Non-Toxic Wasp Remover

Wasps can be helpful in the garden- they eat insects and also help pollinate. But, their stings hurt, so they can be a bit pesky if you have young children or anyone who is allergic to their stings.
My husband is allergic to wasp stings, so when I found a small wasp nest above our front door Easter weekend, I knew I needed to get it down ASAP.
Since it was so small, I figured I would just powerhose it off the house, and the wasps would leave and find somewhere else to build. No such luck. The nest washed off easily, but within an hour a new nest was already underway (in the same exact spot). So, I had to get wasp remover.
I have only removed wasps once before, in Montana, and just bought the wasp killer that our local hardware store had. It was a pesticide, probably very toxic, and who knows how much of it I inhaled.
I wondered if there was a less-toxic way to get rid of the wasps, with the same ease as the chemical spray (I know you can smoke them out, but that didn't seem like such a good idea right by our front door). I called our local nursery and easily found a peppermint-oil based spray. I wondered how effective it would be.
I waited until sunset (so the wasps would be in the nest), got out my headlamp, and sprayed the nest thoroughly. Within seconds, the nest had shriveled and the wasps along with it, and there have been no signs of them since.
I will say that I felt pretty guilty doing this. I don't like to purposely kill anything, even stinging insects. But, with Todd's allergy (and possibly the kids as well), it wasn't worth the risk to leave them. I am happy that I chose the peppermint oil spray and not the regular old toxic chemical spray. The natural version worked like a charm, didn't smell, and didn't make me feel like I was going to wake up with cancer. Two thumbs up!

A fellow blogger has since told me that if you paint the underside of your roof a pale blue that the wasps will never build a nest there to begin with.... but that is something I have yet to experiment with.

Do you have any great tips or tricks for getting rid of unwanted pests? Pin It Now!

Fleas? Oh Geez....

So, with 5 animals in our house, and in a climate that is very supportive of fleas, we are no strangers to these gross pests. But, for the past year or so, the fleas have seemed to leave us alone, and I forgot what a huge pain in the butt they are to deal with.
About 2 months ago, Moshi, our puppy, started to itch. And I mean itch. Really bad, non-stop, itching. We thought she was having an allergy to something she was eating. We decided it couldn't possibly be fleas, because the heart worm meds that our dogs take also prevent fleas from reproducing. So, while fleas may come in contact with them, they can't have babies and the population should be self limiting. Or so I thought.....
Eventually, after Moshi was so itchy that she had scabs on her back and her face was swelling, I brought her into the vet for help. Fleas, they told me. She has fleas. They found one on her. Only one. Hmmmm. So, my first question was how does one flea cause a reaction like this? Answer: an extreme flea allergy. Lovely. We have a dog that is extremely allergic to fleas. My second question was how is she having this reaction when she is on a flea preventative? Sadly, since we also have cats in our home, that we were not treating for fleas, they were acting as the reproductive hosts, and then the fleas could bounce back and forth from the dogs (but could only breed when on the cats). I was told that I would have to constantly treat all 5 animals with a flea medicine, otherwise Moshi would continue to have serious reactions to the few fleas that were in our environment. An hour and a couple hundred dollars later, I left the vet with a couple months worth of flea treatments for our zoo.
I was told that these spot-on topical treatments (we chose Advantage) were completely safe for our dogs, as well as for us. In fact, the vet said, some of the drug reps even come in here and lick this stuff to show us how safe it is. I thought that that sounded like a very stupid idea, and still thought the medicine posed some risks, but what else was I going to do? My dog was allergic to fleas. The vets assured me it was safe, gave me no warnings or precautions... how bad could it be?
We gave the animals the first round when I got home, the itching subsided, and everyone seemed happy. Well, today the animal's monthly dose of flea meds was due. Todd put it on the pets, we made dinner, and as we sat down to eat, we noticed a big "stain" on our leather couch. Upon closer inspection, that "satin" was really an area where the leather finish had been stripped away.... by the topical flea treatment after the dogs had laid down (see photo below).
This of course, freaked me out, and I ran to the computer. Yup, these treatments could act as solvents and strip away finishes.. if it was doing that to the couch, what is it doing to the skin on my animals? Further research suggested that these flea treatments are in fact not benign, like I was told, but full of potentially dangerous chemicals that could harm my pets or the people in my house!
So, I spent the next half hour or so researching some completely natural methods or keeping the fleas out of house... without any toxins. I thought I would share what I found here.

