hsu@eneevax.UUCP (Dave Hsu) (04/21/86)
In article <310@gvax.cs.cornell.edu> martin@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (Susan Martin) writes: > >SPIDERS! Now that the warm weather is back (sort of), I notice these nasty >creatures making themselves known again. The little ones aren't so bad, but >there are also big, hairy looking things that really gross me out (pardon my >English). > >I remove all spider webs during cleaning. I don't know what else to do. > >I would appreciate any help you can give, I just can't get used to them. >They really bug me! > >Susan Annette Martin At least the domestic spiders are 1) afraid of you, and 2) on the defensive. Ever notice how disconcerting it is to be climbing somewhere halfway up a rock face, trying to stick your hands into cracks just to hang on, when a horde of the little bastards goes scurrying across your path inches from your nose? I thought so. -dave -- David Hsu (301)454-1433 || -8798 <insert fashionable disclaimer here> Communication & Signal Processing Lab / Engineering Computer Facility The University of Maryland -~- College Park, MD 20742 ARPA:hsu@eneevax.umd.edu UUCP:[seismo,allegra,rlgvax]!umcp-cs!eneevax!hsu "There is somewhat too much of this `yodeling' in the Alps." -Mark Twain
curry@nsc.UUCP (04/21/86)
One way to handle spiders is to learn to like them. Very few are harmful to people, they eat a tremendous amount of things that are harmful to people, and as for hair, nobody seems to complain about Afgan hounds or collies. :-)
faigin@sdcrdcf.UUCP (04/21/86)
In article <7216@tekecs.UUCP> monam@tekecs.UUCP (Mona McLaughlin) writes: >> SPIDERS! I agree, yuk! One solution that my wife and I found was crickets. If you can put up with the occasional chirping, get a couple of crickets and let them loose in your house (or more, depending on the size of your house). Crickets eat bugs (e.g., spiders, silverfish, etc.). I have been told that if you do not like the noise, praying mantises also work. The only problem is if you are an avid bug hater (like myself), going to the john and seeing a cricket (read "BUG") staring you in the face. P.S.: I have been told that it is bad luck to kill a cricket. Daniel -- UUCP: {akgua allegra ihnp4 hplabs sdcsvax trwrb cbosgd}!sdcrdcf!faigin ARPA: sdcrdcf!faigin@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA --or-- sdcrdcf!faigin@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU W: SDC, 2525 Colorado MD 91-01; Santa Monica CA 90406; (213) 820-4111 x6393 H: 8333 Columbus Avenue #17; Sepulveda CA 91343; (818) 892-8555 *** NOTE NEW HOME ADDRESS ABOVE ***
mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) (04/21/86)
In article <140@mcc-hi.UUCP> shook@mcc-hi.UUCP writes: > Have you ever heard of "Osage oranges" or "hedge apples" - a fruit-like > seed that can be found along country roads in the fall, I think. They're > usually yellow, yellow-green, or green and naturally repel spiders. Simply > place a couple of these near access points - windows, cracks, doors, etc. > and no new spiders should get in. While I have no idea whether Osage oranges really work, the original poster can find them on the Cornell campus. There's a tree on Tower Road by the entrance to the path to the parking lot behind A. D. White's house. -- Mike Huybensz ...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh
holloway@drivax.UUCP (04/21/86)
In article <3525@nsc.UUCP> curry@nsc.UUCP (Ray Curry) writes: >One way to handle spiders is to learn to like them. Very few are harmful >to people, they eat a tremendous amount of things that are harmful to >people, and as for hair, nobody seems to complain about Afgan hounds or >collies. :-) What's wrong with spiders? We have this one spider who keeps watch at our front door, our "Guard Spider". Every so often we go on a spider purge, but we always leave that one spider to pounce on prowlers, etc. But then, people think I'm wierd anyway. -- "IS HE DEAD?" "well..... not any more." ....!ucbvax!hplabs!amdahl!drivax!holloway (I'm not THAT Bruce Holloway, I'm the other one.)
