|
|
|
|
|
 DigsBoards
 lounge
 buggers! (Page 1)
|
 UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! This topic is 8 pages long: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
next newest topic | next oldest topic |
| Author | Topic: buggers! |
|
giamaria Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 11:39 AM
   
Ok, I have some weird flies that have decided to take up residence in my sink drain. Any idea how to get rid of them? So gross. Maybe flush some bleach down there? IP: Logged |
|
BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 11:48 AM
Pet frog? Sorry, I have no idea. We keep having ants come in even though we've recaulked everything about 50 bazillion times. Ants live OUTSIDE! People live INSIDE! Why don't they understand? IP: Logged |
|
Dewgirl Housesitter |
posted 06-20-2002 11:59 AM
ugh, I get fruit flies all the time, and I don't understnnd why, because I keep my apartment clean (it's not like I have rotting food laying around or set my garbage out for days). They seem to really like one of my plants, I think they may have come in with it. *shudder* Since I can't seem to get rid of mine, I don't know that I can help with yours. But I thought I'd share. IP: Logged |
|
giamaria Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 11:59 AM
Ha. that's a good one. I may try to flush out the sink with some baking soda and vinegar tonight and see if that works. I hate bugs. IP: Logged |
|
giamaria Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 12:02 PM
quote: Fruitflies: take a little bit of wine (or other sweet alcoholic beverage) and put it out in a saucer/little cup. The flies will be drawn to into it, but get drunk and not be able to fly away. Viola. IP: Logged |
|
suzette Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 12:05 PM
I usually just vacuum fruit flies. Don't know what to tell you about your weird flies though. Maybe you should send a picture to Breana and she'll tell you how to kill them. IP: Logged |
|
Dewgirl Housesitter |
posted 06-20-2002 12:30 PM
quote: You can't be serious. I love it (am I the only one who feels guilty after killing a bug?) IP: Logged |
|
Lis Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 12:48 PM
Ha, that's funny, after a bug sighting yesterday I was almost prompted to post about the waterbug problem in Philly. Yuck. I saw them while I was staying in both New Mexico and Virginia (and all the time, the locals say, "They're not roaches, they're waterbugs"). Huge, black beetles that practically chase you down the sidewalk at night...and around now they pop up in homes too! Anybody know any remedies for them? We tried the roach motel thing in New Mexico, and it didn't seem to make a difference. I guess it's a trade-off; I never saw 'em at my parents' house. However, wolf spiders and silverfish were common there, and I've yet to see them in Philly. IP: Logged |
|
BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 12:51 PM
I don't know. Around here waterbugs are big, ugly, mean things that swim in water... I've never heard of them out of the water. IP: Logged |
|
naynay45 Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 01:23 PM
Hey Lis, where in VA did you live? Because I am NOT looking forward to being chased by some massive bug this summer... Oh, and Dewgirl, I rarely kill bugs, unless I have to. There have been occassions when I've seen a spider here or there in my apartment, and I figure, as long as he doesn't disturb me or my food, he can live. IP: Logged |
|
suzette Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 01:27 PM
FYI - It's bad luck to kill spiders.
