?…ask the Bugman
All Creatures Great and Small
Pest exclusion
This is what you need to do to keep pests and pesticides out of your home. The most effective part of pest control is exclusion. Here is how to pest proof your house. The purpose of pest-proofing your home is to help keep cockroaches, ants, scorpions, centipedes, spiders, rodents and other pests out. It will … Continue reading
Bites and Stings
How do you avoid getting bitten or stung by nature’s inhabitants? Here are some scenarios I went through and you will be able to see what not to do. About 37 years ago I was crawling under a house in Bloomfield, NM doing a termite inspection. I wasn’t wearing a shirt. As I was crawling … Continue reading
Earth Friendly Bug Club
We have to do a lot to change the world for our children and grandchildren to be safe. We need to make sure children don’t starve to death and that everyone has a roof over their heads. We need to make all of our food safe and not chemically polluted. We need to have a … Continue reading
Rodenticides
I get specimens in the mail for identification and occasionally from pest control companies. I got a flea in the mail from a pest control company for identification. It came from a ground squirrel area on a property near the Organ Mountains in southern New Mexico. The flea was Oropsylla montanus (no common name) and … Continue reading
Earth Friendly Bug Club
You can join my Earth Friendly Bug Club if you want. When you join, I will address any pest issues you have now and in the future via phone or email. I will send you relevant handbooks via email. I will identify any pests you have if necessary. If you want to join the club, … Continue reading
Roaches and ants
The two most common pests that are active now are cockroaches and ants. If you have any of these pests, you can control them yourself. You do not need a pest control company to spray toxic pesticides in and around your home. If you have large brown American roaches or black Oriental roaches you can … Continue reading
Rodenticides
I just got an email from someone about a lot of rodenticide bait boxes in an area in Santa Fe. The company that put them there is totally unqualified in common sense. In New Mexico, we have approximately 107 species of fleas (I counted them). Of that number, about a third are known or possible … Continue reading
Pest Control companies
I started in the pest control industry in 1972. I was living in Florida and saw an ad in the paper about a company that was hiring. I went to the company, applied and they hired me. Pay was $80 a week. On my first day, the supervisor took me to a house to … Continue reading
Pest Tips
Pest Tips; Silverfish: You can trap them by putting some flour in a glass jar and wrapping it with duct tape so they can climb up the sides. They will get in the jar but will not be able to get out. Cockroaches: Pesticides not necessary. You can control cockroaches with beer and duct tape. … Continue reading
Covid-19 pandemic free pest management
I am going to start something effective today because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am starting a business that will help anyone with pest problems via consultations. I do that now with many people, but it is time to expand it because of the pandemic. Many people use exterminators and that is no longer … Continue reading
Safe pest control products
Here is a list of some products you find around the house or that you can easily purchase that will help you manage your pest problems. There are many others, but these may be the easiest to find and use. Baking Soda Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a mined alkaline mineral. When it is … Continue reading
Coronavirus opinion
The coronavirus pandemic is terrible, and I don’t think it is going away. This is just my opinion. It originated from live animal markets in China where wild animals are routinely slaughtered and sold to people on site. The animals live in terrible conditions that creates an environment where the germination and spread of diseases … Continue reading
Pesticide spraying outside
Someone asked me if it was okay to have the perimeter of her house sprayed with pesticides for cockroach control. It is not good for the ecosystem. There are numerous beneficial organisms in every yard and this is one reason, plus your safety, your family’s safety and the safety of any pets you have for … Continue reading
Are spiders dangerous?
Someone asked me if spiders are dangerous. Yes! In one case, a woman jumped out of her car while she was driving because she saw a spider on her shoulder. The car was wrecked. In another case, a woman saw a spider on her rear-view mirror and panicked and ran off the road. She wasn’t … Continue reading
Have you ever met a tiger?
Have you ever met a tiger in the wild? I did, twice, in Thailand when I was in the army. The first time I had to go to the restroom at night, which was a porta potty about 50 yards from the camp. When I got done, I opened the door to come out and … Continue reading
Snakebites
Snakes are out. I saw a bullsnake this morning. If bullsnakes are out, so are the other species, including rattlesnakes. I want to give you some information on snake bites and I have experience as I have been bitten 9 times by venomous snakes. The first time I got bit was in the Magdalena Mts. … Continue reading
Coronavirus
I found this post on Facebook and it is very important. So much confusion, misinformation and denial is bouncing around on social media about the coronavirus that I thought I would try to explain, in plain language, why the experts see this as such an emergency. You will see the claim online that this virus … Continue reading
Wolves
Since the beginning of human history, wolves have graced us with their presence. They have protected us, they were companions of our ancestors, and because of our relationship with them, we have our modern-day companion animal, the dog. Why are wolves labeled as “evil” animals? We see wolves portrayed as “man-eaters” in children’s books like … Continue reading
The truth about pigeons
The truth about pigeons Someone asked me if pigeons are hazardous to our health. I told her that alcohol, tobacco and eating meat cause more death and grief in a single day than all the pigeons on the planet have since the beginning of time. When I look at the pigeon-infested roof of a fast-food … Continue reading
PESTICIDES ARE NOT NECESSARY
You can mix one clove of sliced garlic, one sliced onion, one tablespoon of cayenne pepper and 1 quart of water. Steep for one hour, strain, add a tablespoon of liquid soap and spray it around the house for ant and/or roach control. Much better than toxic pesticides. You can pour boiling water over a … Continue reading
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