Question About Bugs!

[Soupyszoo]

How do you keep your outside playground stuff free from spiders and wasp nests?

I found a wasp nest and a big black spider inside my toddlers playhouse... I told my husband we should use home defense and spray everything but he said that the chemicals are not safe for the kids to be touching and using...

I don't want to be scared to let them play freely, but would hate to see them get stung or bit. I'm aware that there will always be bugs outside during playtime, but I'm talking about nests and crap, not just regular bugs out and about

[wdmmom]

My bug man sprays inside and out. This helps keep the insects low. Wasp nests need to be removed and clean the area they were building on with bleach or 409 and spray with Raid bee & wasp. Mine have never returned after i did that.

[Lilbutterflie]

I am so glad you posted this! I was wondering the same thing a few days ago!

I think I've done a pretty good job with controlling household insects myself rather than hiring someone, so I'd really like some ideas as opposed to having the bug guy do it. Does anyone have any recommendations for DIY kid-friendly outdoor insect control?

[Soupyszoo]

A lot of the play houses and plastic toys all have holes in them too! It's the perfect place for wasps to build their nests and spiders to live. I set the wasp traps out in the corner of the yard and they are helping a little... I don't have a bug guy either. I just keep the inside clean etc... I know some places especially closer to the east coast have bugs a lot worse than ours! If home defense is safe on the inside of the house I think it would be safe on the perimeter of toys outside too, no?!

[small_steps]

I have someone come out and spray every 3-6 months or so. The spray they use in our area is safe for kids so I haven't really worried about that. Not sure what area you're in but in my neck of the woods black widows like to get under my outside toys and inside those holes. They are very poisonous. I flip the toys over and check them out every few weeks and see if anything is under there. I think in the two years I've been open I've probably found about 4-5 black widows under toys. Scary as my dck's as well as my own children are always playing on the toys. Sadly the sprays don't work on those spiders but at least it keeps the majority of the other ones away. I've also found several scorpions outside too. I hate those things. Worse...I find about 5-6 scorpions in my house every year too, mainly at this time of year and throughout the summer. Bug spray doesn't seem to keep them away either.

[Soupyszoo]

I have someone come out and spray every 3-6 months or so. The spray they use in our area is safe for kids so I haven't really worried about that. Not sure what area you're in but in my neck of the woods black widows like to get under my outside toys and inside those holes. They are very poisonous. I flip the toys over and check them out every few weeks and see if anything is under there. I think in the two years I've been open I've probably found about 4-5 black widows under toys. Scary as my dck's as well as my own children are always playing on the toys. Sadly the sprays don't work on those spiders but at least it keeps the majority of the other ones away. I've also found several scorpions outside too. I hate those things. Worse...I find about 5-6 scorpions in my house every year too, mainly at this time of year and throughout the summer. Bug spray doesn't seem to keep them away either.

Oh my! I would move away from Texas :: those are some serious insects, and ...IN YOUR HOUSE?? I would have a heart attack! I am in Colorado

[Ariana]

There are plenty of ways to get rid of bugs without resorting to chemicals too! Buy a premade wasp nest and hang it inside or near the playhouse. This will deter any wasps from actually making a nest. As for poinsonous spiders I have no idea because we don't get them up here!

We had a major wasp infestation last summer around and on the play structure at our local park. Everyone was terrified so I went up one day with a hockey stick and knocked it down. I also knocked down a few more after that. I've never been stung or anything, I just made sure no kids were around when I did it and ran fast after I did it

[melissa ann]

We have wasps. Not sure where they are coming from. They only come out when it's very warm. We had temps in the 80's earlier this week, and they were out. We try to whack them with the fly swatter, but they are almost resisilant to death: ( No kidding. You really have to whack them at least 20 times before they stop moving. We have had them for 2 yrs or so, and we haven't seen a nest on out property. Not sure what to do with them. Some of them are kinda of funky looking and have blue in them

[Soupyszoo]

We have wasps. Not sure where they are coming from. They only come out when it's very warm. We had temps in the 80's earlier this week, and they were out. We try to whack them with the fly swatter, but they are almost resisilant to death: ( No kidding. You really have to whack them at least 20 times before they stop moving. We have had them for 2 yrs or so, and we haven't seen a nest on out property. Not sure what to do with them. Some of them are kinda of funky looking and have blue in them

We have several kinds of wasps. All are scavengers so they don't really spend any time pollinating, just flying around being pretty aggressive

They make their nests under the eaves of the house and really under anything including my outdoor play stuff! I hate them!

We've sprayed and they literally come back the next day. Also, maybe you already know, but don't ever squash one!! It sends out a smell to alert the rest of them and they come to defend the injured one. I read that online and scared the crap out of me!! That's all we need, an army of angry wasps

[Soupyszoo]

There are plenty of ways to get rid of bugs without resorting to chemicals too! Buy a premade wasp nest and hang it inside or near the playhouse. This will deter any wasps from actually making a nest. As for poinsonous spiders I have no idea because we don't get them up here!

We had a major wasp infestation last summer around and on the play structure at our local park. Everyone was terrified so I went up one day with a hockey stick and knocked it down. I also knocked down a few more after that. I've never been stung or anything, I just made sure no kids were around when I did it and ran fast after I did it

Yep I find I am a very fast runner also when killing these things and destroying their homes!! I told my running group that's all we need to make our times during training! ::

[AmyLeigh]

We spray our house with a mixture of Borax and water. Yup. That's it. Completely non-toxic and chemical free. I don't know about how it would work for wasps, but I haven't seen a black widow since we started spraying.