mojo@kepler.UUCP (04/21/86)
martin@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (Susan Martin) writes: >SPIDERS! Would a change of viewpoint help? Spiders are little exterminators in themselves! They EAT OTHER BUGS. Things like flies and mosquitoes. Are you really that sure that you want to get totally rid of them? -- Mojo ... Morris Jones, MicroPro Product Development {lll-crg,ptsfa,dual,well,pyramid}!micropro!kepler!mojo
holloway@drivax.UUCP (04/22/86)
In article <2755@sdcrdcf.UUCP> faigin@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Daniel P Faigin) writes: >In article <7216@tekecs.UUCP> monam@tekecs.UUCP (Mona McLaughlin) writes: >>> SPIDERS! > >I agree, yuk! > >One solution that my wife and I found was crickets. If you can >put up with the occasional chirping, get a couple of crickets and >let them loose in your house (or more, depending on the size of >your house). Crickets eat bugs (e.g., spiders, silverfish, etc.). >I have been told that if you do not like the noise, praying >mantises also work. Yeah, I want one of them loud, noisy crickets around when I'm trying to get to sleep. Evidently you've never lived with one -- living hell. Spiders are non-intrusive, totally silent, efficient, and they stay in one place. Praying mantises are nice bugs, but they move around, too (but never when there's someone in the room.... leave the room, come back, and where'd they go?) Problem is, they're seasonal bugs that die at the end of summer. Oddly, they're also chameleons to a degree. In the summer, they are a light green color, but come fall, they turn brown, before they die. Interestingly, praying mantises eat crickets, so if you've already tried the cricket method and want to try something different.... -- "IS HE DEAD?" "well..... not any more." ....!ucbvax!hplabs!amdahl!drivax!holloway (I'm not THAT Bruce Holloway, I'm the other one.)
suem@ihlpf.UUCP (Sue McKinnell) (04/22/86)
> >> SPIDERS! > > I agree, yuk! > > One solution that my wife and I found was crickets. If you can > put up with the occasional chirping, get a couple of crickets and > let them loose in your house (or more, depending on the size of > your house). Crickets eat bugs (e.g., spiders, silverfish, etc.). Well, liking/disliking aside, it is far worse to have crickets inside than spiders if you own your house. Crickets also eat wood and can be very destructive. You do realize that spiders eat insects and can be helpful at keeping your house clear of other unwanted 'bugs.' I, personally, like spiders and try to ignore them since I appreciate the fact that they eat other bugs. I also like crickets, but I try to keep them out of the house for the above reason. BTW, the Japanese consider it bad luck to kill a spider. -- Sue McKinnell ...!ihnp4!ihopb!suem IH 6N226 x5313
jcp@osiris.UUCP (Jody Patilla) (04/23/86)
> One solution that my wife and I found was crickets. If you can > put up with the occasional chirping, get a couple of crickets and > let them loose in your house (or more, depending on the size of > your house). Crickets eat bugs (e.g., spiders, silverfish, etc.). > I have been told that if you do not like the noise, praying > mantises also work. Crickets ALSO eat books, paper, your clothes, you name it. I don't think you really want them in your house. -- jcpatilla ..{seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!aplcen!osiris!jcp Show me a man with both feet firmly on the ground and I'll show you a man who can't take his pants off.
buyno@voder.UUCP (04/23/86)
My cats regularly eat spiders. Get cats. However, spiders are nothing but useful, as the do eat many bugs. I catch all that I can (a glass tumbler over them first, then slide paper under the glass, and escort them out of doors or to the plant room.
davidsen@steinmetz.UUCP (Davidsen) (04/23/86)
There was a similar posting regarding snails. Look in net.cooks for
recipes.
Seriously, my favorite killer is starting either from the local auto
stores. It kills bees, wasps, hornets, termites (after the local bug
man couldn't), etc. While you have to use care when applying it, unlike
many commercial sprays it leaves no poisons to affect kids, petc, etc.