IP: Logged |
|
breana Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 01:42 PM
First of all, just because I'm an entomologist doesn't mean I wasn't chased out of my own kitchen by a giant cockroach who was angry I had run out of Miracle Whip. Second, gia is totally dead on about the wine thing. Sweet substances will attract them, and if it's a wet sweet substance, they will drown in it. Otherwise, the onyl thing to do is to make sure that there is NO potential for egg-laying. Any food, soil, etc, is perfect for these critters to lay their eggs in, and by golly, they can make a LOT of babies. They only live about a week as adults, so if they can't find a place to procreate, they will die and your problem will be solved. Third, do not waste money on Raid. While it works like a dream, how could it kill a cockroach and not affect YOU? Hmmm? Do you reall ythink that spraying it in your kitchen is a good plan. Fortunately the Raid website has more tips on keeping pest problems to a minimum without pesticides. And roach bait? Don't get me started on that stuff. Roaches are not social and do not have friends. They will not take the roach bait back to their family. They are also very clean, and will not transmit the bait that way either. The only way the bait gets from one roach to another is through cannibalism. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a colony of ants marching off with my Snickers bar.... edited to say that if you're going to hit a roach with a shoe, or other heavy object, make sure you have good aim. If the roach survives, not only is it ticked off, but now it's got a weapon. [This message has been edited by breana (edited 06-20-2002).] IP: Logged |
|
BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 01:51 PM
quote: Yes! I am constantly getting on A's case for trying to kill a spider. You must either catch them and take them outdoors or leave them alone. Aside from luck, my mom always just taught us that spiders were "good bugs" because they ate the "bad bugs" (meaning the ones that ate her garden). IP: Logged |
|
giamaria Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 01:54 PM
Not bad for a Liberal Arts grad, eh, Breana? ha. They had an annual thing at my university (Purdue) called Bug Bowl that was big with the entemology people... IP: Logged |
|
BabyBug7301 Subletter |
posted 06-20-2002 02:04 PM
I think water bugs and palmettos are the same thing. Big super-ugly looking roach-beetle-monster things. I grew up in the FL Keys and they're really common outside there, but at least they don't make it in the house very often. (Thank GOD!) I don't know if tree roaches are the same, or if those are the littler ones. Hmm...it just occurred to me that my username is BabyBug and I'm writing about bugs. Fascinating. IP: Logged |
|
breana Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 02:05 PM
quote: Ack!! The Bug BOWL!!! I have totally heard of this!! I was so jealous cuz my university didn't have one! Oh my, I'd better go turn off my flashing nerd sign now.... IP: Logged |
|
suzette Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 02:07 PM
Breana - don't turn off that flashing nerd sign yet! Please tell us the difference between waterbugs, tree roaches and palmettos. IP: Logged |
|
yeefan Head of the House |
posted 06-20-2002 02:33 PM
Yes, spiders eat lots of insects, as BG mentioned, which is part of the reason we leave 'em alone in our house. Can I just say that we discovered we have a black widow spider in the garage (common around these parts)? Ginsu was very excited, and I figure since I now know where it is and can easily avoid it, I'm fine with leaving it be. IP: Logged |
|
BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 02:39 PM
quote: Eep! We have brown recluses in this area, and I am so much more terrified of them. I've convinced myself that if I ever encountered a black widow I'd probably see it first and be okay. But brown recluses are smaller and like to hide in dark places... like in the attic... where I go a lot. ***shudder*** I prefer to not be bitten by a brown recluse, thanks. On another note... I think tarantulas are really cool. I love when I spot one in the wild (although we don't really have them here; they were more of a south TX thing). I'm assuming you've got them in Arizona? IP: Logged |
|
dybbuk Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 03:55 PM
Palmettos or Waterbugs, I don't know what they're called, are very common here in Mississippi. The worst thing about them is that they fly.Imagine one flying into bed with you in the middle of the night. EWWW! IP: Logged |
|
lduds Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 04:38 PM
Aren't black widow spiders poisonous? IP: Logged |
|
sarah Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 07:04 PM
My mom's been bitten by a brown recluse on several occasions -- she was fine, of course, after a course of cortisone cream treatment. At least she knows how to spot a brown recluse bite now. Eep. IP: Logged |
|
fresheggs Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 07:45 PM
I had those same things flyin around my drain a few years ago. They were drain flies (go figure). Try pouring drano or bleach down the drain followed by boiling hot water. I can't remember how much I used, think it might have been half a big jug and a full kettle but then I did it again the next day just to be sure it worked. I also put the plug in after pouring the stuff down the drain and kept it there a day or so. Not quite sure what my thinking was on that one, guess I thought they'd suffocate if the other stuff didn't work  They didn't ever come back after that.
IP: Logged |
|
giamaria Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 07:50 PM
I can't believe you've heard of the Bug Bowl. That's so funny. Once in Mexico (mountains in Monterrey) I was up at the crack of dawn's arse (4am?) to catch a plane and I saw this spider on the path that was the size of my hand. It's a good thing I wasn't really awake or I would probably still be freaked out! IP: Logged |
|
bookworm Housemate |
posted 06-20-2002 11:32 PM
My mom got bitten by a brown recluse 15 years ago, and she still has a mark from it that's the diameter of a coffee mug. Make sure if you do happen to get bitten you get it treated, BG. My mom didn't, because she thought it was just a big nasty bruise . . . until it didn't go away. By that point, it was too late to do much about it. IP: Logged |
|
suzette Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 06:23 AM
A brown recluse bite will rot your skin, not a good fellow to mess with. Yeefan - Shouldn't you relocate the black widow? You don't want her having a million babies all over the garage. I found one in our house when I was in high school - they are extremely pretty. I gently took her to a new home way far away from the house. BG - There are lots of tarantulas in these parts - especially out in the country. IP: Logged |
|
BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 07:46 AM
quote: Yep, that's why they're scary.
