Lately I have been experimenting with organic pest control methods not only around the home but in my worm composting bins as well.
I have found that many state one or another type of organic pest control to use however most do not work. On the other hand I have used some organic and natural products with much success.
If you have an issue with mice or other rodents, hold off from buying baits, messy traps or even glue traps. First off baits which poison mice and rodents are also poisonous to humans, pets, water supplies…
The way most baits work is to basically dehydrate the rodent, hence making them go look for water. Many times the rodents become too weak or disillusioned and do not find themselves outdoors but rather stuck within the walls of your home. Once they begin to decay the odor is something you can do without!
The organic method for mice and rodent pest control that is truly amazing is peppermint oil. I am not referring to peppermint extract used in baking which is usually less than 1/10 of a percent of peppermint oil, but rather pure peppermint oil which can usually be found at health food stores.
I personally tried this on my own home earlier this summer. I began hearing some noises at night then noticed mice droppings. Locating the source, I found them in the crawl space and in the heating ducts.
I placed the peppermint oil on some cotton balls and placed them under the house in the crawl space as well as in some of the duct work. I proceeded to add some around in the rooms I had seen the droppings.
Literally within 24 hours the mice were gone and the house smelled great!
The reason that this organic pest control method is so effective is that the smell for one is too strong for many rodents and others such as mice are allergic to peppermint. After four months, we still have no further issues with rodents.
Another organic pest control method for many bugs including bedbugs which have made news of lately due to some large name stores finding them is freshwater, Diatomaceous Earth, food grade. Do NOT use the pool filter grade as this can be harmful to you and your pests.
Food grade Diatomaceous Earth is an amazing product which is mined from mother earth. There are various brand names, the two larger ones Perma-Guard and Celatom. After much research, I began using the Celatom AFA, Codex food grade Diatomaceous Earth since the published analysis of each show the Celatom is more pure than the Perma-Guard brand. The Celatom brand is also pH neutral while the Perm-Guard is alkaline, which is important for my worm bins.
As for what pests can be organically exterminated, Ants, fire ants, caterpillars, cut worms, army worms, fleas, ticks, cockroaches, snails, spiders, termites, scorpions, silverfish, lice, mites, flies, centipedes, earwigs, slugs, aphids, Japanese beetles (grub stage), bed bugs, fruit flies, corn earworm, cucumber beetles, corn borer, sting bugs, squash vine borers, etc.
The Diatomaceous Earth dehydrates these pests. By absorbing the sensitive moisture balance from the pest’s body and causing them to die hence this is not an immediate organic pest control however is very effective.
Being I live in a wooded area, the dogs easily pick up fleas and ticks. One of our dogs is sensitive to any chemicals for flea and tick treatments. I have not found any more fleas or ticks on the dogs as of lately.
I also use as a pest control in my worm bins, however dusting only when the worms are hunkered down in the bedding. You do NOT want to dust the worms directly. This works on a major summer time problem of fungus gnats and flies in the adult stage when applied directly on them. The larvae are usually too far below the service to be impacted directly. By controlling the adult population you can eliminate the problem. As an additional defense a strip of fly paper on the lid of the bin will assist in removing the adult population.
Here is a recommended source to buy Celatom AFA food grade Diatomaceous Earth
One problem remained in one of my worm farm bins was the invasion of a few crickets. Once they got in they could not escape due to the design of the overhanging edge around the top of the worm bin. The Diatomaceous Earth was either not effective or very slow to work on them. Hence I proceeded with plan two.
Now many folks use Dawn liquid dish detergent to make an insecticidal soap. Keep in mind Dawn and other dish liquids are detergents and not soap, hence can cause damage on plants…
I used 2 teaspoons of liquid Dawn to one gallon of water. Applied to the top of the worm bedding material, while the worms were burrowed down below the surface, worked well. The mixture will affect the worms if too much is applied, hence only a slight misting. The next morning the crickets were all dead.
I would recommend using an organic soap rather than the dawn detergent as it can be safer on worms and your plants.
Hope these organic pest control methods are helpful in your worm vermiculture as well as around your home, keeping both you and your pets safe!
Bruce
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just for your information! I own a health food store and not only is PEPPERMINT godd for mice, it is also excellent for ANTS> I have been meaning to ask if peppermint would KILL worms?
Thanks,
Cecil
Cecil
Thanks for the input.
As for worm bins, the peppermint oil puts off a strong aroma, hence I have not tried yet. I did try placing some cotton balls with peppermint oil in one building and all seemed to go well. The aroma in the building was strong, hence it maybe to strong to have it directly in the worm bin itself. Might have to give it a whirl
Bruce
How did you apply the Diatomaceous earth to your dogs, and how much did you use? Also, do I need to keep the dogs away from the kids for awhile after applying it?
