Getting rid of indoor insect pests involves two steps: Destroying the ones that have taken up residence and preventing new ones from entering. Use caution when dealing with indoor pest controls. Always be sure the product you choose is intended for indoor use.

Black ants, crickets, carpet beetles and roaches are just a few of the insects that can invade your home. The key to controlling these pests is to apply the pest control where the insects reside and where they are entering the home. Ants are attracted to sweets, starches, fats and grains and are typically found in the kitchen. Crickets prefer warm, dark areas.

Ant Killer and Home Insect Control are two methods of dealing with indoor pests. Ant Killer is available in a dust and a ready-to-use liquid form. Apply the dust lightly and uniformly in localized areas where the offending insects are residing. Apply also around doors, windows, cracks and any other areas where insects may be entering the house. When treating for fleas, apply Ant Killer to the pet's bedding, but don't apply it to your pet. Be sure to replace the infested bedding with fresh, clean bedding after treatment.

Home Insect Control is a ready-to-use liquid that kills insects on contact and keeps on working with residual action. It has a low odor and is non-flammable, making it ideal for indoor use. In addition, it can be used outdoors.

It's also important to protect your home on the outside. Treat the area along the foundation of the house with Diazinon. Spread it according to directions and it will keep insects from entering the house. It's available in several sizes.

Finally, always remember that even though these products are safe for indoor use, never use them around human food or drink. Remove pet food and water bowls and cover fish aquariums before treating. And always thoroughly wash any eating utensils that have come in contact with a home pest control product.

Garden Insect Control

There are a host of insect pests that can attack garden plants. From aphids and thrips to beetles and caterpillars. Their feeding can ruin or destroy a plant..

Chewing insects, like caterpillars and beetles, may be controlled with a contact pest control; liquid Sevin, Malathion, or Diazinon for example. They also control aphids and a few other sucking insects.

Liquid Sevin is a concentrate designed to control many different insects as they feed on roses and a wide range of ornamentals and food crops. When treating insect problems on vegetables, you can apply liquid Sevin up to the day of harvest in many cases. Refer to the product label for details. Sevin is also available in a dust.

Malathion and Diazinon are multi-purpose insect controls that have been used successfully by gardeners for many years. They may be used also around building foundations for effective control of fleas, ants and many other home-invaders.

All three products are liquid concentrates and may be applied with a hose-end or tank sprayer. As with all pest controls, follow labels directions carefully. Check plants regularly and treat them when insects first appear. Treat all exposed parts of plants, especially the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves.

Thrips, scales, other sucking insects and spider mites are more difficult to control. A systemic insect control such as a rose / floral treatment will provide protection and control for up to 6 weeks. It may be used on roses and a variety of ornamental plants, but should not be used on any food crops.

Ladybugs are among the most highly beneficial of all the insects that visit your garden. Both adults and larvae consume copious quantities of aphids, mealybugs, mites (some types), and several other harmful insects. A single ladybug can eat up to 400 aphids per month! Why not therefore invite these helpful "serial killers" into your garden by growing their favorite plants, such as fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), milfoil yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)?

EARLY CATERPILLAR PREVENTION
As spring approaches, you can almost certainly count on the appearance of tent caterpillars in your apple, crabapple, and cherry trees. You know the ones--they build those cottony webs in the forks of trees, and they can do some serious damage to your tender new foliage. If you wait until the webs appear, you can scrape the occupants into kerosene or alcohol (at night is best, when they're sure to be home--no, seriously!). But here's an even better strategy:  Start now, looking for black egg masses on the smaller branches of your trees. If you scrape them off at this point, you won't have to deal with the defoliating caterpillars later.