Many people try do-it-yourself pest control when there is an outbreak of insects in the house, and with the number of chemicals, sprays, powders, etc…there are plenty of options. But there are some natural and non toxic options that may be just as effective without exposing kids, pets, or yourself to the pesticides.

One of the most interesting ways to control pests outside the house is with plants, flowers, etc… that repel a particular insect. For instance, marigolds are known as a natural insect repellent because of their fragrance; natural and nice to look at, it’s win win.

There are natural insecticides out there but did you know that cucumbers can repel ants? There are plenty of these little tips and tricks to try to when it comes to green pest control, here are some of my favorite:

• Catnip naturally repels roaches…place little bags of catnip around the house where the cockroaches like to hang out
• Throw some sage or rosemary on your coals when cooking on a charcoal grill to keep mosquitos from loitering
• Use cloves to repel winged bugs like moths…and cloves smell better than moth balls

Don’t forget, one of the easiest ways to prevent some pest problems is to keep your house clean. If worse comes to worse, you can always call a professional pest control company that has likely dealt with the same pest problem before.

Yes, bed bugs do exist, they are about 1/5th of a inch long, reddish brown in color, wingless, and love to hide in yes, you guessed it, beds. Well more specifically, bed bugs prefer to hide inside furniture, in the seams of mattresses, behind picture frames and other similar spots.

Just like fleas, bed bugs can typically go without a meal for 140 days but in rare circumstances, an adult has gone without a meal for over 500 days!

More about the bed bug life cycle.

Bed bugs do suck blood (also similar to fleas) and leave large, itchy bumps after feeding but don’t typically carry diseases.

So how do you avoid bed bugs?

• Bed bugs can not fly or climb polished surfaces — think about coating the legs of the bed in petroleum jelly, stand the legs in glass jars or even sit the legs of the bed in soapy water
• Often times, travelers come across the bugs — do a thorough inspection before crawling into bed at night — don’t forget to check luggage stands for bed bugs!
• Avoid picking up furniture that has been left at the side of the road, this includes tables, drawers, etc…, not just beds and couches
• Prevent bugs from getting in the house by caulking windows and doors, repairing cracks, etc..
• Bed bugs don’t like heat (97°F to 99°F) or cold (below 48°F); so washing and drying bedding will kill bed bugs

Treating bed bugs is best left to a professional pest control company since the job requires very detailed work and a pesticide that is not sold over the counter.

Did you know that bed bugs were almost eradicated from the United States? Read more about the return of the bed bugs.

Fleas are pests that are seen throughout the entire country and can become quite the nuisance to both homeowners and their pets. But fleas particularly flourish in Southern California because of the warm temperatures and high humidity — just what fleas want. These pests can be difficult to control because of their small size and the large numbers of offspring; fleas can reproduce quickly.

1. There are four stages to the flea life cycle (pdf); eggs, larvae, pupae and adults — the life cycle can be completed in as little as 3 weeks if the conditions are just right
2. Female fleas can lay as many as 50 eggs a day
3. Blood from the host animals (cat, dog, human, etc…) is the main source of food for the flea
4. Flea pupae cocoons are actually resistant to insecticide
5. Fleas have been known to jump up to 150 times their own length
6. A flea can live without a meal (blood) for 100 days
7. The typical life span of a flea is 2 to 3 months but fleas can actually live up to a year and a half
8. There are about 2,000 species of fleas in the world but the Cat flea (also uses dogs as a host) is the most common in Southern California
9. Fleas prefer cats, dogs, humans, possums, rats and other rodents as hosts but they can live on any warm blooded animal
10. At any one time in a single room, 50% of the flea population will be eggs, 35% will be the larvae, 10% flea cocoons and only 5% are adult fleas

You may be concerned with the pests in or near your house, but there is one single pest that is threatening California and could destroy the state’s citrus trees. The insect I’m referring to the is Asian Citrus Psyllid.

The Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) is an insect that feeds on the leaves of citrus trees, but the real problem with the ACP is the disease that it can carry. The disease is called Huanglongbing (HLB) and it is also referred to as Citrus Greening Disease. The insect has been found in California but HLB has not yet been confirmed in California and unfortunately the disease is impacting citrus industries in over 30 countries and even citrus trees in Florida. HLB is a bacterial plant disease that infects citrus trees which will eventually produce fruit that is bitter and inedible. There is no cure and the tree will eventually die.

It is so important to prevent this insect from bringing HLB into the state that a website has been created called California Citrus Threat; the goal of the entire site is to spread awareness about the Asian Citrus Psyllid, Huanglongbing and what to look for.

So what happens if you find a Asian Citrus Psyllid? Well according to the California Citrus Threat website if you find a ACP, contact your local agricultural commissioner (they have a look up tool using your zip code). If a tree on your property has the pest, it will be treated; if the tree has HLB, the tree will be removed to protect other trees on your property and throughout the state.