Or how to save yourself 29.95 plus 17.95 shipping and handling.
Recently I was checking my personal email and the first step I usually do is to select what can easily be deleted and then delete it. I was about to send this one email gem permanently into the ether net when I changed my mind to explore it further. It was a promotional email from Riddex, an electronic plug-in device sold on TV to help me eliminate any and all roaches, mice or rats from my home.
I was naturally hooked. Maybe I could put myself out of business, selling these simple devices instead? I hoped what I found out would help my readers to save time and money and in the end get the results they need for their pest problem. But what I found may shock you, no pun intended.
The first thing that struck me about the website sales video was their claim that this simple electric plug-in device was not only much simpler to use but it was more effective and way better than having some stranger exterminator come into your home. Two of these plug in devices could put a protective barrier around the average size home. Some video special effects proved it to me with a pulsating grid around a cartoon house. I read their glowing but very short testimonials and
I was about to rip open my velcro wallet when I decide to just do a little google surfing on the subject.
I did some various search words from just "Riddex" to "does Riddex work"? The first result got me about 52,000 results, many on the first page were selling the product. However, the first organic link I clicked on had 9 complaints out of 15..... hmmm. So I dug some more...."does Riddex work?"
got me 207,000 results with the first page showing some very pissed off and angry consumers warning others not to waste their money. Velcro makes no sound when you close your wallet. It was somewhere on this Google search that I found out the shipping on a plastic device that weighs only a few ounces was 17.95. Yikes. Some people said they like the blinking lights on the thing. My dad referred to those type of things as idiot boxes.... they do nothing but look good doing it.
Some other consumers said they probably had the only deaf roaches and mice on the planet and that the only way to kill the vermin was to throw the device at them. There were complaints about noise and that the plug in did in fact interfere with their computer especially when using Skype. It hummed.
A university in South Carolina and a pet store in Hawaii both did the same experiment with the device and either or roaches or mice crawled comfortable around the thing in an enclosed environment.
Now as far as letting a stranger into your home to get rid of your roaches, mice or rats goes, I will tell you that our polite, professional, licensed and experienced pest pros are the best in New York City that you can find. You can feel safe, we will protect you and we are not a blinking light gimmick. And we are green-safe exterminators. Go to our website's Green page to find out more.
Since I quoted my dad earlier, let me give my mom some equal time too. She always said a lazy man works twice as hard.... in this case here with the Riddex device, a cheap man will pay twice as much on quick fixes that don't work.
Until the next time....
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Bed, Bugs & Beyond
or
Linens & Things That Creep In the Night?
Didn't one of those retailers just go out of business? .... but bedbugs certainly haven't. In fact, just like the last major economic depression of the 1930's bedbug growth charts are up, up, and away unlike most 401K's.
If you even remotely suspect that you or a closely connected neighbor has bedbugs, my suggestion is to buy white linen. No, not the perfume, but white bed linen. Get rid of your fancy patterns and dark colors, just use white or off white bed sheets. Inspect them DAILY.
Bedbugs may not feed every night... but if you've been bitten, and then you see brown or reddish stains on the linen, that is not from a mosquito bite. Mosquitoes bite you and fly away. You have the start of a bedbug infestation. Call us, Connex Environmental, immediately. Do NOT try to do it yourself. This is one job that is best left to the pros, and we, at Connex Environmental, are those pros.
We answered the call, when other exterminators had no clue and were caught off guard by this scourge. Connex Environmental ran into buildings that were on fire with infestations when others were turning away bedbug customers for lack of fighting knowledge. In fact, don't be fooled by fancy gimmicks of bedbug sniffing dogs or freezing bedbugs. Dogs are sweet, trainable, obedient animals. But they can be trained to sit and you have no idea if that "sit" means you really have bedbugs or not, unless the human handler confirms the presence of bed bug with his own eyeballs.
And on some other city blogs it's been said that the handler takes the dog's sit for gospel and just begins treatment. You don't need a canine unit to know if you have bedbugs unless you feel like paying extra for the dog's prime rib dinner. Just a trained licensed human being. After all, when it's all paid and done, the dog won't do the extermination job, the person will. So, why pay for both? And the human gets is happy with a dirty water frank for dinner.
The ONLY place it would make ANY sense to use a bedbug canine unit would be in a hotel lobby or hospital where there's been a problem. Because of the high traffic of people coming and going daily, these places are in the path of the bedbug super highway. And if done wisely and discreetly, none of the guests would ever figure out that the cute little beagle was anything more than a mascot.
