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Oyster_Bob

Registered: 12/15/14
Posts: 119
Last seen: 9 years, 1 day
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Best Moat/Perimeter to keep out walking/crawling bugs/pests?
#21144168 - 01/19/15 01:33 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Greetings All,
So I think I will be doing my buckets outside (providing my test bucket goes well) - I am planning to do this outside in my screened patio. However while sitting out in the patio last night - I noticed some bugs are able to make it past the screen - the majority of which seem to be crawling bugs (Millipedes, Beatles, etc) traveling across the cement patio -- If I start doing a bucket or more a week - I am sure their appearances will go up as they just wont be passing through anymore...
So I was thinking of getting a screened tent and setting it up inside my screened patio to hopefully keep out the gnats/flying insects - but most screen tents don't include a method to connect flooring to keep things from crawling in - this led me to a "moat idea"
I could get a few washer trays: http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-30-in-x-32-in-x-2-in-Washer-Floor-Tray-PM7X1DS/202214668
- Fill them up with something that will kill or better yet deter (would prefer not having to clean up bloated bugs every week) and put the buckets on a raised platform (cinder blocks/wood blocks) to create islands in the crawling bugs lava pool.
I was thinking water softener salt at first - then remembered it will absorb moisture in the air and turn into a mess?....
Any suggestions for ideal deterrents?
Thanks!
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Stupendous-Yappi
Anomaly XB-311394


Registered: 09/23/13
Posts: 779
Loc: USA
Last seen: 1 day, 5 hours
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Re: Best Moat/Perimeter to keep out walking/crawling bugs/pests? [Re: Oyster_Bob]
#21144273 - 01/19/15 01:56 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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You could try diatomaceous earth.
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Oyster_Bob

Registered: 12/15/14
Posts: 119
Last seen: 9 years, 1 day
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Re: Best Moat/Perimeter to keep out walking/crawling bugs/pests? [Re: Stupendous-Yappi]
#21144328 - 01/19/15 02:03 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Thanks!
Thats a fairly cost effective one! I remember seeing it at the pool section at home depot -20lbs for $20 I think. The only downside is accidentally breathing it in - apparently quite bad for your lungs....Though nothing a respirator can't fix I guess :-)
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MrGiraffe

Registered: 04/04/14
Posts: 3,149
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Re: Best Moat/Perimeter to keep out walking/crawling bugs/pests? [Re: Oyster_Bob]
#21144558 - 01/19/15 02:43 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Plain old water with dish soap should do the trick. Regardless of what you use, you'll most likely be cleaning out the trays weekly to keep them from getting to nasty. The water will drown all of the crawlies.Im pretty sure DE will also draw moisture out of the air.
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Juiceh
Dabbing All Day



Registered: 09/25/12
Posts: 3,208
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Re: Best Moat/Perimeter to keep out walking/crawling bugs/pests? [Re: MrGiraffe]
#21144675 - 01/19/15 03:06 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Distilled vinegar moat? I dunno how effective that would be against the crawlers, but I know apple cider vinegar will attract and kill fungus gnats. So I imagine distilled vinegar would both repel and kill most bugs that attempt a passing.
A gallon of distilled vinegar is pretty cheap at walmart.
Do a few experiments and let us know how they work out!
Edited by Juiceh (01/19/15 03:11 PM)
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drake89
Mushroom Magnate



Registered: 06/26/11
Posts: 4,168
Loc: TN
Last seen: 5 years, 2 months
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Re: Best Moat/Perimeter to keep out walking/crawling bugs/pests? [Re: Juiceh]
#21144763 - 01/19/15 03:18 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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i hear copper is good for slugs
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Oyster_Bob

Registered: 12/15/14
Posts: 119
Last seen: 9 years, 1 day
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Re: Best Moat/Perimeter to keep out walking/crawling bugs/pests? [Re: drake89]
#21144932 - 01/19/15 03:51 PM (9 years, 3 months ago) |
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Thanks for the ideas!
Water+Soap, Vinegar, Copper Sulfate & DE all look like they are effective - may try them all...except maybe the vinegar - the smell of it kinda drives me crazy (in a bad way ;-))
Thanks again!
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