These ugly bugs are in fact commonplace in many homes. Lucky for you we have found ways to prevent and kill them all naturally.
These images were captured by science photographer Steve Gschmeissner, 61, who uses electron microscopes which can magnify the creatures up to a million times.
Here DAVID DERBYSHIRE reveals the hidden world - and extraordinary habits - of our unwelcome guests...
Flour mite: Mainly a pest in flour mills and grain stores, they sometimes find their way into homes where they live in flour, grains or cheese and need humid conditions to survive. A single female lays 500 eggs or more - sometimes as many as 25 a day. Infected food has to be destroyed and dry food close by destroyed
How to prevent and kill flour mites naturally: Throw out all infected food, clean food area extremely well. Make sure to keep your food storage vented and room temperature. Consider trying real orange oil diluted to 1:10 ratio of orange oil to water (10% strength). Consider to spray it on shelves and such, and let it dry -- or wipe it off the surface instead, if you please. Bay leafs are also reported to work well.
Bluebottle maggot: The larvae of bluebottles hatch from eggs laid on dead animals and humans. They are used in medicine to clean wounds. Once placed in a wound, the 1cm-long maggots feed on dead tissue and leave healthy tissue untouched. Their saliva contains anti-bacterial chemicals which keep injuries sterile.
Short video on how to get rid of bluebottles:
Cat flea: One of the world's most common fleas, they bite and feed on people, but cannot breed on them. The 3mm-long bugs lay their oval shaped eggs on cat's fur, but the eggs dry and fall out, usually on the blanket or carpet when the cat sleeps. The larvae hide from light and feed on dried cat blood. Once the adult has emerged from a cocoon, it jumps on to a host within seconds. The life cycle takes 30 days
- Throw all of the pet bedding in the washing machine. This includes anything that the pets like to regularly lie or sleep on which isn't always intended to serve as pet bedding. If the bedding can go in the dryer, 15 or 20 minutes in a hot dryer will kill adults, larvae and eggs.
- Vacuum everywhere. You should especially do this in areas that don't get much exposure to sunlight (fleas like humid and cool spots), anywhere that you find dried blood and feces (flea debris), and upholstered furniture. Before vacuuming the carpets, sprinkle salt, Borax or baking soda throughout. Work it into the base of the carpet with a broom. Let it sit for a few hours; all of these powders will cause the flea eggs that are tucked deep into the carpet to dry out.
- Don't let your pets walk on the carpet during this time, since they might get some stuff on their paws and lick it off, causing them to get sick. If there's a chance the pet will walk on the carpet, use baking soda and be thorough when working it into the base of the carpet so it doesn't sit on the surface and get on your pet's paws. When the vacuum bag is full, seal it in a plastic trash bag and put it in a covered trash container, preferably outside. Otherwise, the little buggers can crawl out and make themselves cozy again.
- Get one or two dehumidifier(s) depending on the size of your room. A 4x4m room needs a 10L/Day dehumidifier (it removes 10L of water in the air per day). Apparently, fleas require 50% or higher relative humidity to live. Keep the humidity in your room under 50% for 2 days will kill adult fleas and larva, and stop flea eggs from hatching. You just need to vacuum the flea jerky and their eggs.
- Clean any outdoor areas where your pet might hang out. Trim lawns and weeds and expose any cool, moist dark spots (which fleas love) to sunlight, or keep your pet away from those spots.
- Give your pet a bath. Use any gentle shampoo. Wash the neck first so that the fleas don't jump up to the head during the bath. Be thorough because you'll probably see several fleas come off and float around in the water.
- Make your own herbal flea dip. Take two cups of fresh rosemary leaves and add them to two pints of water. Boil for thirty minutes. Strain the liquid, discard the leaves and mix it with up to a gallon of warm water. Pour this over your pet until saturated. Do not rinse off, but allow your pet to air dry. This is something to do on a hot day only. Also add 2 to 3 drops of the lemon mixture under your pet's collar to help keep fleas off.
- Use a flea comb. After your pet is dry, use a flea comb that is specifically designed to remove fleas in order to get rid of stubborn ones that remain. Use the brush all over their skin.
- Make a flea collar. Take the pet's collar or neckerchief and put on drops of Eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil , citronella, lavender, or geranium. This will need to be done weekly.
- Note: Do not use essential oils on cats! While cats are extremely sensitive to Eucalyptus and tea tree oils, a cat's ability to metabolize any essential oils inhaled, ingested or absorbed through skin is considered to be weak and there is always a risk of overloading a cat's system. With tea tree oil, be especially careful to use products with 1% or less of this essential oil. It can cause nausea, vomiting, lethargy and general weakness, and should be used with caution. With this oil, more is not better.