After you get your white bed linen, I strongly suggest you also contact us about a specially designed mattress protectors. These not only protect you and your family after a bug treatment. But these soft covers are also good for people, kids especially, with allergies.
Go here for more info:
http://www.nypestpro.com/safemattress.html
Linens & Things That Creep In the Night?
Didn't one of those retailers just go out of business? .... but bedbugs certainly haven't. In fact, just like the last major economic depression of the 1930's bedbug growth charts are up, up, and away unlike most 401K's.
If you even remotely suspect that you or a closely connected neighbor has bedbugs, my suggestion is to buy white linen. No, not the perfume, but white bed linen. Get rid of your fancy patterns and dark colors, just use white or off white bed sheets. Inspect them DAILY.
Bedbugs may not feed every night... but if you've been bitten, and then you see brown or reddish stains on the linen, that is not from a mosquito bite. Mosquitoes bite you and fly away. You have the start of a bedbug infestation. Call us, Connex Environmental, immediately. Do NOT try to do it yourself. This is one job that is best left to the pros, and we, at Connex Environmental, are those pros.
We answered the call, when other exterminators had no clue and were caught off guard by this scourge. Connex Environmental ran into buildings that were on fire with infestations when others were turning away bedbug customers for lack of fighting knowledge. In fact, don't be fooled by fancy gimmicks of bedbug sniffing dogs or freezing bedbugs. Dogs are sweet, trainable, obedient animals. But they can be trained to sit and you have no idea if that "sit" means you really have bedbugs or not, unless the human handler confirms the presence of bed bug with his own eyeballs.
And on some other city blogs it's been said that the handler takes the dog's sit for gospel and just begins treatment. You don't need a canine unit to know if you have bedbugs unless you feel like paying extra for the dog's prime rib dinner. Just a trained licensed human being. After all, when it's all paid and done, the dog won't do the extermination job, the person will. So, why pay for both? And the human gets is happy with a dirty water frank for dinner.
The ONLY place it would make ANY sense to use a bedbug canine unit would be in a hotel lobby or hospital where there's been a problem. Because of the high traffic of people coming and going daily, these places are in the path of the bedbug super highway. And if done wisely and discreetly, none of the guests would ever figure out that the cute little beagle was anything more than a mascot.
After you get your white bed linen, I strongly suggest you also contact us about a specially designed mattress protectors. These not only protect you and your family after a bug treatment. But these soft covers are also good for people, kids especially, with allergies.
Go here for more info:
http://www.nypestpro.com/safemattress.html
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Are you Practicing Safe Travel?
Everyone's no doubt heard of, and been educated on the subject of safe sex. Well now, we are in a new reality where travelers have to practice safe travel. And if you don't practice safe travel, you and yours will soon be suffering from a new social disorder called: Hemo-Sucking Nocturnal Nasties or more commonly known as HSNN. Don't try to google that, I just made it up. But remember you heard it hear first.
Instead, through some simple awareness measures on your part when you travel, you can greatly reduce the risk of picking up and spreading these nasty hitch hikers of the universe, these serial blood suckers.
Bedbugs don't travel very far on their own the way cockroaches and waterbugs do. Bedbugs hate day light, just like the tiny vampires they are. Bedbugs instinctively know how to attach, ride and hide. Even onto the finest designer luggage. The eggs have a stickiness that is their flight insurance. If you have bedbugs, guess what? You or a house guest brought them in to your home. In much the same way that a vampire can't enter a home without an invite, many people unknowingly bring home these unwanted pests especially after vacationing.
In apartment buildings, attached townhomes, hotels or motels, it is possible that bedbugs can travel from room to room, apartment to apartment, through small cracks in the walls and the floor. Especially, if a nearby neighbor has a problem and sets off one of those ineffective insect fog bombs, the bedbugs will scatter. And then the bedbugs will come back with a hungry vengeance but now you too will have an infestation if you happen live next door. Bedbugs can live up to a year or more with out food. The almost clear eggs are hard to detect unless a trained eye is looking for them. (Traditional vampires can't be seen in a mirror.)
Here's a very simple step to protect yourself when you travel or you have a house guest.
No, not garlic.
Plastic bags. Yes, simple trash bags. Think of it as a really super huge condom to ensure safe travel. Someone visits your home, put their luggage into a large bag immediately. After all, you don't know where there luggage's been. If you feel uncomfortable asking them to do this, tell them your dog had fleas and you don't want their stuff to get infected. And you just had your house sprayed and you're protecting their belongings. Yada, yada. Remember what George from Seinfield said.... "it's not you, it's me" strategy works perfectly in this situation.
