Interior
Pests
It seems like annoying bugs are everywhere this time of year. Whether they're destroying plants in your garden, infesting your kitchen, or buzzing around your ears, you can deal with them once and for all, thanks to some ingenious products. Take a look at some of the most impressive solutions for banishing bugs from your property.
By Bob Vila Staff
Updated on Aug 11, 2023 12:08 AM EDT
0 minute read
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Portable Repellent
This pocket-size mosquito repeller provides a safe and simple way to give bugs the boot while you’re enjoying the great outdoors. The active chemical in the Thermacell Mosquito Repellent Device effectively masks the scent of humans, so biting insects like mosquitoes and black flies won’t be able to track you. The Thermacell protects a 225-square-foot area, andits handheld design makes it the perfect companion for hiking expeditions, fishing trips, camping, or backyard barbecues.Available on Amazon; $24.99.
Related:7 Camping Favorites Destined for Your Home
Larder Lockdown
Pantry moths aren’t just unwanted houseguests who help themselves to your food; they’re also bearers of bacteria and foodborne illness. If you spot signs of moths in your pantry, the first step is to toss spoiled food and scrub pantry surfaces clean. Unfortunately, that’s not always enough to stop the scourge for good. To eliminate a moth infestation, it pays to enlist reinforcements in the form of tried-and-true traps like Dr. Killigan’s Pantry Moth Traps. The pheromone-laced traps attract and destroy moths, and help keep foes out of your food.Available on
Amazon
; $14.97 for six traps.
Related: How to Get Rid of Pantry Moths
Light Duty
Chemical solutions can be highly effective, but indoors, for obvious health reasons, you’re much better off with something like theElectronic Insect Killer from Pure Enrichment. The lightweight device hangs easily in any room, and its sleek silhouette meshes well with modern decor. How does it work? First, it uses ultraviolet light to lure insects within a 860-square-foot radius. Next, it zaps with a 2,100-volt burst of electricity. If the thought of dead bugs makes you queasy, don’t worry—the removable collection tray makes cleanup a cinch.Available onAmazon; $39.99.
Pitch Perfect
Perhaps the most humane options available are pest repellers like the MaxMoxiethat emit powerful, penetrating ultrasonic waves. Instead of killing insects and rodents, such devices simply drive them away. You don’t hear anything at all, but for spiders, roaches, ants, mice, and more, the ultra-high-pitched sound makes your home a decidedly inhospitable place. It’s important to note that certain beloved household pets (cats, hamsters, guinea pigs) may be sensitive to the frequency output by uHome and similar units, but dogs don’t mind.Available onAmazon; $39.99 for a set of two.
Game, Set, Match
Everyone loves relaxing outdoors during the spring and summer months, but no one loves a swarm of flies, mosquitoes, or other winged pests that interrupt the party. Take back your backyard with anelectric flyswatter. Just activate it with the push of a button and then swing at the bugsto zap them on the spot. Safe for use indoors or out, this reasonably priced product will solve all your buggy problems. Available on Amazon; $24.90.
Related:8 Ways to Combat Garden Pests
An Exclusive Motel
Pest control doesn’t always require calling the exterminators. You can protect your home from the most pesky and destructive insects by enlisting an army of beneficial bugs. It all starts with encouraging the good guys to stick around, even in the off-season, by putting up an Insect Hotel. With “rooms” made from stacked pine, plywood, and bamboo, this hideaway opens its doors to pest controllers like ladybugs and earwigs, pollinators like the humble solitary bee, and even entertainers like butterflies. Even better? The mod, turquoise design looks pretty chic against your stylish exterior. Available at The Grommet; $49.95.
Related: The Good Guys—8 Beneficial Bugs for Your Garden
No More Troubled Waters
Worried that your backyard water feature has turned into a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes? Toss one of theseSummit Mosquito Dunks into your koi pond, fountain, birdbath, rain barrel, or other standing water, and replace every 30 days. These lifesaver-shaped pellets are harmless to beneficial insects, pets, birds, and fish, but lethal to any larvae within 100 square feet of the dissolvable round. Available on Amazon; $23.10.
Related: 10 Inventive Designs for a DIY Garden Fountain
Catch and Release
In the war against pests, it pays to have insect-eating allies, such as the humble house spider, on your side. Still, many homeowners would prefer not to encounter these beneficial bugs indoors. To rid your home of spiders without squashing them, there may be nothing better than a no-harm bug catcher. The gentle vacuum lets you pull in your eight-legged friends so you can deposit them safely outdoors, where you can continue to capitalize on their voracious appetite for winged insects, from a safe distance. Available on Amazon; $19.95.
Killer Light
Although traditional outdoor bug zappers can rid a backyard of pests in a hurry, these machines are not famous for their curb appeal. This solar-powered mosquito zapper is different, hiding in plain sight as an attractive garden light. The rechargeable lantern changes from walkway lighting to fly killer and back again with the simple flip of a switch. And it’s so stylish that you’ll have no qualms about displaying it in full view of the neighbors, even when it’s not in use. Available on Amazon; $48.99 for a set of four.