- Use yeast as a weapon. Supposedly, fleas don't like the taste of yeast. Buy some brewer's or nutritional yeast and rub it onto your pet's skin. You can also sprinkle a small amount onto their wet food and mix it in.
- Use Pennyroyal. This oil discourages fleas. Plant it around your house. Do not do this if your pets are prone to eating plants or if you have children around.
- Make a citrus spray. Slice a lemon thinly, add it to a pint of water and heat to a boiling point. Let it sit overnight and in the morning, spray it onto areas where you suspect fleas hang out (beware of staining) and rub it over your pet's fur. Don't soak, but rather dampen the fur. Do this once a month to combat fleas. Do not use a lot at first, and keep an eye out for signs of digestive discomfort in your pet.
- Set out soapy water. If fleas are a problem in a specific area of your yard or home, fill a aluminum pie pan with soapy water and set it out in the area (i.e.under a bed). The fleas are trapped on top of the water due to the tension of the surface of the water. Change the water daily until there are no more fleas. If you are placing the pie pan outside, empty daily to prevent mosquitoes.
- Repeat your cleaning regimen as often as possible. If you miss any areas where fleas are infesting, you don't want to give them the chance to multiply. Vacuum thoroughly every other day. Since fleas can develop resistance to insecticides, vacuuming regularly is essential in order to bring them under control. Mow the lawn regularly. Wash pet bedding in hot, soapy water at least once a week.
Red flour beetle: A 3mm-long agricultural pest that attacks stores of grain, cereal, pasta, biscuits and beans but which can also be found in larders and cupboards. Not thought to spread disease but can trigger allergies. They live for up to three years and lay hundreds of eggs in only a few months.
How to prevent the Red flour beetle naturally:
- If you're infested by Red Flour Beetles it may be discernable by a moldy flavor and pungent odor. Adult flour beetles may be on the surface of infested foods, deep inside the food material, or scurrying away when disturbed.
- Non-Chemical Control Effective as pesticides are, it is not reasonable to think they will achieve total elimination of Red flour beetles without any effort on your part. Practicing good sanitation and the non-chemical control techniques (eliminating conditions that favor product pests) can both speed the work of chemical control and prevent future infestations from returning.
- Remove dry pantry foods and bulk foods from original containers and store them instead in tight-fitting containers. (Pasta, cereal, flour- anything that comes in a paper or cardboard box)
- Clean pantry shelves regularly, as this will help to remove small bits of food that Red flour beetles need to survive.
- Never purchase a broken or damaged package. The chance of these being infested is greater than for perfectly sealed ones.
- Do not mix old and new lots of foodstuffs. If the old material is infested, the Red flour beetles will quickly invade the new.
- Clean old containers before filling them with fresh food. They may be contaminated and cause a new infestation.
- Keep storage units dry. This is important because moisture favors the development of Red flour beetles; dryness discourages them. *If you are unsure about an item being infested, test it: Place it in a plastic bag where you will be able to catch anything that emerges. If you find the pantry pest accumulating in the bag, you know the foodstuff is contaminated and needs to be discarded. To insure any item is pest free, store it in these clear bags for at least a month.
- Or try some natural Pantry Pest Traps, they represent the simplest and most effective solution for getting rid of Red flour beetles and other product pests in kitchens, pantries, bathrooms, warehouses, and food processing plants. Pantry Pest Traps are generally constructed of cardboard or paper lined on the inside with pheromone impregnated glue strip. The insect sex pheromones powerfully attract the Red flour beetles, luring them to the trap where they get stuck on the glue strip and are not able to escape. Benefits Easy To Use Non-Toxic No-Mess, No-Fuss Disposable
Silverfish: The primitive silverfish has remained unchanged for millions of years, making it a 'living fossil'. Around half an inch long, they are often spotted in sinks or bathroom cupboards. They eat book glue, paper, photos, sugar, coffee, hair, carpets and dandruff. And, astonishingly, can live for a year between meals!