Julia Child had the right idea when she said: "the first thing you do is put the chicken in last" When you are staying at a hotel the first thing you do is to hang up all your clothes in the closet. Don't put your clothing on the bed or in the dresser drawers. Bedbugs live in any furniture so until you do an inspection of the room, keep your possessions on high ground. Hang 'em high. But BEFORE you even unpack, inspect the bed and bedding first. Pull back the bed covers and check the mattress binding seams carefully. If there are any brown or red stains. get the heck out of Dodge. You will be slaughtered before sunrise. If it's late and you're too tired to find another hotel/motel request a room far away from the infected site. Do this in every place you stay. Even the finest hotels/motels have bedbug problems because their previous guests did not practice safe travel protocol.
Bedbugs and their eggs are everywhere and anywhere that people travel and move. They are in moving trucks, airport luggage machines and vehicles, taxi cab trunks, mattress delivery trucks, etc. Plastic bags are light weight and easy to use as a protection shield against these HSNN's.
Don't leave home without them.
Instead, through some simple awareness measures on your part when you travel, you can greatly reduce the risk of picking up and spreading these nasty hitch hikers of the universe, these serial blood suckers.
Bedbugs don't travel very far on their own the way cockroaches and waterbugs do. Bedbugs hate day light, just like the tiny vampires they are. Bedbugs instinctively know how to attach, ride and hide. Even onto the finest designer luggage. The eggs have a stickiness that is their flight insurance. If you have bedbugs, guess what? You or a house guest brought them in to your home. In much the same way that a vampire can't enter a home without an invite, many people unknowingly bring home these unwanted pests especially after vacationing.
In apartment buildings, attached townhomes, hotels or motels, it is possible that bedbugs can travel from room to room, apartment to apartment, through small cracks in the walls and the floor. Especially, if a nearby neighbor has a problem and sets off one of those ineffective insect fog bombs, the bedbugs will scatter. And then the bedbugs will come back with a hungry vengeance but now you too will have an infestation if you happen live next door. Bedbugs can live up to a year or more with out food. The almost clear eggs are hard to detect unless a trained eye is looking for them. (Traditional vampires can't be seen in a mirror.)
Here's a very simple step to protect yourself when you travel or you have a house guest.
No, not garlic.
Plastic bags. Yes, simple trash bags. Think of it as a really super huge condom to ensure safe travel. Someone visits your home, put their luggage into a large bag immediately. After all, you don't know where there luggage's been. If you feel uncomfortable asking them to do this, tell them your dog had fleas and you don't want their stuff to get infected. And you just had your house sprayed and you're protecting their belongings. Yada, yada. Remember what George from Seinfield said.... "it's not you, it's me" strategy works perfectly in this situation.
Julia Child had the right idea when she said: "the first thing you do is put the chicken in last" When you are staying at a hotel the first thing you do is to hang up all your clothes in the closet. Don't put your clothing on the bed or in the dresser drawers. Bedbugs live in any furniture so until you do an inspection of the room, keep your possessions on high ground. Hang 'em high. But BEFORE you even unpack, inspect the bed and bedding first. Pull back the bed covers and check the mattress binding seams carefully. If there are any brown or red stains. get the heck out of Dodge. You will be slaughtered before sunrise. If it's late and you're too tired to find another hotel/motel request a room far away from the infected site. Do this in every place you stay. Even the finest hotels/motels have bedbug problems because their previous guests did not practice safe travel protocol.
Bedbugs and their eggs are everywhere and anywhere that people travel and move. They are in moving trucks, airport luggage machines and vehicles, taxi cab trunks, mattress delivery trucks, etc. Plastic bags are light weight and easy to use as a protection shield against these HSNN's.
Don't leave home without them.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
BedBug Wargames
Listen and listen good. There's a reason why I am a professional exterminator and you're not. We may both hate bugs and where you may get lucky and kill a few, me and my CONNEX crew kill tens of thousands. Daily.
Now just as much as I appreciate a good referral from a satisfied customer, I have to tell you there is one ignorant action that many people are doing that is bringing more customers my way than I can shake a stick at....
to know what I'm talking about, just continue reading.
Some people resist the idea of spending the money to hire a professional because they think that they can do it themselves on the cheap. Well they got the cheap part right, for short term. But if anyone out there reading this thinks that one of those insecticide bombs is gonna save them from nightly bedbug feasting on their flesh, I can guarantee you they will cutting their finger nails very short so as to not scratch the skin off their limbs within a week of them setting off that fog bomb.
