Octang Frye

You need some radiation for that, I thought?

DeanUK2US

Just tested my ability to shoot a sticky web! It would appear not.

katybluewater

I live in Va too - and the bugs are gross. How safe is the spray that you use indoors - I want to spray my bedrooms, but am worried in case its harmful to us if we breathe it in. Any advice?

Octang Frye

It's pretty harmful to the bugs, apparently.

At one house in Atlanta, I unleashed more chemicals into the environment than Union Carbide and Dom Deluise combined.
Dozens of cans of Raid(TM). And the black cans, to boot.

Burn1911

This thread is only enhancing my love of the PNW!!!!!! keeping it cool and rainy and bugs at bay!

Ray

its mostly a nerve agent ... not good for humans

lets the kids try it first

Sally Redux

If you wish to live and thrive, let the spider run alive.

Bookem

I recently bought a one and a half gallon pump up pressurised sprayer from a harbor freight tools for about $10. I filled this with a gallon of bug killer that I bought at my local hardware store. I went right the way around the house liberally spraying the bug killer. A couple weeks later I did it again and I have really noticed far fewer bugs in the house.
Last year I did the same thing with one of those cheap hand operated pumps which by the time I got around the house really hurt my hand a lot. The pump up pressurized sprayer was worth every penny.
If you do this and still have trouble with bugs it might be time to call the Orkin man.

Hubcaps

On my trip there last week I was told one story how when the home owner brought in their newly cut down Xmas tree and how an enormous spider ran out of it in the house as soon as they got it in.
I'll be buying an artificial tree when I get there I think.

Burn1911

I expect that was the spider of Christmas's past

Ja5on

well since i can kinda ignore the spiders i guess i'll just leave the whole lot! since a few have moved back in i've noticed less flying things...i don't wanna screen it because i'm on the bottom floor of an apartment block and it leads straight out to the grass, which is nice for the puppy! i guess i'll just deal with it!

SDDep

Its yer english flesh...I have the same problem...I'm obviously way too tasty..

MandyNi

Made me laugh J., 'cause last time I was in Va. I was doing lots of gardening and told M. he'd have to educate me on what are good bugs -v- bad bugs. It's the mozzies and noseeum's that get me and I get big allergic rashes so spray etc. is essential.

Other than that, well I'm trying to learn to embrace the natural diversity. Cicadas are hella ugly but harmless, Fireflies pretty both by day and night, Praying Mantis(or is that Manti!?) are geeky and harmless, yellow/golden orbs ..... wow, some HUGE mega super spiders fascinate me but wouldn't want to get close. All new, different and interesting but luckily M. is a great bug hunter (his trick is use big wadge (wadge being a technical term) of packing take, creep up and pounce sticky to offending bug, squidge wadge, deposit in trash - his sticky wadge (no snickering Ray!!) method seems to keep the house bug free!!

celticgrid

Just a whimsical note regarding the relationship between bugs and children...

I bought a small (10 gall) aquarium tank, lined it with sphagnum moss and whacked in a selection of carnivorous plants. No longer do the kids see a bug in the house as a threat, but as food for [removed]. A bug is not so scary when you understand it is really just plant food!

Possible future bonus in that the purple pitcher is thriving and growing large and could possibly provide a solution to next door's cat....

Ja5on

I'm a massive girl when it comes to bugs, i run away screaming! even when i know they are harmless. we went on a lot of hikes when we first got into town and the biggest part for me to get over was having flies around me most of the day, and weird things in the grass making noise! are there any bugs in VA that are likely to harm me? other than wasps?