While we are ridding the nation’s attics of mice & rats, can anyone suggest a way to rid a basement of crickets that would be safe around a 22-month old and a couple of cats? I just moved over Labor Day weekend from NH to northern VA, and there’s a whole new bunch of critters down here, including these humongous crickets. I remember seeing them in the laundry area (probably damp) when I was little, and we were encouraged not to have them around because they ‘ate clothes’. I’ve noticed them outside in the grass, as well as inside in the basement (where MY clothes are!!) and I want them out o’here! Is there something I can do?
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When I first moved into my house about 20 years ago I had big cockroaches that every warm season would grow in numbers so much to be considered disgusting. I suffered with it yearly trying sprays, powders, bombs but every year they came back when the weather warmed again. One year about 10 ago I was walking through Home Depot and saw Boric Acid. The sign above the pile of containers of Boric Acid said it was safe and a good insecticide. I thought to my self, I’ve tried everything else, why not. So I put it everywhere I saw the roaches coming from, all the little hidey holes that they always seemed to come from. I didn’t see immediate results, the results took time. 10 years later I still don’t have roaches, nor any other creepy crawlers I used to see from time to time. That was the best stuff I’ve ever used. I put it everywhere I couldn’t go, every spot bugs like to hide. it’s the only place it needs to be. It effects all bugs nervous systems, not sure the actual effect, but the end effect if you try it is you won’t have bugs for years to come. iIf you’re unsure about it’s safety, look it up on Google. It never negatively effected me in any way and it has no smell. This link says it’s no more toxic than table salt. It’s a dry white grainy powder.
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You made me think (for a change). I googled boric acid and ants and here’s what came up on one site: “Ants: This past year have been on a rampage here in Fl, the insect capitol of the world. This homemade treatment has worked very well on both carpenter ants and pharaoh ants.
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of Boric Acid, 1 tsp of Sugar, 4 oz water, Cotton Balls.
Mix Boric Acid and Sugar in a bowl. This can be poured over a cotton wad in a small dish or bottle cap. Keep this from drying out for continued effectiveness. Place Cotton balls in path of Ants.” Well, I am now going to do this since the ants are giving me a problem. I’ll let you all know if it works. This is instead of a snake. :-)
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While ants are pests you don’t want in your home…the UP side is if you have them you know you don’t have termites!