THEY DON'T WORK! This is what happens.... the bedbugs retreat, temporarily, and mostly to laugh at you.... maybe they go to your neighbors apartment if you live in a building.... only to feast on them....to grow strong.... but be assured: they'll be back. Even if you live in a private unattached home... they can quite down and wait for up to a year with out food (you). So what are you gonna do? Poison yourself, your family, and pets, weekly, for a year, setting off "cheap" fog bombs? At this point in time, method has become expensive not to mention ineffective. That which does not kill them, will only make them stronger.
You don't have the weapons to fight this plague. CONNEX has the big guns. We have the experience, we have the knowledge. We know what we are doing. We attack with a three level program...... steam, a proprietary blend of FDA approved chemicals.
Plus, if requested we can cover, zip and seal your mattress in a special protective case that not only protects against bedbugs finding that safe nook or cranny to hide in..... but this cover is removable, washable protects against dust mites allergies. Your mattress will actually be a safer, cleaner, better place to sleep for having us
visit your place.
Call and ask our CONNEX representative for more details.
Now just as much as I appreciate a good referral from a satisfied customer, I have to tell you there is one ignorant action that many people are doing that is bringing more customers my way than I can shake a stick at....
to know what I'm talking about, just continue reading.
Some people resist the idea of spending the money to hire a professional because they think that they can do it themselves on the cheap. Well they got the cheap part right, for short term. But if anyone out there reading this thinks that one of those insecticide bombs is gonna save them from nightly bedbug feasting on their flesh, I can guarantee you they will cutting their finger nails very short so as to not scratch the skin off their limbs within a week of them setting off that fog bomb.
THEY DON'T WORK! This is what happens.... the bedbugs retreat, temporarily, and mostly to laugh at you.... maybe they go to your neighbors apartment if you live in a building.... only to feast on them....to grow strong.... but be assured: they'll be back. Even if you live in a private unattached home... they can quite down and wait for up to a year with out food (you). So what are you gonna do? Poison yourself, your family, and pets, weekly, for a year, setting off "cheap" fog bombs? At this point in time, method has become expensive not to mention ineffective. That which does not kill them, will only make them stronger.
You don't have the weapons to fight this plague. CONNEX has the big guns. We have the experience, we have the knowledge. We know what we are doing. We attack with a three level program...... steam, a proprietary blend of FDA approved chemicals.
Plus, if requested we can cover, zip and seal your mattress in a special protective case that not only protects against bedbugs finding that safe nook or cranny to hide in..... but this cover is removable, washable protects against dust mites allergies. Your mattress will actually be a safer, cleaner, better place to sleep for having us
visit your place.
Call and ask our CONNEX representative for more details.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tips on protecting your home castle from home invasion of bedbugs Part I
New York City has been invaded. And as goes New York, so goes the nation. These ugly blood suckers are not only here in the Big Apple but they have hitched free rides by unsuspecting and unaware travelers spreading their generations out across the nation to many of the finest apartments, homes and hotels.
Major cities are affected the most but small towns, USA, are not spared either.
In fact, it has finally gotten so bad that the major news media outlets, such as Fox News, NBC, and even weekly local papers, such as the Queens Chronicle, are finally shouting it from the roof tops what has already become a living nightmare to many thousands of New Yorkers on a nightly basis.
There can be no doubt that these disgusting tiny vampires gained a huge beach head in their invasion because of two responses of ours as a society.... the first one is embarrassment, to admit the problem, to get help. The second is the "help" wasn't much help. DDT, the best chemical weapon we humans had to beat bedbug population down was outlawed awhile ago and many of the professional exterminators wouldn't even touch a bedbug problem up until a few short years ago. CONNEX Environmental was among the first to answer the call.
So, you may be wondering just how long can you escape from the clutches of such a nasty curse when they seem to be everywhere and closing in?
Well, I have some news that should have you sleeping better at night. If you follow these safety tips you should be able to reduce the odds immensely of your home or apartment ever getting invaded by this sleep destroying army of insects.
And if through no fault of your own, should you become one of the Big Apple bedbug statistics - you know you have a seasoned professional exterminator to come to your rescue: CONNEX Environmental. We are available 24/7. You can sleep safely at night knowing that CONNEX Environmental is on guard to defend your home from invasion whenever you need us. We have the solution to your bedbug problem. Call and ask us about our green solutions and people with allergies.
Since bedbug extermination is not a do-it yourself job -- here are some things you can do to protect yourself and your home:
#1 Never, never and I repeat never, bring home a mattress you found in the street. Or a chair. Or a bookcase. Or a (fill in the blank). You get the idea, no? Now to most people this sounds like common sense and you are saying to yourself that you would never do such a thing.... but there are hundreds, and thousands of people who think they just won the dumpster diving lottery when they see that almost brand new Sealy posture pedic kicked to the curb. It doesn't occur to them that it was thrown out for a reason. This includes ANY furniture. Bedbugs hide in wood joints too. New York has rich garbage, some of the richest on the planet.... much of it is tempting to drag home.... but please don't. Those innocent days are over.