--
-bill davidsen
seismo!rochester!steinmetz!--\
/ \
ihnp4! unirot ------------->---> crdos1!davidsen
\ /
chinet! ---------------------/ (davidsen@ge-crd.ARPA)
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward"robertv@tekla.UUCP (Robert Vetter) (04/23/86)
In article <444@drivax.UUCP> holloway@drivax.UUCP (Bruce Holloway) writes: >In article <2755@sdcrdcf.UUCP> faigin@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Daniel P Faigin) writes: >>In article <7216@tekecs.UUCP> monam@tekecs.UUCP (Mona McLaughlin) writes: >>>> SPIDERS! >>I agree, yuk! >>One solution that my wife and I found was crickets. ... >> praying >>mantises also work. > > ... >Interestingly, praying mantises eat crickets, so if you've already tried >the cricket method and want to try something different.... And after your house is infested with praying mantises and crickets, you might want to try getting a few frogs. They seem to eat most insects. ;-) (Where will it end ??? - cats ?? dogs ?? goats ??? old ladys ???) Rob Vetter (503) 629-1291 [ihnp4, ucbvax, decvax, uw-beaver]!tektronix!tekla!robertv "Waste is a terrible thing to mind" - NRC (Well, they COULD have said it)
hav@dual.UUCP (04/23/86)
In article <444@drivax.UUCP>, holloway@drivax.UUCP (Bruce Holloway) writes: > > Spiders > are non-intrusive, totally silent, efficient, and they stay in one place. Yeah? They're certainly silent, and I'm *sure* they're efficient, but I'm not so sure about non-intrusive. Who's that biting me in the middle of the night, then? For some reason, they (whoever they are) seem to favor my lower legs (from just below the knee to the ankle) and my back. It's probably partly due to sleeping in the buff and dangling any parts that overheat outside the covers, but I can't be sure. Even when it's cold and I sleep in a t-shirt, I seem to get attacked. I haven't seen any other little critters that might want to feast on my vital bodily fluids, but living on the ground floor, there sure are a *lot* of spiders. > Interestingly, praying mantises eat crickets, so if you've already tried > the cricket method and want to try something different.... Just another piece of the food chain in action. Helen Anne {ihnp4,cbosgd,hplabs,decwrl,ucbvax,sun}!dual!hav /* This is a disclaimer. I deny it all. Period. */ Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.
ronc@fai.UUCP (04/24/86)
> I catch all that I can (a glass tumbler over them first, then slide >paper under the glass, and escort them out of doors or to the plant room. *** Will spiders eat those little brown roaches? If so, bring them (the spiders) over to my apartment. Lord knows, Raid isn't helping anymore. I think the little suckers are immune. Ron -- -- Ronald O. Christian (Fujitsu America Inc., San Jose, Calif.) seismo!amdahl!fai!ronc -or- ihnp4!pesnta!fai!ronc Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: "If you are seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it."
kishore2@watdcsu.UUCP (K.Singhal - Systems Design) (04/25/86)
In article <1240@dual.UUCP> hav@dual.UUCP writes: >In article <444@drivax.UUCP>, holloway@drivax.UUCP (Bruce Holloway) writes: >> >> Spiders >> are non-intrusive, totally silent, efficient, and they stay in one place. > >Yeah? They're certainly silent, and I'm *sure* they're efficient, but I'm not >so sure about non-intrusive. Who's that biting me in the middle of the night, >then? For some reason, they (whoever they are) seem to favor my lower legs >(from just below the knee to the ankle) and my back. It's probably partly due >to sleeping in the buff and dangling any parts that overheat outside the >covers, but I can't be sure. Even when it's cold and I sleep in a t-shirt, I >seem to get attacked. I haven't seen any other little critters that might want >to feast on my vital bodily fluids, but living on the ground floor, there sure >are a *lot* of spiders. > ... > Helen Anne {ihnp4,cbosgd,hplabs,decwrl,ucbvax,sun}!dual!hav > > /* This is a disclaimer. I deny it all. Period. */ > > Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine. Hmmmm... sounds more like fleas than spiders to me. A can of Raid House and Garden would probably take care of both I think. Oh yea, a disclaimer, I am in no way connected to the good people who make Raid. Some of their tv commercials are amusing though. -- Sherman Lang Systems Design Engineering University of Waterloo
thomas@utah-gr.UUCP (04/25/86)
