Tag Archives: DIY

How to treat your crapemyrtle for bark scale

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YouTube is both a tremendous waste of time and also one of the best things to happen to DIYers in, like,… forever.  I find myself checking it constantly for instructions on how to do everything, from troubleshooting my computer to making repairs on my car.  So why not a video on how to control crapemyrtle bark scale? What is crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS)? It’s a small sap-feeding insect that lives on the bark of certain plants, especially crapemyrtle. Thanks to its sugary excrement, it turns crapemyrtles with beautiful… Read More →

Rutgers study shows best home treatments for bed bugs

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Bed bugs are best treated by an experienced professional.  Let me say that again…  If you have bed bugs, and you can hire a professional who knows what they’re doing, then do it.  It can save you much grief and lost sleep. Now that I’ve said that, let me address those who, for whatever reason, must fight bed bugs without professional help. If professional service is not in the cards for you right now, you have some options. First consider the approach outlined in my fact sheet on… Read More →

Rubbing alcohol not a good solution for bed bugs

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The quest for home remedies for bed bugs appears to be never-ending.  However, in the latest revelations from researchers, it seems that very few home insecticides are worth the time or trouble when battling bed bugs.  That’s not to say that some of these products won’t kill some bed bugs, but the ideal product for killing bed bugs just isn’t out there, experts say. A recent article in Science News  gloomily summarizes some of the most current information about DIY bed bug control, based on papers presented on bed… Read More →