#2 Never buy a mattress from someone who collects and recycles old mattresses then flips them, selling them as new. Do I need to explain this one after reading #1? If you see a neighbor bringing in a recycled mattress better educate them quickly or soon his/her bedbug problem will be yours, I can guarantee it. Especially if your live in an apartment building. The more neighbors you educate about where they buy their mattresses, the safer you will be.
#3 - Even when you buy a new mattress from a reputable mattress company or store.... if they pick up your old mattress well, guess what? They are picking up other people's old mattresses that very well may have been bedbug infested. And those mattresses go on their truck uncovered with bedbugs and bedbug eggs dripping all over the cab of the truck and your new mattress even though plastic covered comes into your home with some of them tiny bastards stuck on the new mattress covering or the delivery men's shoes or pants cuffs. Remember, all it takes is one determined bug or egg sack and your are infested. Buy only from stores that do NOT take away the old mattress. Gone are the days when removal of the old mattress is considered a buying perk.
#3 - When moving and using a moving truck, ask them how often they spray their trucks. If they look at you like they don't understand... get a moving quote from someone else. Insist on them doing a bug treatment before they pick up your stuff. Otherwise, seriously consider renting a U-Haul and get the cab sprayed by a professional. The peace of mind is worth it. You wouldn't sit on a public toilet seat would you? In most cases, ANY moving expenses are a tax write off... check with your accountant. If your employer is relocating you, chances are they won't mind picking up the tab if you explain why.
#4 - Have your new EMPTY home or apartment sprayed THOROUGHLY by a professional exterminator BEFORE you move in your things. If renting, your landlord should not have a problem providing this service. And unless you are buying a brand new home, never assume a home is clean of pests because it's been empty for a time. Bed bugs can live up to a year without feasting on flesh. Insist that it is bedbug treated which is different from other pest control measures.
A professional exterminator will see to it that your new home is free not only of night time creepy crawlies but of any other household vermin that love to live rent free and make our lives miserable.
Next up, tips on how to protect yourself when traveling
or when you have a house guest visit you.
Major cities are affected the most but small towns, USA, are not spared either.
In fact, it has finally gotten so bad that the major news media outlets, such as Fox News, NBC, and even weekly local papers, such as the Queens Chronicle, are finally shouting it from the roof tops what has already become a living nightmare to many thousands of New Yorkers on a nightly basis.
There can be no doubt that these disgusting tiny vampires gained a huge beach head in their invasion because of two responses of ours as a society.... the first one is embarrassment, to admit the problem, to get help. The second is the "help" wasn't much help. DDT, the best chemical weapon we humans had to beat bedbug population down was outlawed awhile ago and many of the professional exterminators wouldn't even touch a bedbug problem up until a few short years ago. CONNEX Environmental was among the first to answer the call.
So, you may be wondering just how long can you escape from the clutches of such a nasty curse when they seem to be everywhere and closing in?
Well, I have some news that should have you sleeping better at night. If you follow these safety tips you should be able to reduce the odds immensely of your home or apartment ever getting invaded by this sleep destroying army of insects.
And if through no fault of your own, should you become one of the Big Apple bedbug statistics - you know you have a seasoned professional exterminator to come to your rescue: CONNEX Environmental. We are available 24/7. You can sleep safely at night knowing that CONNEX Environmental is on guard to defend your home from invasion whenever you need us. We have the solution to your bedbug problem. Call and ask us about our green solutions and people with allergies.
Since bedbug extermination is not a do-it yourself job -- here are some things you can do to protect yourself and your home:
#1 Never, never and I repeat never, bring home a mattress you found in the street. Or a chair. Or a bookcase. Or a (fill in the blank). You get the idea, no? Now to most people this sounds like common sense and you are saying to yourself that you would never do such a thing.... but there are hundreds, and thousands of people who think they just won the dumpster diving lottery when they see that almost brand new Sealy posture pedic kicked to the curb. It doesn't occur to them that it was thrown out for a reason. This includes ANY furniture. Bedbugs hide in wood joints too. New York has rich garbage, some of the richest on the planet.... much of it is tempting to drag home.... but please don't. Those innocent days are over.