Prevent and Kill Silverfish Naturally:
As always, the first step in getting rid of any type of insect pest is prevention. It is important to take steps to avoid getting silverfish in the first place. However, if you currently have a silver infestation, these preventative measures can help control them and to make sure that they do not come back. If you do not have silverfish taking these steps can ensure that you never have a problem with them. The first preventative measure that should be taken is to make sure that you get rid of the types of food that silverfish thrive on. This includes old books that are rotting, cardboard debris, press board debris, loose paper, and rough or scratched linens. If you absolutely must keep these items you need to make sure that they are kept in containers that are sealed. This can be a plastic bag or other type of air tight container. This reduces the risk of silverfish getting to it and without a food source they are most likely to move on. Next, silverfish love areas that are warm and moist. Make sure that you always clean up any spills and that there are no moist spots in the home. This includes areas such as the basement, laundry room, underneath the sink, and around pipes. Make sure any leaks in your plumbing are fixed. Finally, make sure that you check all of the cracks, drains and vents around the house. These areas should all be sealed so that any existing silverfish in the home cannot escape and no new ones can enter the home. This will also help keep other types of pests from entering the home as well. Step 2: Clean Home The next best way to get rid of silverfish is to make sure that your home is clean. You will want to make sure that the garbage is taken out on a regular basis and that there are not any areas in the home that have standing water. The area underneath your sink should be kept clean and dry. If you have a basement, make sure that all of the pipes are sealed and that there are no areas of warm water where the silverfish can thrive. Faucets should be clean and sealed as well as the areas around your bathtub and sinks.
Step 3: Plants There are several plants that have been known to help keep silverfish at bay. One of the best deterrents is Camphor. Camphor comes from the camphor tree and can be synthesised to use as an insecticide. Rosemary is another great deterrent for silverfish. Simply make sachets of fresh or dried rosemary and put them in places where the silverfish is present. They will run the other way, preferably out of your home for good. Costmary Sprigs are often referred to as bible leaves because they used to be used as a bookmark for bibles. The smell of the plant makes silverfish run away. Cucumber peels can also be strategically placed around the home to drive away silverfish. The strong odour of cucumber deters silverfish.
Step 4: Boric Acid There are several ways that boric acid works as a way to get rid of silverfish. Boric acid is extremely abrasive and silverfish have delicate exoskeletons. This means that if the silverfish gets boric acid on its skin it is most likely going to die. It is also harmful to the silverfish if they eat it. To use boric acid you will simply sprinkle it around the baseboards of the home and in areas where you have seen silverfish present. If the nasty pest comes near it, they will be poisoned either through ingestion or from getting it on their skin. Boric acid offers one of the best ways to kill these pesky insects. If you have pets it is best to try one of the plant methods to get rid of silverfish as boric acid can be harmful to your pet if they eat it.
House-dust mite: Feeding on human skin and crumbs of food, up to 10million can live in one mattress. The 0.4mm-long females live up to 70 days and lay up to 100 eggs. A single mite produces around 2,000 droppings and can trigger allergic reactions.
Ridding your home of dust mites (the green way).
- Wash your bedding once a week with hot water. While this is not energy efficient, cold water will not kill dust mites.
- Eucalyptus essential oils kill dust mites. Combine 2 cups of distilled water, 5 drops of organic liquid soap and 30 drops of eucalyptus essential oil, and spray it on your bed daily to keep the dust mites at bay.
- Keep the temperature in your room relatively cool. Dust mites prefer warmer climates.
- Add some plants to your bedroom. They regulate the level of humidity in the room, which in turn can help reduce dust mites.
- Purchase a dehumidifier. This will help regulate humidity which will make it less inhabitable for dust mites.
- Purchase an organic, natural latex mattress. These mattresses fight dust mites and are free of fire retardants and synthetic chemicals, which are sprayed on most traditional mattresses. These are about double the cost, but well worth it.
- Purchase all-natural, untreated organic dust mite pillow and mattress covers. They are a small investment, and can help eliminate dust mites from your bedding.
- Purchase an air mattress. Dust mites can’t inhabit this inexpensive bedding alternative.
- Carpet is a breeding ground for dust mites, and the best option is to eliminate it from your home altogether. If you can’t do this, vacuum with a HEPA filter.
- Dust with a damp cloth so it actually collects the dust mites instead of spreading them. Add a few drops of organic eucalyptus and wintergreen essential oils to the damp cloth to kill the dust mites while you collect them.
- Put items such as blankets, sheets, pillows and curtains in a plastic bag in the freezer for 48 hours. This will kill the dust mites. Make sure you wash these items after they have been in the freezer to ensure the residue from the mites is gone.
Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-and-Prevent-Flour-Mites
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Fleas-Naturally
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/how-to-get-rid-of-red-flour-beetles-a-267.html
http://bugzpestcontrol.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/5-ways-to-get-rid-of-silverfish-naturally-and-organically/
http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/allergies/indoor-allergies/eliminating-dust-mites1.htm
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