It Flies, It Dies

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PoolGate

PoolGate

Gold Supporter
TFP Guide
Jun 7, 2017
9,967
Damascus, MD
Pool Size
29000
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Salt Water Generator
SWG Type
Jandy Aquapure 1400
I am on my now seasonal "It flies, it dies" mission. I find if I spray every bug I see that flies we have a lot less of them during the season. mostly I am talking about carpenter bees and worst of all, hornets. A few wasps as well along with some yellow jackets. I'm getting pretty good with the raid can at 10 feet. I spritz and the hornets are down for the count but the carpenter bees need a few hits.

Anyone else use this bug control method?
 
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Yellow jackets. :mad::mad: If I could throw a hand grenade at them I would. Apparently that's frowned upon here. :( Assuming I don't unknowingly anger the nest first by not seeing it, I always go to my trusty can of wasp spray at with strong nozzle to freeze them up. Those wasps are my aerial nemesis.
 
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Don't we have this discussion every year?! heh heh... Actually this is the perfect time of the year to put out those Yellow Jacket traps.. and you will catch them before they make nests in your area!

Last year I made citronella oil Modelo-tov cocktail tiki torches... and ... they really work keeping the mosquitoes at bay! The beer bottles dupe them into thinking its free beer.
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Arizonarob said:
My flame thrower seems to do a good job! (And it’s a lot less noisy then the hand grenade Tex
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I use the the old fashioned spray can and lighter from time to time. Their wings go poof instantly and I really prefer my odds once they are just big mean ants. MUCH easier to squish by stepping on.
 
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We built a screened enclosure to new hurricane standards and for the few that make it in I never enter the pool unarmed:
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Permethrin 36% you can buy it online. Used by pest control pro's. Mix 3oz per gallon. I use a 40 gallon trash can and mix a batch and spray with a sump pump in the trash can-- connected to a garden hose and sprayer. I live in a heavy wooded area. No flying biting much of anything.. including ticks, and black ants, horse flies etc. Lasts for about 3 months.
 
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blakeusa said:
Permethrin 36% you can buy it online. Used by pest control pro's. Mix 3oz per gallon. I use a 40 gallon trash can and mix a batch and spray with a sump pump in the trash can-- connected to a garden hose and sprayer. I live in a heavy wooded area. No flying biting much of anything.. including ticks, and black ants, horse flies etc. Lasts for about 3 months.
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I have been dying to find something for ticks. Bought a house surrounded by national forest just over a year ago and they are BAD. Found after I bought it that at a certain zoom on google maps, the whole area is called "tick hollow". Accurate description.
 
I second the Permethrin, I use it at my place.
I also make sure that I get the underside of all my wood decks, and awning frame work to keep the carpenter bees at bay.
When mixed at different strengths, it can also be used as a dog dip.
Keep it away from cats though, as their systems can't handle it while it is still wet.
 
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I am allergic to bee stings, every year I have the underside of my deck sprayed, the wasps no longer want to go uder there and make there nests. The carpenter bees also go somewhere else now.

It will last the entire summer pool months and beyond. We also have all bushes and the exterior of my home sprayed at the same time. Well worth the $200.00.
 

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johnnysnok said:
the underside of my deck sprayed, the wasps no longer want to go uder there and make there nests.
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Do you have a professional company do th spraying or do you know what chemical is used?

My son-in-law is extremely allergic. He got stung at least 4 times last year with 3 trips to the ER last year, which results in a minimum 3 day stay. Assuming we will be able to have family over to use the pool this summer, I'd love to find something to help.
 
I have our local exterminator do the job, not sure of the chemicals they use. There is a large tank inside there truck and they have a 200' hose attached. It really works in my case, for years I couls not stop the wasps from building nests under the deck and constantly flying in and out between the deck boards.
 
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RonsPlc said:
I second the Permethrin, I use it at my place.
I also make sure that I get the underside of all my wood decks, and awning frame work to keep the carpenter bees at bay.
When mixed at different strengths, it can also be used as a dog dip.
Keep it away from cats though, as their systems can't handle it while it is still wet.
Click to expand...
Any precautions with dogs or kids? I have a wooden playhouse that the wasps and carpenter bees love. This sounds like a good solution. Is it safe for them to play after letting it dry 24 hours?
 
I ran out of "Wasp and Hornet" Raid so I tried the Ant and Roach Raid killer. Amazing it does absolutely nothing for Wasps! You'd think they would be similar but apparently not. I ordered a 3 pack of wasp and hornet.
 
Mosquitoes are what we always battle, never had many problems with wasps, but this is also the first year with a pool so I guess we'll see. I've been keeping an eye on the Dynatraps I first saw at Costco. Reviews were generally good, and we always tend to trust Costco products.

I saw the 1/2 acre version in the store a few weeks back and got one. While it's hard to say for sure, we haven't been bit by anything or noticed many bugs around. Considering it's now well into the 80s and 90s here most days I'd say it's working. We were being eaten alive last year, though having standing water in the gunnite shell for weeks as the pool was curing surely did not help.

A friend of our has a salt gun that provides endless entertainment for hunting down the flies. The boys all assure me it's highly effective, but I personally think they just like pretending they're Sam and Dean Winchester.
 
We do the mosquito eradicators here & they’ve helped alot. I put them out in late jan because i was getting bit! & i am just now seeing mosquitos again. Its time to replace them. Also we spray with Bifen IT it really works on the fleas, ticks & helps with mosquitoes. For the carpenter bees ? we use the tennis racquet method fast & furious in the beginning of spring- I think it makes a dent & its fun for the whole family ??
 
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