Pest prevention # 2

https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/pest-control-service-makes-link-between-drought-increase-in-cockroaches-13226497

A lot of people are remarking that they notice an increase in visible cockroaches, ants and flies in their homes.

Drought also affects all forms of wildlife with the result that these repulsive insects invade our homes / spaces looking for water.

Here are a couple of eco-friendly solutions against flies which work:

1  Spray / wipe all you kitchen surfaces (cupboards and counters) with neat vinegar and wipe down.

2  Then, stud a whole orange with cloves, or 1/2 a lemon. 

3  Lastly, the top leaf end of a pineapple - left on a counter - will deter flies.

4  Failing all that - get some "Vastraps" (hanging sticky paper) from your local hardware / supermarket - they are not pretty but are VERY effective.

Wrap the top of your container with a small piece of clingwrap
 (requisition a bit from those wrapped goods you purchase from
 the supermarket) and piece it with a couple of holes

Fruit flies cannot resist the smell of ACV and
 will find their way into the bottle, but
 cannot find their way out again

For ants - spray their trails with a mix of a dash of dishwashing liquid, orange or lemon oil and water.  Diatomaceous earth sprinkled at door entrances and on window sills also deters them.  Lastly, a ball of cotton wool soaked in a 1.5 cups of water / 1/2 cup sugar / 1.5 tablespoons of borax solution encourages the ants to take a sip, which they then carry back to their nests.  WARNING:  do not let your pets access this borax soaked item!!