Pest control in MO? (how much, landlord, eat)

[heart-happy]

My family is new to MO, and we are wondering what more we can do for pest control.

We have sealed and caulked the inside and outside of our rental, but the mice are trying to get through the walls again.

We have sprayed for bugs, spread granules, and spread sulfer outside, but we still have a chigger problem with our dog who brings them in.

I have a mole in my front yard and a gopher in the garden.

And what the heck to I have to do to get rid of all of this Poison IVY, without killing the plants I want to keep?? Our children are getting it, it is EVERYWHERE!!!

Any tips would be helpful. Thanks

[mcol]

My first suggestion would be to get a cat or two for the
little critters.

[mcol]

Also, is the dog bringing in chiggers or fleas? Fleas and ticks
can be controlled with a product such as Frontline used monthly
on a dog, and also spraying the yard.

Was trying to find the stuff we used for poison ivy but will have to
ask the husband later. He sprayed this stuff around for a couple
of years and now all I have to do is spot spray some stubborn ones
once or twice a year with Roundup. Haven't had any problems.

[heart-happy]

Thank you for your replies. I can't get a cat. I had one and my landlord made us get rid of it. Can only have the dog.
Dog is definitely bringing in chiggars. My oldest son had two infected ones from scratching them. I have had several on my legs. We got off for us for out side, but I sprayed my dog with it and he had a bad reaction. The vet says there is nothing for chiggars. So, what do you all do?
I was going to ask if we could get a chicken for the bugs in the yard, but I have no idea how to care for a chicken. Years ago I had two but they died in a month. What other bugs are around here? Im not squeemish, but I am allergic to bees and I hear there are huge bees here. Will caulking keep them out? I caulked around all of the windows inside and out.

[mcol]

Curious as to what area you moved to. Generally speaking.
Anyway, basically for chiggars you keep the grass cut short and you won't have problems. I don't know, I guess I'd call an exterminator at this point. There are several things you can try but I'm not sure where you are and wow you have so many problems. I don't have any problems with
chiggars and I have 2 dogs and a cat. Also I have yet to see a huge bee?
Who told you all this stuff? The poison ivy can be controlled with sprays like Ortho and that.

[Silvermouse]

I heard that putting a few of those mice sticky traps in out of the way places would help keep down the brown recluse spider population.

[mcol]

Interesting. I'd get a new vet for one. I was just
reading that Frontline applied to dogs will indeed take
care of chiggers as well. Spray for the poison ivy.
Poison for the mice (I'd prefer the cats eating the
mice though). Not
sure what to do about those huge bees I have yet to see
anywhere and didn't even know existed in Missouri.
Let's not get into spiders as it hasn't even been
mentioned from the poster!!

[Versatile]

Poison Ivy Vegetation Killer
1 cup salt
8 drops liquid detergent
1 gallon vinegar

Combine the salt and vinegar in a pan and heat to dissolve the
salt. Cool the vinegar, add the detergent, and pour some of the
liquid into a large spray bottle. Spray the vegetation. (You can
also just pour the mixture onto the weeds.) Refill the spray
bottle as necessary. Note that this formula will kill all the
vegetation, so make sure that you are only spraying the plants
you want to kill. If you need to use a lot of this spray, avoid
spraying it near wells, as the salt can leach into your water
supply.

[Versatile]

Chiggars

I tried rubbing alcohol and it works like a charm. I use a small cotton pad, like the ones you use to take off makeup, and plain old rubbing alcohol. I soak the pad with the alcohol and swab it all over my body, from my toes to my neck. It dries in seconds and the smell goes away. I have had very few bites since I started using alcohol. There is also a new kind of rubbing alcohol on the market that has a wintergreen scent, so children might not find it so stinky.

[firebll31]

Perhaps he is refering to the bumble bees, which do indeed get pretty good size-also very easy to see and avoid. Other than that, just standard honeybees, sweat bees and yellow jackets I think. And a wide variety of wasps. I spend a lot of time outside and haven't been stung by anything in YEARS. My biggest concern is mosquitoes. No matter how much we dump standing water and the city sprays, still gotta us the OFF. I like the floral scented one-but then I'm a girl.