1. Use herbs to repel fleas. Fill a squirt bottle with essential oils of clove, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, cedar, or citronella (or your favorite combination) and spray pet with it every week or so to keep fleas away.
2. Bath animals regularly. For dogs, rinse with water that has been steeped overnight with lemons to repel fleas. I heard cat's skin was too sensitive for this.
3. Add brewers yeast and garlic to their food to repel fleas
4. Add zinc (10 mg for cats and 20 mg for dogs) to their food daily
5. Keep the house clean! Vacuum the floors and furniture and then empty vacuum bag outside into trash. If you leave it in the vacuum, or dump it in the inside trash, any eggs could hatch and re-infect the house. Wash all pet bedding and dry on hot cycle in dryer on regular basis.
6. Use diatemaceous earth. This is basically small pieces of silica that will kill fleas without being harmful to pets or kids, even if swallowed. You can sprinkle it around house, especially into cracks, sprinkle onto pet bedding, and even rub into your pet's fur.

I am ready to stop using these chemicals and try some natural methods for keeping the fleas away. Do you have pets? Do you have to treat for fleas in your area? If so, how do you do it? Do you have any great natural remedies to share?

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Vanishing of the Bees: A Review

I had a chance to watch Vanishing of the Bees over the weekend, and I loved it. I have read and seen quite a bit on Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), but this film does a great job of putting it all together, and is the best I have seen on the subject as of yet. I am planning on showing it to my environmental science class next term.
The film goes into some details on what CCD is and how it has affected our agricultural system. Then the film dives into possible reasons behind this mysterious disorder.. and why most of them are likely not valid. The reason that the movie suggest to be the likely culprit is pesticides. But not the spray-on pesticides that have been used for generations. Instead, the problem is likely the new systemic pesticides which work from inside the plant.
These pesticides are not killing the bees on contact. And, in fact, that is what is so mysterious about this disorder. Very few dead bees are actually discovered. So, it's not like the fields were sprayed with pesticides which instantly killed many bees. That would be obvious. Instead, these bees are visiting plants with sub-lethal doses of systemic pesticides in them and bringing pollen (with systemic pesticides in it) back to the hive to feed the brood. The results are not immediate, but instead start to appear about 6 months later (during the winter), when the hive is relying on this stored pollen as its food source.
So it is not the pesticides that kill the bees directly. Instead, it is thought that these chemicals weaken their immune system and make them more susceptible to viruses, limited genetic variation or other problems that have been labeled as potential causes of CCD. The overall collapse of a hive may take several generations, which is why it is so difficult to show a precise link between these pesticides and bee deaths.
France had their own version of CCD happen there about 10 years ago, and after eventually figuring that it was linked to systemic pesticides, they were banned throughout the country and are now banned throughout many parts of Europe. Yet we are still using them in the US. With a vengeance.
The US follows an "innocent until proven guilty" method, where chemicals are usually approved for use unless it can be shown that they are dangerous. The problem with this is that the way this is regulated is that the EPA requires chemical companies to do their own tests to determine chemical safety. Hmmm, sounds fishy, right? So, if the pesticide company says it is safe, then it must be? Bayer, one of the makers of systemic pesticides, did test these chemicals on bees. But, they gave them high doses and watched them for 3 days. When they found no bee deaths, they deemed the pesticides to be safe. We now know that CCD happens over a longer period of time, and that it affects multiple generations (not just the bees who ingest the affected pollen). But Bayer says that they don't need to test that because no one is requiring them to. It's a crazy world that we live in.
To me, the most depressing aspect of all of this is that if bees that come into contact with systemic pesticides are seeing their entire civilizations die off within a generation or two, what is going to happen to the humans who are ingesting food with systemic pesticides? Are our children never going to be able to have children because of the affects of these chemicals? I think that we should take this as a warning. If the bees are suffering tremendous consequences from these systemic pesticides, don't you think we will as well? It may take a generation or two, which for humans is many many years, but if we wait that long to fix the problem, it will likely be too late. Let's save the bees and save ourselves. Pin It Now!

Dangers of Pesticides

A recent study has linked pesticides to ADHD in children... one more reason to support organic farming!

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How Important is Organic?

