To entomologists, there’s no such thing as a “pest”, says Twickenham’s Dee Patel, insect specialist for BBC One Morning Live.
As the days are getting longer and the sun is warming our souls, it’s a good time to reflect on the fact that we are not the only inhabitants of this beautiful planet that we call home; there are many little lives trying to live, just as we are.
So how can you deter those visitors you don’t want in your home and garden this spring? Simple, just choose to be kind. Whatever life you see around you, be it an ant or a pigeon, a squirrel or a fox, think twice and treat it how perhaps you would like to be treated yourself.
Dee Patel
Mice & rodents:
- Buy “humane live-capture” traps online to trap and release into woodland areas.
- Leave bowls of white vinegar in places to deter mice, rats, squirrels and foxes without harming them (they hate the smell of white vinegar).
Ants & general insects:
- Sprinkle baby powder, peppermint oil/white vinegar on the places ants are entering (but not directly on them). Reapply as needed to stop them without harming.
- Avoid sweeping/washing the garden patio too often, and gently lift big pots rather than dragging them to avoid crushing little lives.
Slugs & snails:
- Buy a roll of pure copper mesh (around 4 inches tall) and wrap it at ground level around four bamboo canes on each corner of your vegetable patch and around pots to create a mini fence. Remove slugs/snails from the patch before doing so.
- Sprinkle barbecue ash, used coffee grounds, and finely crushed eggshells onto the soil.
- Don’t use beer traps; the beer fills their lungs before the alcohol has any effect, so it’s very cruel.
Spiders & moths:
- Mix 2 spoons of essential peppermint oil into a cup of water, then transfer to a misting spray bottle, and spray the edges and corners of rooms, doors, and windows to kindly stop spiders. Spray inside drawers, wardrobes, and soft furnishings to stop moths. Reapply regularly to keep them away.
Injured birds
- If you see an injured bird at the roadside, gently throw a towel over it and place it in an empty ventilated box. Do not feed or offer water, as that can kill them. Keep indoors in a closed, ventilated box to avoid predators. Take the animal to a wildlife rescue centre as soon as possible (vets are not the best choice as they often cannot accommodate wildlife for longer rehabilitation and often have no option but to euthanise).
Injured squirrels
- Wrap it in a towel or fleece material, as warmth is the most important, and place it in a small, ventilated box indoors. Do not feed or give any fluids. Place a hot water bottle under the box, leaving one side of the box away from the heat so that the squirrel can move off if it feels too hot. Contact a wildlife centre to help.
Caterpillars
- Cover plants in a fine mesh in spring to stop moths from laying eggs in them. Sprinkle fine black pepper near them, but not on them
For more questions or more free Good-Karma and creature kindness Spring/Summer tips, message me at InsectLoversUnite@gmail.com or follow my Facebook/Instagram: @InsectLoversUnite. To find your local wildlife centre using HelpWildlife.co.uk.
