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Recently saw two shows featuring infestations by various pests and vermin. One instance, the infestation resulted in respiratory illness of the occupants, and the destruction of the apartment from raccoon waste accumulating in the attic space. Another show depicted the devastation from a plague of mice - which not only consumed everything edible - but left messy reminders of their passing. And the stench, of course... ack.
We had a nasty infestation of tiny ants, last spring, that resisted just about every treatment for about six weeks. Each time we thought we nuked the queen, a few days later, the ants came marching back again.
In a SHTF situation, where things are already dicey, how would you prepare to deal with destructive or consumptive infestations?
In a SHTF situation, where things are already dicey, how would you prepare to deal with destructive or consumptive infestations?
I live in an area with large numbers of Deer Mice. I see them outside all of the time. But they're never in the house or in any outbuildings because everything is clean and tight. Wood rats (pack rats) could probably chew their way into the house but there's nothing to attract them. I don't use traps or poison or anything else. The secret is good sanitation, cleanliness. Beyond that, make sure your house is tight with no openings under old doors and windows or little holes at ground level.
The ants weren't part of a Girl Scout outing. Something attracted them.
Recently saw two shows featuring infestations by various pests and vermin. One instance, the infestation resulted in respiratory illness of the occupants, and the destruction of the apartment from raccoon waste accumulating in the attic space. Another show depicted the devastation from a plague of mice - which not only consumed everything edible - but left messy reminders of their passing. And the stench, of course... ack.
We had a nasty infestation of tiny ants, last spring, that resisted just about every treatment for about six weeks. Each time we thought we nuked the queen, a few days later, the ants came marching back again.
In a SHTF situation, where things are already dicey, how would you prepare to deal with destructive or consumptive infestations?
I don't know, but you raise a very interesting issue.
This would be a serious concern.
Certainly many scenarios will result in a change of balance in the Eco-systems and biological systems. Starving people will be eating cats and dogs and anything else they can find, and that includes most predators, so now the vermin population is unchecked and out of control.
Other scenarios, like Nuclear Winters from volcanic eruptions or asteroid impacts could negatively impact the bird population and insects are not swarming everywhere.
You can almost bet that lack of sewage/sanitation controls will boost the mosquito populations in many areas, even more rapidly without spraying and other controls currently in place.
As far as solutions, well, I'm open to suggestions. I would think the primary focus would be on insects that either carry diseases, or destroy live-stock, crops, or on those vermin that also spread diseases and can potentially destroy crops.
At our farm house, I would say my cats will take care of the rodents and bullets will take care of the coyotes. Crickets and grasshoppers could become a huge problem on the high plains but their control with chemicals is relatively easy. The only other thing that would concern me is snakes and we have extremely few species of snakes out here.
My guess is that this extremely mild winter will see a lot of insect problems everywhere that did not receive extended low temperatures this winter. Food prices are likely to be affected.
The ants weren't part of a Girl Scout outing. Something attracted them.
These ants were inscrutable. The area that they repeatedly came across was scrupulously clean (with dilute chlorine bleach solution!). (Yes, I know about ant scent trails).
Their ultimate destination was the rim of the kitchen sink. Not inside, nor the dishes (if any), but the rim. Perhaps there was something there that they wanted - but what it was, I don't know.
But every day, we'd find a continuous line of tiny ants going from the back door, to the kitchen countertop to the sink rim ... and only there.
Jetgraphics, have you ever pulled a kitchen sink?
I have.
All sorts of things end up under there, from liquid sugars to meat blood. Rarely do people have an adequate seal - and even if they do, it can be compromised over time or by sharp or 'scratchy' objects.
Some ants also are partial to damp rotting wood... if your countertop is a lovely tile over tileboard over pressboard, moisture can seep in. The glue on particleboard is 'sweet' to ants. Often 'rotwood ants' will give a sign of not only rot, but of a potential termite problem.
We yanked the sink, replaced the countertop, and when we put in the new sink, we sealed it with clear caulk - not just the top but underneath as well.
Like Happy says, clean and dry and sealed. You'd be surprised what can get in where. When we first bought this house, it looked clean - but we went over everything everywhere with caulk and sealant, plaster and wood replacement. One evening we were sitting on the verandah, and suddenly we were surrounded by moths. They were pouring - literally - out of their hidey-hole where the doorframe didn't-quite-meet the siding. We sprayed and sealed the hole - the next morning, after they had gone back to bed. No more moths.
Bait stations, lots of bait stations. I'm a huge fan of employing pet safe WMDs (weapons of mouse destruction).
Living on open range we have serious issues with seasonal rodent infestations. Bait stations strategically placed around the home, outbuildings, woodpiles, and any other structures or collections that could harbor the disease spreading rodents work wonders at preventing the rodents and their would-be future generations from spreading their disease and destruction.
A dozen stations and a bucket of baits will easily last a couple years. When combined with a program of keeping weeds trimmed around your house along with stuffing all likely points of entry with steel wool and silicone your rodent problem will cease to exist.
This is essential, right here. Doesn't matter if your house is squeaky-clean or somewhat 'cluttered' (my word for it; DW disagrees), mice and other critters come inside for warmth as well as food. In an older or prior-built house, there's no real way to keep 'em out.
Any structure you build new, you can lessen the problem with prior planning. There's this metal mesh, 1/4" square, that you line the underside of your floor joists with, that mice can't gnaw and can't squeeze through. Then you spray with Great Stuff or other foam-type insulation material over the metal mesh...problem solved for the floor. If you have enough sense to wrap this mesh up over the lower studs of the walls, all the better.
Raccoons, bats and other critters in the attic get in through vents, bad flashing around the chimney, or depending on how the house is built, up through the studwalls. That's assuming your roof is basically intact and not rotted out anywhere. Line the vents and chimney openings with the mesh, too, and spray the foam around it. Don't foget any vent pipes.
Insects and their eggs (or both) often live inside a house all year round. They are semi-hibernating in winter, but will roar back to life plenty soon enough. If you can see them coming in from outside, that's great -- spray with industrial-grade insecticide everywhere you see them. While its true that rotting wood, etc can draw them in, often they come indoors with us, on our shoes or boots. We don't stand a chance when we track in 2,000 eggs on the soles of our boots. I take my shoes or boots off in a breezeway and wear socks or slippers indoors. It's just a habit. It keeps all sorts of nonsense out of the house. Just think about what you walk over everyday when outdoors. You want that inside your house?
If you are into preparedness, get online and check out what exterminators in your specific area use for hospitals, restaurants, super-markets and other places that have to be pest-free. At first it seems like these are closely-guarded trade secrets, but soon you will see the same product names come up time and again. Get plenty, as this stuff may not be available forever. You want industrial-strength insecticides and rodent baits/traps used by professionals. Follow the instructions carefully, as these are poisons. But they do work!
I so much would like to have a 55 gallon drum of DDT.
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