Natural repellents against pesky insects

Summer is a great season for many creatures; the flowers are in full bloom, the weather is warm, and nature’s beauty has a chance to really shine through.

However, summer also brings out all the little creatures who have been hibernating or breeding. They are also looking for new homes or new hosts, and some might decide to settle in your home or make you their new host. A scary thought, isn’t it?

Luckily, Caxton Central has provided some natural repellents against ants, mosquitos, and cockroaches.

ALSO READ: Start planning your bee-friendlier garden in time for spring

1. Ants

Ants can seem pretty harmless until you learn how organised they actually are. If you leave crumbs and food particles lying around, they will be there in droves ready to snack. These repellents should keep them at bay:

• Put cucumber peels or slices at different entry points for the ants. They have a natural aversion to cucumber.
• In the areas with the most ants, set dry crushed mint leaves/cloves or even mint tea bags and watch them scatter.
• If you really want to start a war against ants, set a line of any one of these ingredients’ or a combination of cayenne pepper, citrus oil, lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds.
• Garlic in the cracks and crevices of your walls is also known to do the trick.

2. Cockroaches

Cockroaches roaming around your house are never a good sign, so here are some non-toxic solutions:

• Set bay leaves, cucumber slices or garlic in the areas the cockroaches love to hang out.
• Catnip is a natural repellent for cockroaches. Set small bags or potplants of catnip in the areas the cockroaches are active. However, if you have cats at home, do not use catnip.
• If you do not have cats, you could also put some water and catnip in a bottle and spray surfaces with it to keep the cockroaches at bay.

3. Mosquitos

Mosquitos are probably the most irritating summer pests, leaving a trail of itchy bites and never-ending midnight buzzing. Here are a few ways to combat this invasion:

• Marigold flowers give off a scent that bugs do not like, so summer is a good time to plant them around your home and keep some in the house.
• Mix a little garlic juice in water in a spray bottle, shake well and spray on your body as a repellent. The odour will be at your own risk.
• A better solution might be to dunk strips of cotton wool in the mixture and place these at different entry points around your home.
• If you have a grill, put sage and rosemary on the coals to keep the pesky pests away.