that fly and crawl on your body, please let me know, I'll pack my bags! I've never had any in my yard.

FL hasn't had hurricanes in years FYI (at least in Orlando), just saying. IL had many horrible winters though.

[Junita]

Originally Posted by linicx

A fair amount of our flying pests are ground dwellers. No frozen ground or extreme cold temperatures for an extended time equals the early emergence of a healthy young bug population.

This is the year you call the exterminator now (and spray 4 times this year), buy the bug sprays, citronella candles, and watch for the wasps that like to build nests in the corners of your porch and/or inside the car port near the ceiling.

Thanks, I really need to call one! There's a wasp nest at the roof of our house that none of us can reach, maybe hose it down? Not sure if this will knock down the nest. They seem to be swarming around the doors trying to get in. Best idea is to call an exterminator I think.

[Junita]

Originally Posted by Drover

"Palmetto bugs" aka Southern-speak for "flying cockroaches so big you can saddle one up and fly it around like Pegasus."

Yeah, I'll take our version of bugs, thanks.

I'd rather take NO bugs, palmetto bugs are nasty, but there's never too many of them at the exact time and the exact place.

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by Junita

I moved here from Orlando, FL 8 months ago, the summer was wonderful and starting mid-September it got chilly FAST and the winter hasn't been fun at all, what makes matters worse, everyone tells me this has been a mild winter. How can anyone live here for years? How do you guys get the motivation and energy to make it through another winter? I can't wait to shed off my coat!

I applaud you all!

We moved....

[linicx]

Buy a giant can of wasp spray. These pests go to bed when the sun goes down. They are usually all nested by 10 pm. Put the ladder up == presuming you do not have a three story house == shine a light briefly on the nest around 10pm. If you do not hear noise then saturate the nest with the bug spray - especially in the comb openings.

The next wasps you see will be in various stages of death. It is a very satisfying sight. Let the nest dry for a few days. Go back up the ladder and knock down the nest with a broom. If you do not they will use it again to nest. It is cheap and easy.

You want to spray inside and out especially for the wasp ground dwellers (the live in the ground), mosquitoes, fleas, flies, spider, ticks, house drains to dissuade roaches and water bugs. This is not the year for stagnant standing water in the yard. Flush the bird bath a couple of times a day. And do love your bats!

Build a bat house. They are natures bug vacuum.

Good Luck!

Originally Posted by Junita

Thanks, I really need to call one! There's a wasp nest at the roof of our house that none of us can reach, maybe hose it down? Not sure if this will knock down the nest. They seem to be swarming around the doors trying to get in. Best idea is to call an exterminator I think.

[linicx]

PS: Leave the nest up long enough to see if the wasps are going to try to reuse it very soon. When you do not see further activity and you do knock the nest down --- be sure to crush it with your foot or burn it. The goal is to destroy it permanently.

[Junita]

Thanks a lot!! We are going to do it this week hopefully!! Thanks again, I really appreciate all the help!!!