#2 Never buy a mattress from someone who collects and recycles old mattresses then flips them, selling them as new. Do I need to explain this one after reading #1? If you see a neighbor bringing in a recycled mattress better educate them quickly or soon his/her bedbug problem will be yours, I can guarantee it. Especially if your live in an apartment building. The more neighbors you educate about where they buy their mattresses, the safer you will be.
#3 - Even when you buy a new mattress from a reputable mattress company or store.... if they pick up your old mattress well, guess what? They are picking up other people's old mattresses that very well may have been bedbug infested. And those mattresses go on their truck uncovered with bedbugs and bedbug eggs dripping all over the cab of the truck and your new mattress even though plastic covered comes into your home with some of them tiny bastards stuck on the new mattress covering or the delivery men's shoes or pants cuffs. Remember, all it takes is one determined bug or egg sack and your are infested. Buy only from stores that do NOT take away the old mattress. Gone are the days when removal of the old mattress is considered a buying perk.
#3 - When moving and using a moving truck, ask them how often they spray their trucks. If they look at you like they don't understand... get a moving quote from someone else. Insist on them doing a bug treatment before they pick up your stuff. Otherwise, seriously consider renting a U-Haul and get the cab sprayed by a professional. The peace of mind is worth it. You wouldn't sit on a public toilet seat would you? In most cases, ANY moving expenses are a tax write off... check with your accountant. If your employer is relocating you, chances are they won't mind picking up the tab if you explain why.
#4 - Have your new EMPTY home or apartment sprayed THOROUGHLY by a professional exterminator BEFORE you move in your things. If renting, your landlord should not have a problem providing this service. And unless you are buying a brand new home, never assume a home is clean of pests because it's been empty for a time. Bed bugs can live up to a year without feasting on flesh. Insist that it is bedbug treated which is different from other pest control measures.
A professional exterminator will see to it that your new home is free not only of night time creepy crawlies but of any other household vermin that love to live rent free and make our lives miserable.
Next up, tips on how to protect yourself when traveling
or when you have a house guest visit you.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Why Fly Swatters Work
Q. - what's the last thing to go through a fly's brain just before it hits your car windshield?
A. - it's @sshole.
And that is why flies are known as the A-holes of the insect world. They are a major filthy pain in the ass whether they, or you, are indoors or outdoors. Flies can sense the opportunity of an open door or window in a heartbeat and zoom right into your home. They are also amazing escape artists.
So back to why fly swatters work -- they work because they are scientifically designed to work against the fly's natural defenses to be swatted. Forget the rolled up newspaper, that's for intimidating your dog when he messed up on your new wall to wall. Forget using your flip flop sandal or your baseball cap, that tiny high pitch noise is the little bugger laughing at you as it zeroes in on your ham sandwich as it's next landing zone.
The fly escapes swatting because it has to ability to sense the whoosh of in-coming air in it's general direction from whatever you may have in hand to smash it to smithereenies. And unless you are some sort of kung-fu master, you'll never catch one with your bare hands.
The simply ordinary fly swatter however, has holes or slots cut out of the swat head.
And this greatly reduces the air whoosh which the fly uses to calculate take off and escape. Still it does take some speed on your part because the little nasty bugger has eyes that see in every direction imaginable. But you can get good at this, you really can. I smashed four flies the other day before my morning coffee. Even my cats were impressed... they look at me like it's my job now to keep the vermin out of their litter box.
I have fly swatters strategically placed all around my home especially in the summer months. But some hardy flies will survive even in winter. I keep my eye on the target, wait for it to land, while reaching for the swatter and I try to come from the side instead of from the top.... oh, make sure you cover your drink if you have one near by.... and execute. Literally.
Many times when your make your hit, the fly does a screaming death flip and you never know where it may land.... so take precautions to cover or remove your food or drink, if possible.
Fly tape is also simply, cheap and works remarkable well. However, it is extremely ugly to have hanging in your home especially if you entertain a lot. Fly swatting is so much more satisfying and if you make a game of it, it can be fun.
It's much cheaper than chasing flies with your Buick and who knows, if you get good enough you may even be able to challenge Mr. Obama to a fly swatting contest.
Practice makes perfect -- check this out - before PETA has it removed:
http://majman.net/fly_loader.html
A. - it's @sshole.
And that is why flies are known as the A-holes of the insect world. They are a major filthy pain in the ass whether they, or you, are indoors or outdoors. Flies can sense the opportunity of an open door or window in a heartbeat and zoom right into your home. They are also amazing escape artists.
