Spring is here…and so are pests at the cabin!  With the warm weather comes the revival of unwanted pests at the log cabin.  So how do you avoid being a meal without using chemicals?     Here are a few tips for protecting people, pets and the garden without pesticides.

Pests at the Cabin…How to Repel them

Anti-Ant

Ants don’t like to walk through chalk.  Simply draw a line at entry points.  Or crush chalk and create a safety perimeter around plants.  Regular chalk used by kids will do the trick.  Cinnamon should work also.

Build a Bat House

Since bats like to eat mosquitoes, why not make your cabin more attractive to these winged pests at the cabin - batsmammals.  Bats can eat thousands of mosquitoes in a single night.  Building a bat house and attracting bats to live near your cabin can put a dent in the mosquito population!

Cedar

Natural cedar is a great way to keep moths away.  Since moths have a natural aversion to cedar, you can buy cedar blocks or shavings and place them in closets and drawers to keep them from chewing through clothes and other fabrics.

Dryer Sheets

Put a dryer sheet in your pocket before heading outside to repel insects.  The science behind it is that the fragrances used (which are naturally found in lavender, basil and citronella) are toxic and repellent to some insects.  As an added bonus, you’ll smell fresh!

Eucalyptus Oil

Australian Aborigines have used eucalyptus oil to relieve the itch of insect bites and other ailments for centuries.  It can also be used as an ingredient in natural insect repellents.

pests at the cabin - grill rosemaryFight Back While Grilling

If you’re using the barbecue, throw a bit of sage or rosemary on the coals to repel mosquitoes.

Garlic

An effective natural bug repellent, mix one part garlic juice with 5 parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to 5 – 6 hours. Strips of cotton cloth can also be dipped in this mixture and hung in areas, such as patios, as a localized deterrent.  Of course the garlic might repel a potential date also.

Herbal Sachets

To repel flies, place sachets made from small squares of cheesecloth and filled with crushed mint, bay leaf, clove or eucalyptus around the house.  Read our blog on herb gardening to grow your own!

Inspect

Look around your log cabin for entry points. Seal cracks in the foundation and close gaps in windows and beneath doorways.  Patch tears in screens.

How do you get rid of pests at the cabin?