In article <430@ihlpf.UUCP> suem@ihlpf.UUCP writes: >BTW, the Japanese consider it bad luck to kill a spider. Reminds me of the Pogo quote: "It's bad luck to squoosh a spider. Squoosh a spider and you gets rain" -- =Spencer ({ihnp4,decvax}!utah-cs!thomas, thomas@utah-cs.ARPA)
carl@ci-dandelion.UUCP (Carl A. Dunham) (04/28/86)
In article <3525@nsc.UUCP> curry@nsc.UUCP (Ray Curry) writes: >One way to handle spiders is to learn to like them. Very few are harmful >to people, they eat a tremendous amount of things that are harmful to >people, and as for hair, nobody seems to complain about Afgan hounds or >collies. :-) Here, here. In the house I'm in now, we've let the spiders grow webs all along the beam-level windows. The webs look really pretty with the sun glinting off of them, esecially during an especially spectacular sunset. Sometimes, a bug will happen along into the web (kind of the point, I guess). It's really a 'get-close-to-nature' experience to see animal survival a-la spider. But then my girlfriend isn't talking to me and my friends don't visit anymore... :-) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carl A. Dunham UUCP: ...!mit-eddie!ci-dandelion!carl BITNET: CARL@BROWNVM ------------------------------------------------------------------------
holloway@drivax.UUCP (04/28/86)
In article <310@gvax.cs.cornell.edu> martin@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (Susan Martin) writes: >I remove all spider webs during cleaning. I don't know what else to do. > >I would appreciate any help you can give, I just can't get used to them. >They really bug me! Spiders make great pets, and they're tasty, too.... BUT, if you want to rid yourself of the little buggers -- round about mid-summer spiders build nests and lay their egg sacs all over -- in hidden places, outside near house foundations, etc. Your job -- find all these egg sacs and destroy them. And they are often outside (or wherever spiders live). Burn them when you've collected them. Good way to get rid of gypsy moths, too. -- "IS HE DEAD?" "well..... not any more." ....!ucbvax!hplabs!amdahl!drivax!holloway (I'm not THAT Bruce Holloway, I'm the other one.)
ron@brl-sem.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (04/29/86)
> Will spiders eat those little brown roaches? If so, bring them > (the spiders) over to my apartment. Lord knows, Raid isn't helping > anymore. I think the little suckers are immune. > No but my roommates lizard got loose once and we didn't find him for a couple of days until one day we caught him racing accross the kitchen catching and eathing roaches. I suggested we let him stay loose. -Ron
mcewan@uiucdcs.CS.UIUC.EDU (04/30/86)
Forget about crickets, mantises, frogs, birds, cats, dogs and goats. I
have come up with the perfect solution to EVERYONE'S pest problems, namely,
neutron bombs for large-scale pest control. The idea is that you evacuate
a city, then drop a N-bomb on it, killing not only the spiders, but also
cockroaches, flys, fleas, rats, vicious stray dogs and street mimes. I
figure one bomb every few years should take care of all pest control needs,
and save a fortune in Raid.
Scott McEwan
{ihnp4,pur-ee}!uiucdcs!mcewan
"When everybody is out to get you, paranoid is just good thinking."keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle) (05/01/86)
In article <430@ihlpf.UUCP> suem@ihlpf.UUCP (Sue McKinnell) writes: >> >> SPIDERS! Jeez, I much prefer spiders to COCKROACHES! Last place I lived had no spiders at all, just cockroaches. Now, I have spiders and ants. The ants can be a real pain in the ass, but the spiders are easy, I just ignore them. They probably ate all the baby cockroaches hiding in my stuff when I moved. My guess is if the spiders all left, cockroaches would probably move in, and I'm much happier this way. Like to get rid of the ants though. I tend to keep all exposed food stuffs on a kitchen table that has vaseline on the table legs, ants can't cross the vaseline making the table a secure no-ants-land. Keith Doyle # {ucbvax,ihnp4,decvax}!trwrb!cadovax!keithd # cadovax!keithd@ucla-locus.arpa
azriel@homxb.UUCP (A.HEUMAN) (05/02/86)
You might be interested in knowing that according to Jewish Tradition spiders are not to be killed. The reason is to repay them for saving King David's life. When King Saul was chasing David, in order to kill him, young David hid in a cave. A spider wove a web across the entrance to the cave after he entered. When King Saul's soldiers came upon the cave, the web convinced them the the cave hadn't been entered and they continued their search elsewhere. Of course, when they pose a threat to human life this tradition id overridden.