quote: ***shudder*** The idea of them scared the crap out of me after I moved up here to the "north."
quote: Don't worry... I have the fear in me. I will run straight to the doctor.
quote: I miss the little guys! I saw a few here and there around the house I grew up in, but it seemed like almost everytime I went to South TX I saw one. My grandmother lived in Kingsville and there was always one crawling around the front of her house. She also had TONS of chameleons that would crawl all over her flowers and you could watch them change. Sorry, I'm diverging once again... Darn bugs in the house! Get out! (How's that for on topic?) Edited for numerous typos. [This message has been edited by BionicGirl (edited 06-21-2002).] IP: Logged |
|
suzette Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 08:21 AM
Speaking of South Texas creepie-crawlies. Many years ago, my Mom dragged me to a camping trip on Padre Island (on the Gulf Coast) and *made* me sleep in a tent. I think I spent the first night there, and ended up sleeping at a friend of the family's house in Corpus Christi. At the end of the weekend, we were packing up all the gear. We broke down my tent and the HUGEST centipede came scuttling out from underneath it. It was about six inches long with a green body and evil orange legs. It looked waxy and just awful. Ugh! It gives me the heebes just thinking about it. And folks wonder why I don't like camping... IP: Logged |
|
breana Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 08:22 AM
quote: Ah, the entomologist's nightmare, dum dum dummmmm COMMON NAMES *shriek!* I believe that the palmetto bugs of which you are speaking are actually the giant cockroach, a south american species that loves the southern states. It is very large, with white/clear wings, and can fly very well compared to other cockroaches. In Texas, N. Mexico, Arizona, etc, you have the Death's Head cockroach, another giant cockroach species that actually has an intersting skull pattern on it's carapace (bug helmet). Other cockroach species common in the US are the wood roach (currently infesting MY house) the german cockroach, the oriental cockroach, and the american cockroach. These do not typically fly well, so they prefer to run. They are built for running, and actually run on their back legs at full speed, like an airplane taking off. edited top make the second link jump to a page with scary cockroach sounds. Bwahahahaha! [This message has been edited by breana (edited 06-21-2002).] IP: Logged |
|
BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 08:27 AM
quote: Yes! That's them. They were always getting in our pool and scaring us to death. Mean little creeps, and they bite hard! IP: Logged |
|
suzette Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 10:09 AM
Thanks for the links Breana. Is anyone else creeped out by the fact that there are ROACH ENTHUSIASTS amongst us, touching our FOOD at the grocery stores? IP: Logged |
|
kellyrae Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 10:20 AM
Ok, this thread is totallllly giving me the heebie-jeebies. Yet I keep reading it. OK so I looked on that page of Roach Species, and my favorite part was under the "Rhinocerus Cockroach": "...this monster is still nearly as long as B.giganteus or Megaloblatta longipennis." Ok maybe the horn is getting to me too. AAAGHHHH! After reading all these gross bug stories I looked over and saw a spider crawling on my wall. I seriously jumped. He's going to live, though, because it's more stressful for me to kill him than to just leave him be. Edited to fix my verb tenses. [This message has been edited by kellyrae (edited 06-21-2002).] IP: Logged |
|
Epicurus Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 10:37 AM
Thanks, Breana! Actually, the bugs we call Palmetto Bugs in Florida look like the Death's Head Roach. They have darker carapaces and wings than the Giant Cave Roaches in the pictures you showed. Also, they are extremely difficult to kill. I remember the first week we lived in Florida one of those things started scurrying across our kitchen floor. Mom sprayed it with Raid and I swear it just stopped and laughed at her--then kept on scurrying. None of my older sisters would get within ten feet of it, but I (being a 7 year old boy) wanted to catch it--so I put a paper cup over it. The paper cup started moving across the floor. Before I could rope it and wrangle it, my oldest sister (the chemist) ran up with a bottle of Nair and said "This should do it." Guess what--it did it. My sister then launched in to a diatribe to which I barely paid attention about proteins being broken down or somethning like that. I was half bummed out that she killed my bug and half awestruck that my sisters were using stuff on their legs that could cause so formidable a beast to die in such an agonizing manner. IP: Logged |