So back to why fly swatters work -- they work because they are scientifically designed to work against the fly's natural defenses to be swatted. Forget the rolled up newspaper, that's for intimidating your dog when he messed up on your new wall to wall. Forget using your flip flop sandal or your baseball cap, that tiny high pitch noise is the little bugger laughing at you as it zeroes in on your ham sandwich as it's next landing zone.
The fly escapes swatting because it has to ability to sense the whoosh of in-coming air in it's general direction from whatever you may have in hand to smash it to smithereenies. And unless you are some sort of kung-fu master, you'll never catch one with your bare hands.
The simply ordinary fly swatter however, has holes or slots cut out of the swat head.
And this greatly reduces the air whoosh which the fly uses to calculate take off and escape. Still it does take some speed on your part because the little nasty bugger has eyes that see in every direction imaginable. But you can get good at this, you really can. I smashed four flies the other day before my morning coffee. Even my cats were impressed... they look at me like it's my job now to keep the vermin out of their litter box.
I have fly swatters strategically placed all around my home especially in the summer months. But some hardy flies will survive even in winter. I keep my eye on the target, wait for it to land, while reaching for the swatter and I try to come from the side instead of from the top.... oh, make sure you cover your drink if you have one near by.... and execute. Literally.
Many times when your make your hit, the fly does a screaming death flip and you never know where it may land.... so take precautions to cover or remove your food or drink, if possible.
Fly tape is also simply, cheap and works remarkable well. However, it is extremely ugly to have hanging in your home especially if you entertain a lot. Fly swatting is so much more satisfying and if you make a game of it, it can be fun.
It's much cheaper than chasing flies with your Buick and who knows, if you get good enough you may even be able to challenge Mr. Obama to a fly swatting contest.
Practice makes perfect -- check this out - before PETA has it removed:
http://majman.net/fly_loader.html
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Kiss those annoying fruit flies goodbye....
....if you can get your hands on one of the tiny elusive buggers, that is.
Q. -How do you know when a fruit fly farted?
A. - it flies in a straight line.
What I am about to show you is a very cheap, extremely effective, yet simple-stupid, do-it-yourself way, of removing these mini "bastiches" from your home once and for all. Any one who would call a professional to exterminate such a simple bug would have the exterminator laughing all the way to the bank. Yet there is no reason for you to suffer these jerks in your home. This is one extermination you can do easily by yourself.
At first most people think, they have "a" fruit fly and that they are seeing the same one over and over again (as if they had police, fruit fly, facial recognition technology installed in their brain). They all look alike! It's how they sneak up on you and take over your home.
Also another myth heard frequently is "oh, it's just a harmless little fruit fly". Yeah, harmless until they grow into a thundering cloud formation in the middle of your living room blocking your view of American Idol.
Fruit flies are just as dirty and nasty as their larger cousin, the house fly, and carry many of the same disgusting germs. In fact, fruit flies are more versatile than the ordinary housefly when it comes to thriving in your home. Fruit flies will feast, reproduce and poop in sink drains amazingly without drowning, a trick the house fly hasn't mastered. Fruit flies especially love potted house plants, anything or any place that has decaying or moist organic material will attract it. So do yourself a favor and keep a lid on your garbage cans, especially the kitchen can. Besides, "covering your can" ;) makes for positive feng shui in the home -- and garbage is just plain ugly to look at. Also if you have a cat, it will thank you if you remove any solid "land mines" from the kitty litter box on a daily basis and you will be depriving a mess of fruit flies a happy hunting ground.
One more word on prevention: Unless Better Homes and Gardens is gonna do a photo shoot in your home, there is no real reason to keep a bowl of fresh fruit out in the open. This is how you got the hitchhikers home in the first place. They no doubt traveled in with you on that ripe bunch of bananas. If you want an colorful table arrangement, buy flowers. Just ditch them before they begin to rot. Keep fresh fruit under cover or in the fridge. Eat it quickly or ditch it as soon it begins to over-ripen.
Okay, so here's my secret sauce: you no doubt have these items in your home already and if you did have to go out and buy any of all of the ingredients it should cost you no more than three Obama! inflated dollars. You will need a few cheap small plastic containers. It can be a plastic or styrofoam drinking cup or an re-used salad bar container, an old yogurt cup, you get the idea, just rinsed out the container. Next, apple cider vinegar, the low cost store brand will do, save your fancy organic vinegar for your salad dressing. Let me be clear here, do not use white (or clear) vinegar. Next, liquid dish soap, any bargain brand will work. You could use beer in place of the vinegar but most people I know don't love their fruit flies that much. Put about an inch or two of the vinegar in the container(s), add just a drop or two of the liquid soap. That's it, yer done. And so are the little pests, so wave bye-bye. You'll be amazed how many you'll catch with this simple recipe, especially the first set up. Then wash, rinse, repeat. Don't let the containers dry out or you'll be offering organic material for any remainder flies to feast on. For this same reason, flush the spent liquid down the toilet bowl, not down the sink drain.