licsak@hsi.UUCP (Don Licsak) (05/02/86)
> SPIDERS! Now that the warm weather is back (sort of), I notice these nasty > creatures making themselves known again. The little ones aren't so bad, but > there are also big, hairy looking things that really gross me out (pardon my > English). The presence of a spider population usually indicates a large population of other insects, SAM. Actually, they are a boon to humans as spiders help us from being over-run by other insects, particularly cockroaches. However, I know this is no consolation to you. You say you live on the first floor. If there are a large number of trees and bushes around the house that's one reason for a lot of spiders. They're looking for food. Again, I know you couldn't care less about what they eat, you just want to get rid of them, and I can't blame you. I've seen several of "nightmare" size. They aren't the least bit cute! Go to any large size chain store in your area and look for an insect spray that has a residual effect. This leaves a dry residue where you spray. It acts on the nervous system of insects and causes death. You just might see "something" staggering as if it's drunk. That's the effect of the spray. It's been a while since I've purchased a "home" spray, but to my knowledge Black Flag makes an excellent spray. Ortho also is very good. Try to get one with a ingredient called "baygon." This is very effective. Just be sure it is a residual type spray. One other thing. If you own a pet, i.e. cat, bird, puppy, etc., read the instructions before you buy. Some insecticides are deadly to small pets. I can't guarantee you'll never see a spider again, but you will see far fewer of them. Let me know how you make out. Don in New Haven -30-
spaf@gatech.CSNET (Gene Spafford) (05/04/86)
In article <697@steinmetz.UUCP> davidsen@kbsvax.UUCP (Davidsen) writes: > >Seriously, my favorite killer is starting either from the local auto >stores. It kills bees, wasps, hornets, termites (after the local bug >man couldn't), etc. While you have to use care when applying it, unlike >many commercial sprays it leaves no poisons to affect kids, petc, etc. You better be damn careful with starting ether!! The stuff is *highly* explosive. Using it in a closed room can result in explosion and fire if you spray enough of it around and there is an open flame or spark (i.e., pilot lights, switching on a light switch, etc). The fumes in a poorly ventilated location can also knock you out...which isn't a good thing even if it doesn't start a fire. I would very strongly recommend against using ether for household pest extermination, cleaning, or anything else unless you like danger. I wonder what your insurance company would say if there was a fire and you explained it hard started because you were spraying your spiders with an explosive mixture? >"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" Uh, was this a disclaimer on your article? Were you actually just trying to support "evolution in action"? -- Gene Spafford Software Engineering Research Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA 30332 CSNet: Spaf @ GATech ARPA: Spaf%GATech.CSNet @ Relay.CS.NET uucp: ...!{akgua,decvax,hplabs,ihnp4,linus,seismo,ulysses}!gatech!spaf
bane@parcvax.UUCP (05/13/86)
In article <142@fai.UUCP>, ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian) writes: > > I catch all that I can (a glass tumbler over them first, then slide > >paper under the glass, and escort them out of doors or to the plant room. > > > *** > > Will spiders eat those little brown roaches? If so, bring them > (the spiders) over to my apartment. Lord knows, Raid isn't helping > anymore. I think the little suckers are immune. > > > Ron I had the same problem, both at my parents' house and in my apartment. I used Roach Prufe (Boric acid, sugar, anti-caking stuff), and it worked wonders! My parents haven't seen a roach since, and at the apartment, we would see one, maybe every two or three weeks (they come from the next apartment), and it would be dead already. Boric acid is a physical poisen, which means they can't develop an immunity to it (I believe it works by clogging up their spiracles and smothering them. Or the crystals scrape the carapace and they dehydrate. Something like that). I even trapped roaches in glasses to see how long it took (before they all died, of course). Big ones died real fast; baby roaches took hours and hours (usually overnight). No, I didn't do enough for a real statistically significant study, but I was impressed. Roach Prufe is relatively expensive ($10/can, good for a whole house or so, though), and you can make your own (I don't know the proportions, but the major ingredient is boric acid). The can says to sprinkle it around with a spoon, but I think if you use a little blower (like from a camara kit), you don't need nearly as much and it works just as well. The best thing: roaches take some time to die, so they tend to track the stuff around, especially over their eggs. Repeat, this is NOT a poison. As far as I know, it is safe for babies and pets. Of course, I wouldn't recommend letting them eat it out of the can, but it IS mainly eye-wash. Has Consumer Reports done anything on this? As you can see, I've been really happy (and surprised) by the stuff. - rene -- Rene P S (nee Steiner) Bane bane@parcvax