|
Caterwaul Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 11:27 AM
*shudder* This is reminding me of the humongous roaches in Houston. I once walked into my bathroom to find three of them having a little party on the floor. I slammed the door and weighed my options. If I grabbed a shoe to pound them to death, I'd probably only get in a good hit to one of them, and the other two would take to the air, causing my heart to stop in its tracks and me to keel over, dead from horror (oh, I despise cockroaches!). Or I could leave them alone and hope they eventually get bored and leave. Problem being, of course, I had to pee. I'm quite proud of my solution: I grabbed my can of spray starch (for ironing), and sprayed the heck out of them. They started to make a run for it, but very quickly, the starch hardened, and they s-l-o-w---e------d down until they stopped entirely. I scooped the bastards up with a newspaper and flushed 'em down the toilet. Whew! IP: Logged |
|
breana Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 11:33 AM
She killed it with NAIR!!!!! Baahahahahahahahahahaaa!!! Oh my....oh....geez...I'm gonna have to share that with my fellow entmologists. Maybe we can present some research at the next ESA meetings. "Get bugs out of your hair, with Nair!" We had two B. gigantius in the hotel room with us in Kona, HI. To my best friend's credit, she simply said, "Bre, is that a cockroach?" Being from Michigan, she had never actually seen a cockroach. I said, "Why yes, there is another one." They were so large, we didn't want to step on them with our bare feet. So Steph jumped up, ran to the door, opened it, and literally whistled at them, like dogs. I laughed so hard I almost wasn't able to fling them out with our Blue Hawaii Tour pamphlet. Next time, I'll just dump some Nair on the suckers. [This message has been edited by breana (edited 06-21-2002).] IP: Logged |
|
mjo Housemate |
posted 06-21-2002 04:14 PM
I once saw on tv this lady who was an early martha stewart (can't remember her name) ANyhoo before you go to bed put a oven safe bowl with old fruit (the more smelly and rotten the better..... uhhhh yuk) close the oven door half way,like when you would broil something. In the morning close the door turn the oven on to 300 and bake the buggers. Then of course turn on the cleaner afterwards. I did it once and it worked great. And I had no more flies!! 
IP: Logged |
|
breana Housemate |
posted 06-22-2002 01:12 PM
Oh my gouda! That's somehting I'd never heard of before, mjo. Leave it to Martha Stewart to find hidden uses for pyrex. Woth a shot I suppose. A big huge-mongous roach was in my kitchen last night. Scare the crud out of my roommate (and as coked out as she is most of the time, it was a bad scene) and I tried to hit it with a shoe but missed. They're coming in under the dishwasher. There is a giant crack in the side of my house that's like the entrance to the RoachMotel. The wiggle under the dishwasher and dash across the kitchen floor. Stupid house. I can't wait to move! IP: Logged |
|
Jezabel Housesitter |
posted 06-22-2002 03:05 PM
quote: Yes!!!!!!!! Thank you for posting, it affirms my contention that Houston has the BIGGEST DAMN COCKROACHES IN THE WORLD! None of my family or friends believe me. The first time I saw one, right after I moved, I took a picture of it; I thought it was some sort of weird Chernobyl bug or something! IP: Logged |
|
nerdlife Housemate |
posted 06-22-2002 08:47 PM
I have the fly problem. But I think of it as more of a roomate problem. I even documented it here. Bleh. IP: Logged |
|
BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 06-23-2002 08:30 PM
quote: That reminds me... my best friend when I was growing up moved to the San Antonio area from Dallas when she was 4. Her mom used to always tell the stroy of when they first moved there and she and her older sister came shrieking in from the garage one day screaming, "There's a lobster in there! There's a lobster in there!" Turned out, it was a scorpion... hee. IP: Logged |
This topic is 8 pages long: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 All times are PT (US) | next newest topic | next oldest topic |
  |
|
Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47d