The soap is the real secret. Fruit flies have the ability to hover over and land on water without falling in, much like mosquitoes can, but the soap makes the water slippery and they slip in and drown. You don't need any fancy store bought or specially designed funnel containers. Do it just like I tell you here. Fruit flies reproduce approximately every 14 days. You should notice that you don't notice them in about a month. In 60 days, they're history.
Now you can enjoy that special bottle of wine without these uninvited guests taking a slurp. And feel free to snore with your mouth full opened without fear of a midnight fruit snack or twelve getting sucked down your gullet.
Next up, an almost similar trick to control backyard mosquitos so you can enjoy that backyard barbeque.
Q. -How do you know when a fruit fly farted?
A. - it flies in a straight line.
What I am about to show you is a very cheap, extremely effective, yet simple-stupid, do-it-yourself way, of removing these mini "bastiches" from your home once and for all. Any one who would call a professional to exterminate such a simple bug would have the exterminator laughing all the way to the bank. Yet there is no reason for you to suffer these jerks in your home. This is one extermination you can do easily by yourself.
At first most people think, they have "a" fruit fly and that they are seeing the same one over and over again (as if they had police, fruit fly, facial recognition technology installed in their brain). They all look alike! It's how they sneak up on you and take over your home.
Also another myth heard frequently is "oh, it's just a harmless little fruit fly". Yeah, harmless until they grow into a thundering cloud formation in the middle of your living room blocking your view of American Idol.
Fruit flies are just as dirty and nasty as their larger cousin, the house fly, and carry many of the same disgusting germs. In fact, fruit flies are more versatile than the ordinary housefly when it comes to thriving in your home. Fruit flies will feast, reproduce and poop in sink drains amazingly without drowning, a trick the house fly hasn't mastered. Fruit flies especially love potted house plants, anything or any place that has decaying or moist organic material will attract it. So do yourself a favor and keep a lid on your garbage cans, especially the kitchen can. Besides, "covering your can" ;) makes for positive feng shui in the home -- and garbage is just plain ugly to look at. Also if you have a cat, it will thank you if you remove any solid "land mines" from the kitty litter box on a daily basis and you will be depriving a mess of fruit flies a happy hunting ground.
One more word on prevention: Unless Better Homes and Gardens is gonna do a photo shoot in your home, there is no real reason to keep a bowl of fresh fruit out in the open. This is how you got the hitchhikers home in the first place. They no doubt traveled in with you on that ripe bunch of bananas. If you want an colorful table arrangement, buy flowers. Just ditch them before they begin to rot. Keep fresh fruit under cover or in the fridge. Eat it quickly or ditch it as soon it begins to over-ripen.
Okay, so here's my secret sauce: you no doubt have these items in your home already and if you did have to go out and buy any of all of the ingredients it should cost you no more than three Obama! inflated dollars. You will need a few cheap small plastic containers. It can be a plastic or styrofoam drinking cup or an re-used salad bar container, an old yogurt cup, you get the idea, just rinsed out the container. Next, apple cider vinegar, the low cost store brand will do, save your fancy organic vinegar for your salad dressing. Let me be clear here, do not use white (or clear) vinegar. Next, liquid dish soap, any bargain brand will work. You could use beer in place of the vinegar but most people I know don't love their fruit flies that much. Put about an inch or two of the vinegar in the container(s), add just a drop or two of the liquid soap. That's it, yer done. And so are the little pests, so wave bye-bye. You'll be amazed how many you'll catch with this simple recipe, especially the first set up. Then wash, rinse, repeat. Don't let the containers dry out or you'll be offering organic material for any remainder flies to feast on. For this same reason, flush the spent liquid down the toilet bowl, not down the sink drain.
The soap is the real secret. Fruit flies have the ability to hover over and land on water without falling in, much like mosquitoes can, but the soap makes the water slippery and they slip in and drown. You don't need any fancy store bought or specially designed funnel containers. Do it just like I tell you here. Fruit flies reproduce approximately every 14 days. You should notice that you don't notice them in about a month. In 60 days, they're history.
Now you can enjoy that special bottle of wine without these uninvited guests taking a slurp. And feel free to snore with your mouth full opened without fear of a midnight fruit snack or twelve getting sucked down your gullet.
Next up, an almost similar trick to control backyard mosquitos so you can enjoy that backyard barbeque.
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