dyer@spdcc.UUCP (Steve Dyer) (05/14/86)
>Repeat, this is NOT a poison. As far as I know, it is safe for babies >and pets. Of course, I wouldn't recommend letting them eat it out of >the can, but it IS mainly eye-wash. Boric acid is extremely poisonous to young children. My twin brother died in infancy from boric acid poisoning caused by absorption of the substance through the skin in a dusting powder. Realize that you're going to be spraying this stuff loose where children might come into contact with it. You should treat it no differently than any other pesticide. -- Steve Dyer dyer@harvard.HARVARD.EDU {linus,wanginst,bbncca,bbnccv,harvard,ima,ihnp4}!spdcc!dyer
suem@ihlpf.UUCP (Sue McKinnell) (05/14/86)
> I used Roach Prufe (Boric acid, sugar, anti-caking stuff), and it > > Repeat, this is NOT a poison. As far as I know, it is safe for babies > and pets. Of course, I wouldn't recommend letting them eat it out of > the can, but it IS mainly eye-wash. It's my understanding that Boric Acid *is* toxic to pets, and maybe children - so READ THE LABEL!! -- Sue McKinnell ...!ihnp4!ihopb!suem IH 6N226 x5313
snappy@ihlpa.UUCP (Schulpiet) (05/14/86)
> Rene P S (nee Steiner) Bane > bane@parcvax Relative to the de-roaching with boric acid, there have been several postings establishing that this method works better than any commercial bug-killer you can find anywhere. I just wish I knew this when we lived in Texas...would have been able to save many dollars. If you have the "roach" problem...try the boric acid. The netters have all agreed that it really works as the boric acid prevents the roaches from absorbing moisture through their shells. The b.a. acts like water-proofing and consequently the darned things die. Marge .
kludge@gitpyr.UUCP (05/15/86)
In article <314@parcvax.Xerox.COM> bane@parcvax.Xerox.COM (John R. Bane) writes: >In article <142@fai.UUCP>, ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian) writes: >> Will spiders eat those little brown roaches? If so, bring them >> (the spiders) over to my apartment. Lord knows, Raid isn't helping >> anymore. I think the little suckers are immune. >I had the same problem, both at my parents' house and in my apartment. >I used Roach Prufe (Boric acid, sugar, anti-caking stuff), and it >worked wonders! My parents haven't seen a roach since, and at the >apartment, we would see one, maybe every two or three weeks (they come >from the next apartment), and it would be dead already. I have always put long strips of masking tape out in all the corners, with the sticky side up. The roaches love to eat the glue, but get stuck to it, and can't move. This causes them to die, and it works pretty well. I usually can pick up one to two roaches per week in the dorm rooms here. Now if there was only something that did as well with rats.... -- ------- Disclaimer: Everything I say is probably a trademark of someone. But don't worry, I probably don't know what I'm talking about. Scott Dorsey " If value corrupts kaptain_kludge then absolute value corrupts absolutely" ICS Programming Lab (Where old terminals go to die), Rich 110, Georgia Institute of Technology, Box 36681, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 ...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!kludge
sheryl@pyramid.UUCP (Sheryl Flieder) (05/16/86)
I recently read in Newsweek (May 19 issue) about a new roach killer.
Not really killer, I suppose an eliminator or exterminator. I don't know
whether it's on the market yet. It is not a poison, but rather is a hormone.
It works by sterilizing the buggers before they are old enough to reproduce.
If you have moral qualms about killing bugs, this might be for you.
They say, in the laboratory, no roach has ever become immune to this drug.
Anyway, it is not a poison. It's like putting all your pests on the "pill".
Sheryl Flieder
Pyramid Technology
Disclaimer: my employer has nothing to do with this. They do not allow
employees to read Newsweek.
