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You don’t have to use pesticides in or around your home to control cockroaches. Pesticides can be hazardous in this time of the coronavirus as they can compromise your immune system and make you more vulnerable to catch a virus, including the coronavirus.

You can place a solution of 40 percent water, with 40 percent rubbing alcohol, and 20 percent liquid dish soap in problem areas to kill almost all insects, roaches included.

American cockroach

One of the most common form of roaches is the American cockroach. It is among the largest of the home-infesting roaches in the country. It feeds on a wide variety of plant and animal material and it is commonly found in sewer systems. It will come up the drains at night and enter the living space of a home. It also likes the homes that have crawl spaces under them. This roach will reach a little over 1 ½ inches in length and can be identified

Pest Tips

by its dark brown color and yellowish band behind its head.

One beneficial aspect of this cockroach is that it will feed on bed bugs. Of course, most people don’t want roaches in their bed feeding on the bed bugs that are feeding on the humans. Niban Bait is a very good commercial bait that works well on controlling these insects, which can fly unlike most roaches. You can also control them by putting out pie pans filled with beer, where they will drown. You can also put down duct tape, sticky side up, inside your home. They are attracted to the glue on the tape and will get stuck.

Oriental cockroach

Oriental cockroaches, or “waterbugs,” are found throughout the United States. They are about an inch long. The female is all black and the male has two brown wing tips, but it cannot fly. These roaches are common in sewer systems and

feed on almost anything edible and a lot of things we wouldn’t consider edible. They grow from egg to adult in as little as 45 days and, if left unchecked, can severely infest a home or business. When controlling German roaches, you should use German Roach Pheromone Traps or Niban Bait, both available online.

With mosquitos sure to come out more as monsoons hit New Mexico, here is a recipe for a very good mosquito repellent that you can make yourself in a 16-ounce bottle:

15 drops lavender oil 3-4 Tbsp. vanilla extract 1/4 cup lemon juice. Fill bottle with water. Shake.

Ready to use.

If you have any pest issues or you want to join my Earth Friendly Bug Club, you can contact me at

ANSWER TO #5142

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