Thanks,
Melissa
Melissa
The easiest way to apply to the dogs is to pour a little on the dog, making sure to keep out of their eyes as Diatomaceous Earth is a drying agent, and rub thoroughly into their coat. You may wish to wear gloves as to avoid drying your hands out. As for the kids, they are fine to be around the dogs… just allow the dogs to run around outside and rollover to get rid of most of the dust on the exterior of their fur. If the kids play with them, just have them wash their hands afterward s since it can dry the skin on their hands if allowed to sit.
As for myself, I just wash my hands after applying. Within an hour or so, I do not even worry about the excess dust and my hands are fine
Bruce
What is a good organic spider repellent? My garage looks like web central despite knocking them down regularly with a broom & shop vac
John
Spiders are usually around due to the availability of other insects which they help to control. To help eliminate the spiders, you will want to get rid of the other bugs too.
Place some of the peppermint oil on cotton balls and place around the garage. This will not kill the spiders but rather chase them off. Give it a number of days to a week.
Next use a broom or shop vac to knock down the cob webs.
Follow this with a dusting of the garage with the food grade diatomaceous earth.
By eliminating the spiders food source, you will keep the spiders down. As long as you keep a little peppermint oil going in the garage, you will keep the spiders, ants and rodents away
Bruce
One of the BEST ways I have found to get rid of spiders and webs is a mixture of 60% white vinegar and 40% coconut oil. Mix well and use as a spray on and around webbs and especially in corners. Works well in doors and out doors. Have to repeat after rain! Works really well!
I have put DE, don’t know the brand as it was broken down from a bigger bag and sold to me from an organic garden store, throughout the bedding and while it is affective it disappears after the worms eat it and the bedding then the bugs come back. I have switched to using AZAMAX, an organic Neem oil product, that seems to have cut down the amount of mites in the bin so far. I have been having problems with white bugs now that I assume are springtails. This product either keeps them from reproducing and or keeps them from feeding. It’s supposed to work on a number of bugs. It is mainly sold for the garden.
What about using Nematodes?
Thanks for all the tips. I hope I never have mice in my house, but if I do that peppermint oil tip seems like a good one. In my garden I’ve been using ladybugs as organic pest control because they eat aphids.
Marie
Yes ladybugs do a heck of a job in the garden, Fortunately I have plenty of them out there each year
Bruce
Chuck
Yes the worm will eat the Diatomaceous Earth, D.E. cannot stress enough it has to be food grade, however if you use any worm food such as Purina Worm Chow, you can mix some in at the rate of up to 2% before feeding to the worms. This gives the worm bin a continuous flow of the D.E. to assist in keeping the pest problems to a minimum.
I have tried the Neem oil in the past and noticed the worms ran from it probably due to the heavy citrus type of smell to it. I also noticed that the worms that came in contact with it ended up dying off within 24 to 48 hours.
I have not had a reason to try the Nematodes, however have heard good things about them being used in worm bins.
Bruce
Bruce,
I’m sorry that you’ve had a bad experience with the neem oil. The stuff that I use though (Azamax) doesn’t seem to do that. I haven’t seen any worms dying off yet and I’ve been using it for over a month now. This stuff is not straight Neem oit but a derivative or isolation of it. It’s not the same but very effective. It is helping to keep the mites on my tomato leaves under control as well. It has also helped to keep the stink bugs and grasshoppers under control plus it’s funny to set there and watch these grasshoppers and stinkbugs and crickets hanging around on the leaves but just sit there not eating because the their appetites are dead, then they die. Bye bye, so long see ya wouldn’t want to be ya.
That’s a good idea on the D.E. in the food though.
Chuck
Hi,
I’m new at the organic garden,and to Southern California. I have just found GRUBS in my Garden.. I have Red Wiggler Worms in that garden as well. How do I kill off the Grubs without killing off my Worms? I was told the Neem Oil, but after reading the above comments I think that may not be the right choice.
Any Advice??
Thanks a Bunch!
Renee
Renee
Most grubs live under the surface and eat below grade as well If by chance they are surfacing then you might try some food grade Diatomaceous Earth. If you are not seeing them on the surface of the ground you could purchase some Heterorhabditis bacteriophora nematodes online which is a natural predator.
I have recently discovered a bunch of tiny black ants in my worm bed, what would you suggest I do, the D.E. Am enjoying your website forwarded to me by a friend. Thanks P.S. did anyone ever comment about peppermint oil harming the red worms?
Dixie Peterson
Dixie
Yes you can dust the top of the worm beds and ants with the food grade Diatomacious Earth. Be sure not to apply to the worms if they are exposed on the surface. If they are on the surface, simply turn a light on for a little bit before applying.
As for the peppermint oil and worms, I do not recommend… I do recommend for rodents, especially mice as I wrote another “Organic Pest Control“.
Thanks
Bruce