{sun, allegra, hplabs, shasta, decwrl, topaz} !pyramid!sherylgsmith@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Gene Ward Smith) (05/16/86)
In article <466@ihlpf.UUCP> suem@ihlpf.UUCP (Sue McKinnell) writes: >> I used Roach Prufe (Boric acid, sugar, anti-caking stuff), and it >> >> Repeat, this is NOT a poison. As far as I know, it is safe for babies >> and pets. Of course, I wouldn't recommend letting them eat it out of >> the can, but it IS mainly eye-wash. > >It's my understanding that Boric Acid *is* toxic to pets, and maybe >children - so READ THE LABEL!! Boric acid is toxic to anyone if you eat enough of it. I looked it up in a toxicology reference when I was going to use it once. I think it had a median lethal dose of about an ounce, and that symptoms included a sort of reddening, blush-like effect. ucbvax!brahms!gsmith Gene Ward Smith/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720 ucbvax!weyl!gsmith "DUMB problem!! DUMB!!!" -- Robert L. Forward
bane@parcvax.Xerox.COM (John R. Bane) (05/16/86)
In article <308@spdcc.UUCP>, dyer@spdcc.UUCP (Steve Dyer) writes: > >Repeat, this is NOT a poison. As far as I know, it is safe for babies > >and pets. Of course, I wouldn't recommend letting them eat it out of > >the can, but it IS mainly eye-wash. > > Boric acid is extremely poisonous to young children. My twin brother > died in infancy from boric acid poisoning caused by absorption of > the substance through the skin in a dusting powder. Realize that you're > going to be spraying this stuff loose where children might come into contact > with it. You should treat it no differently than any other pesticide. > -- > Steve Dyer > dyer@harvard.HARVARD.EDU > {linus,wanginst,bbncca,bbnccv,harvard,ima,ihnp4}!spdcc!dyer I sincerely apologize for the misinformation. The man in the hardware store assured me that it wasn't dangerous. He seemed to know what he was talking about. - rene -- Rene P S (nee Steiner) Bane bane@parcvax
dts@gitpyr.UUCP (Danny Sharpe) (05/17/86)
In article <466@ihlpf.UUCP> suem@ihlpf.UUCP (Sue McKinnell) writes: >> I used Roach Prufe (Boric acid, sugar, anti-caking stuff), and it >> >> Repeat, this is NOT a poison. As far as I know, it is safe for babies >> and pets. Of course, I wouldn't recommend letting them eat it out of >> the can, but it IS mainly eye-wash. > >It's my understanding that Boric Acid *is* toxic to pets, and maybe >children - so READ THE LABEL!! The label says keep the stuff away from children and pets, like all good pesticide labels. -Danny -- -- "How can I tell," said the man, "that the past isn't a fiction designed to account for the discrepancy between my immediate physical sensations and my state of mind?" -- Danny Sharpe School of ICS Georgia Insitute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 ...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!dts
chris@toram.UUCP (Chris Robertson) (05/17/86)
Try leaving a beer bottle with a tablespoon of so of beer in the bottom
lying on its side on the floor near where roaches come in. They crawl in
to drink the beer, get drunk, can't climb out the slippery sides, and drown.
Of course, you don't want to invite your boss or your mother over while
you've got all these empties full of dead cockroaches lying around on
your kitchen floor ... :-)
--
Christine Robertson {ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!toram!chris
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, especially if aimed well.johansen@agrigene.UUCP (05/17/86)
> > > I recently read in Newsweek (May 19 issue) about a new roach killer. > Not really killer, I suppose an eliminator or exterminator. I don't know > whether it's on the market yet. It is not a poison, but rather is a hormone. > It works by sterilizing the buggers before they are old enough to reproduce. > If you have moral qualms about killing bugs, this might be for you. > They say, in the laboratory, no roach has ever become immune to this drug. > Anyway, it is not a poison. It's like putting all your pests on the "pill". > This hormone works by blocking the maturation of the pest so they do not reach reproductive age. Unfortunately, it does not reduce their lifespan so the hang around for 150 days before dieing of old age. A combination of this with poison may work wonders.