We have all heard the hype about eating organic, but how important is it really?
As more and more evidence is starting to show: it is pretty important. The pesticides and chemical fertilizers used to produce conventional (non-organic) produce have been shown to cause damage to both the environment and human health. These potent chemicals can harm insects and wild animals that use farmland (including birds and insects that help to pollinate the farm fields!). After heavy rains, these chemicals runoff of agricultural areas and eventually end up in our rivers and lakes where they can affect aquatic life, vegetation and wildlife hundreds of miles from where they were applied. Not to mention the fact that we often get our drinking water from these same sources that we have polluted with agricultural chemicals! Farm workers (who are often overworked and underpaid) come into close contact with these chemicals on a consistent basis, putting their safety in jeopardy for the sake of the farm's success. Last (but certainly not least) both pesticides and chemical fertilizers are petroleum-based, meaning that it requires fossil fuels (think oil, people) to make them. This only tightens our dependence on countries in the middle-east and furthers an addiction to an energy source that is on the decline.
Now let's talk about the effects on human health. Pesticides have been linked to headaches, nausea, birth defects, cancer, hormone problems and probably a whole lot of problems that are not yet directly linked to their use. The effects are more severe in babies and young children who consume more food per body weight than adults, and whose body's are still forming and therefore more susceptible to toxins.
That said, the economy is in the pooper and families are already struggling to support themselves and eating organic is not necessarily in the budget. However, some foods more readily absorb pesticides and chemicals than others, so some foods are much more crucial to consume from organic sources while other foods are less harmful when grown on a conventional farm. Here is "the list", which is also available from the Environmental Working Group.

The Dirty Dozen (Buy these organic whenever possible!):
1. peach
2. apple
3. bell pepper
4. celery
5. nectarine
6. strawberries
7. cherries
8. kale
9. lettuce
10. imported grapes
11. carrot
12. pear

The Clean 15 (these tend to hold the least pesticide residue):
1. onion
2. avocado
3. sweet corn
4. pineapple
5. mango
6. asparagus
7. sweet peas
8. kiwi
9. cabbage
10. eggplant
11. papaya
12. watermelon
13. broccoli
14. tomato
15. sweet potato

Now that you know which items are more crucial to buy organic, you can budget your grocery money to include organic items from the dirty dozen. And, of course, if you have access and the budget to buy all of your produce organically... even better! You are not only keeping pesticides out of your body, but you are keeping them out of the environment, away from the farm workers and you are supporting the organic movement.
If your budget does not allow to purchase any items organically, please know that it is better to eat conventional produce than to eat none at all. Remember to wash conventional produce well to remove as many pesticide residues as possible and talk to your local produce department. Many items may not be labeled as organic but may at least be unsprayed (no pesticides used). Pin It Now!

Say NO to Pesticides!

Pesticides are routinely used without second thought to rid homes and yards of unwanted pests. However, pesticides can cause dangerous health effects including cancer, asthma, developmental disabilities and birth defects, and these dangers are even more pronounced when the exposure is by children. Children are still developing both physically and mentally, and exposure to pesticides, or any chemicals, during this sensitive time can cause long-term damage-- even at very low exposure levels. Not to mention the environmental havoc that is wreaked by pesticides entering waterways and natural areas.
So, think twice before spraying your garden and yard with harmful chemicals. Do some internet research and figure out ways to rid your yard of unwanted pests in more natural ways. I was having some serious battles with slugs earlier this summer, but after baiting them with beer and hunting them out of my strawberry patch, we have come to a slug level that I can tolerate. I think that some small amounts of plant loss are OK... I don't mind sharing a few of my strawberries... I just want most of them for myself.
In order to reduce temptations for swarms of pests, plant a whole variety of different things in your yard and don't plant huge blocks of space with the same plants. Mix it up! Confuse those bugs! Also, rotate your garden crops and don't grow the same things in the same spots year after year... that is just asking for trouble.
Yes, ridding your pests in organic ways may not be as easy and may take some more time. And yes, you may still see an ant or two around the house or a snail in your garden, but I believe that is a small price to pay to insure that you and your children are not being poisoned! Plus, kids usually think that bugs are totally cool, so the bugs in your yard can be a great learning opportunity for your budding naturalist!
Furthermore, remember that many bugs are good bugs and do important chores in your yard (like pollinating (bees) and eating the bad bugs (spiders)). If you spray pesticides, you not only get rid of the bugs you don't want, but you will lose the ones you do want as well! So keep your home and yard kid-healthy and chemical-free and let the good bugs take up residence in your yard.
AND.. what about your child's school where they spend so much of their time away from home? Contact the school and find out how they treat unwanted 'guests' both inside the school and out. If toxic chemicals are used, spread the word, gain some community support and petition against the use of chemicals in schools. If you live in Oregon you can contact Oregon Toxic Alliance. They recently helped to pass a bill that requires the use of Integrated Pest Management techniques in schools, which will greatly reduce the amount of pesticides and toxic chemicals that children are exposed to. If you live outside of Oregon, see if your state has a similar organization.
Children expect us to look after their best interests-- so is it really fair to expose them to chemicals that could have long term effects on their health? Let's keep our kids safe and just say no to pesticides! Pin It Now!