We have an outside Cockatoo and she spills her food (or maybe it is her poop) everywhere and it attracts a billion "palmetto" bugs at night. It is so disgusting when I take the dogs out to pee before bed. I turn on the light and tonight, I swear, there must have been 200! And they are big, like small animals! GROSS! YUCK! I cannot use traps because of the kids and the dogs, I cannot spray because of the kids, dogs, and bird. What can I do? I feel sorry for my poor bird, they are all over the bottom of her cage at night! I would die (serious beetle phobia here)! What can I do to make them stop coming but not attract ants? If you have any natural rememdies....PLEASE share!
TIA!

All I can say is, praise God they stay outside...(((((chills)))))

the only natural remedy that I can think of for cockroaches is the bottom of your shoe, but it seems like you have a bit to many for that...

Do a search on Google for roaches and borax and onion, you'll get a recipe for something you can set around for them - it's the most natural I've heard of.

Originally posted by timmi
the only natural remedy that I can think of for cockroaches is the bottom of your shoe, but it seems like you have a bit to many for that...
:ditto: :joker:

maybe some kind of essential oils.....maybe Peppermint or something else....try googling Essential oils and pest control

sorry I couldn't be much help:confused:

Originally posted by timmi
the only natural remedy that I can think of for cockroaches is the bottom of your shoe, but it seems like you have a bit to many for that...

I cannot bear to stomp them, they crunch! UGH! Plus, I do not want to get that close, they fly!:vent:

Originally posted by MyChild'sGarden
Do a search on Google for roaches and borax and onion, you'll get a recipe for something you can set around for them - it's the most natural I've heard of.

Thanks! This looks good! I am going to go buy Borax, make them today, and put them out tonight at dusk! I'll LYK if it works!

Roach Balls

1 cup borax
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Make a paste of the ingredients and roll the paste into little balls.

Place 2 or 3 balls into a sandwich-size plastic bag and leave the top open. Place the bag anywhere you have a roach problem. The roaches will eat the balls and carry them away. The bugs die at home, out of sight. The borax clogs their breathing passages. The onion scent draws them in.

Makes about 50 balls; about 10 applications.

CAUTION: Hide these bags carefully so that children and pets can't get at them.

please lmk how this remedy works for you because as you know, the entire state of florida has these lovely "guests", no matter how clean one keeps their home, these beasts come in from outside & visit. ugh.

if it works for you, i'm going to do some up too, for when we move back in a few mos.

They are awful in SC too. I have a friend who SWEARS by the onion mixture. She said it has no smell too. Hers is a little different than that one, you don't roll it in balls but just put it in paper cups and sit them around behind stuff.

Do you think that would work for water bugs?

We get them awful every year in our back porch, and the garage area.


Also, do you think it would be safe to make while pregnant? (Wearing gloves)

They don't like bay leaves. And diatomaceous earth rocks! It's natural and used for tons of things. I get it at the hfs and our food co-op has it. You may be able to find it at a hardware store.

I'm glad I read this...I will make up some of the mixture as soon as I get to Florida next week just in case. If I were to see 200, or even 20, beetles, any size, I would just freak out.

How big are palmetto bugs, anyway?

Michelle