srt@ucla-cs.UUCP (05/18/86)
In article <314@parcvax.Xerox.COM> bane@parcvax.Xerox.COM (John R. Bane) writes: > >I had the same problem, both at my parents' house and in my apartment. >I used Roach Prufe (Boric acid, sugar, anti-caking stuff), and it >worked wonders! As Cecil Adams has told us numerous times, the best roach killer and only active ingredient in Roach Prufe, etc., is boric acid. Don't pay $10 a can for this, as you can get it much cheaper from your local chemist. -- Scott Turner The Chairman of the Board
sukenick@ccnysci.UUCP (05/19/86)
>> >> I recently read in Newsweek (May 19 issue) about a new roach killer. >> Not really killer, I suppose an eliminator or exterminator. I don't know >> whether it's on the market yet. It is not a poison, but rather is a hormone. >> It works by sterilizing the buggers before they are old enough to reproduce. It is on the market, at least in NY, under the brand name 'Combat'. It comes in little plastic things that you are supposed to put in strategic places in your house. It is very effective. Sodium Fluoride was once used as a home insecticide (Roach Nots). It worked better than boric acid, but I guess that they don't sell it as an insecticide anymore because of its higher toxicity to people. (or do they?)
spp@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Stephen P Pope) (05/20/86)
> As Cecil Adams has told us numerous times, the best roach killer and only > active ingredient in Roach Prufe, etc., is boric acid. Don't pay $10 a can > for this, as you can get it much cheaper from your local chemist. "Roach Prufe" is nothing but Boric Acid, however, it is an extremely fine powder. My guess is larger boric acid crystals would not work as well. steve
ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian) (05/21/86)
Well, I finally got the suckers (roachs) under control. (No, this is not the "drug testing" topic.) I haven't been able to find Roach Prufe, but with my can of industrial strength Raid in hand I sprayed heavily around the seams in the doors and windows, and laid a pool of the stuff across the window sills. (I have no kids or pets. I wouldn't do this otherwise.) I had finally come to the conclusion about a week ago that the roaches were coming from apartment next door, when I pulled everything out of each room in turn and put poison everywhere and packed things in Raid-sprayed boxes and the little brown guys were back in a week. Now I sweep the dead bodies off the sills and doorjams every other day and reapply the poison. I've won! (I think.) Still want to try Roach Prufe if I can find it. Raid smells terrible. Ron (Roach Prufe and Raid are no doubt trademarks of some chemical companies somewhere.) -- -- Ronald O. Christian (Fujitsu America Inc., San Jose, Calif.) seismo!amdahl!fai!ronc -or- ihnp4!pesnta!fai!ronc Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: "If you are seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it."
ayers@convex.UUCP (05/22/86)
>Try leaving a beer bottle with a tablespoon of so of beer in the bottom >lying on its side on the floor near where roaches come in. They crawl in >to drink the beer, get drunk, can't climb out the slippery sides, and drown. > >Of course, you don't want to invite your boss or your mother over while >you've got all these empties full of dead cockroaches lying around on >your kitchen floor ... :-) Right! it would be sooooo embarrassing to have your boss crawl into one of those bottles after the beer and drown... <Give 'im air! Give 'im air!> blues, II
dts@gitpyr.UUCP (Danny Sharpe) (05/26/86)
In article <192@fai.UUCP> ronc@fai.UUCP (Ronald O. Christian) writes: > > ... with my can of industrial >strength Raid in hand I sprayed heavily around the seams >in the doors and windows, and laid a pool of the stuff >across the window sills. (I have no kids or pets. I >wouldn't do this otherwise.) I had finally come to the >conclusion about a week ago that the roaches were coming >from apartment next door, when I pulled everything out of >each room in turn and put poison everywhere and packed things >in Raid-sprayed boxes and the little brown guys were back >in a week. Now I sweep the dead bodies off the sills and >doorjams every other day and reapply the poison. I've won! >(I think.) With that much poison around your place, I'm afraid you may have lost along with the roaches. Though you might not find out for a while... -Danny -- -- "How can I tell," said the man, "that the past isn't a fiction designed to account for the discrepancy between my immediate physical sensations and my state of mind?" -- Danny Sharpe School of ICS Georgia Insitute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 ...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!dts
carl@proper.UUG? (Carl Greenberg) (05/31/86)
In article <371@pyramid.UUCP> sheryl@pyramid.UUCP (Sheryl Flieder) writes: >It is not a poison, but rather is a hormone. >It works by sterilizing the buggers before they are old enough to reproduce. I hear there's one that turns the little buggers HOMOSEXUAL! Imagine, all these little roaches climbing onto the terminal cf. Archy & Mehitabel (sp?) to post to net.motss.. :-) Carl Greenberg