Spring has sprung so to speak, and so has the bug population.
The insect kingdom lays dormant through the winter but come spring they are out in full force, thriving in warmer weather.
Once again, the ants, spiders, crickets, beetles, earwigs and scorpions are here, and it's time once again to start laying a perimeter of insecticide around the house.
Usually around the middle of March, it's time to get out the garden hose and the sprayer attachment, my bug control tools.
This is an easy chore to take care of, although lots of folks pay to have this done.
But paying a bug exterminator could run into hundreds of dollars a year, and it's easy to set up an easy, effective bug perimeter for a fraction of that.
DIY Outside Bug Control Insecticides made by Bayer, Ortho and Spectracide are usually on sale this time of year.
So for around ten bucks, I can get down to Lowe's or Home Depot for some bugjuice, spray around my house and create a bug barrier, effectively keeping Mother Nature's little critters outdoors.
And the insecticide is easy to mix and apply; just follow the given instructions.
Basically, I spray around the whole house going about three feet up the sides, and out about three feet from the house.
To make my wife happy, I wear gloves and a breather mask to protect skin from contact and inhalation.
Bifenthrin is the active ingredient, so you should probably wear some protection, too.
The whole process takes about thirty minutes, including washing out your sprayer and putting your hose away.
DIY Inside Bug Control Now some insecticides like Ortho are safe for inside spraying, even coming with its own sprayer.
Walk the inside perimeter of your house, and spray a light coat along your baseboards.
I usually avoid the kitchen area, but concentrate on door thresholds and window sills.
Now with outside and inside sprayed, you've created a lethal barrier for any bug trying to get in your house.
And you've done it cheaply, effectively and easily.
The indoor/outdoor pre-mixed spray is a little more expensive, around fifteen bucks.
But it will last you through three to four applications, so to me it's worth it in the long run to buy it and use it.
DIY bug control saves you money Follow this simple procedure monthly and you'll have a near bug-free house.
I back off of this routine in November, when it starts to cool down, because bugs are only a big problem through spring and summer.
By spraying yourself, you will save yourself the cost of November - February monthly maintenance that is not needed, and pay a fraction of the cost of a regular exterminator.
One more bug control thing Since we're talking about bug control, I just wanted to forward this little tip on swatting flies.
For that occasional fly that gets in your house, did you know there is a way to swat that fly, and get him ten out of ten times? Just remember before implementing your manually operated insect exterminator (flyswatter), aim one inch behind the fly.
You see, they take off like little helicopters, with a backward motion.
You swat, they'll fly right into the kill zone every time, which is true do-it-yourself bug control.