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hellosailor · 14-08-2014, 20:34

You need to look online at the classic old books for cruising, and cooking on boats. Bay leaves are supposed to keep weevils and other critters out, or dead, in flour. Tea in bags, really....you're supposed to keep it in bulk, in tins or jars that keep the volatiles sealed IN and the critters OUT.

In warm wet places, food storage is a competitive sport. But look around for books on cruising, if you can't find that stuff on the internet. People on land in warm wet places have pretty much the same problems, too.

emmajayashton · 15-08-2014, 11:31

Thanks again all... I'm now thinking about that competitive sport idea and having visions of whole marinas engaged in weevil racing and cockroach bating. With trophies.

Arthur Garfield · 15-08-2014, 11:58

I lived in Puerto Escondido,Oax,Mx for 16 years.Any and all insects,reptiles and other unknowables got into everything! Ziplocks are nice but many insects will chew there way in.Large quart mason jars did trick though rubber gaskets go bad after about a year. One just needs to keep up with the bug chase.

Lubber4now · 15-08-2014, 12:30

A microwave will kill any critter as long as you're careful. It literally shakes them to pieces. Just don't cook the item for more than 30 secs on high. Give it a few short death-ray baths and make sure it doesn't burn in the center. Eggs, hatchlings, adults and even the micro stuff gets zapped - just don't get the item too hot.

Let it cool between zaps and stir it around. If it feels a little hot that means every critter in that part got zapped, plus it gets rid of any dampness. Then securely package it.

For those who don't know microwaves cause molecules to vibrate rapidly and the friction from that causes heat.

**JPA Cate** · 15-08-2014, 14:27

Most 32 ft. sailboats do not have microwaves or freezers big enough for food sterilization. No matter how sterile they were when they left England, by the time they arrived in Panama, their stores were subject to contamination.

We really can live with the critters (the locals do), it is just that they really offend out sensibilities.

Once they're cleaned out, vigilance is in order for those of us who are bug squeamish.

Ann

dannc · 15-08-2014, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

We got the exterminator and he had this gel that looked like silicon. I have no idea what it was but the ants clearly ate it as it disappeared over a week's time.

Haven't seen an ant in 3 months. This is Asia so I am sure it's a banned substance in the USA - LOL...

My *** guess *** is that the ant poison is just a mixture of boric acid and high fructose corn syrup. We by a commercial product and I keep saying I will make my own mixture but of course I never do.

Later,
Dan

hellosailor · 15-08-2014, 18:37

Boric acid and Borax are two different things. I have no idea what Borax does to bugs.

But boric acid powder, when fresh and dry, acts like a thousand obsidian daggers and punctures the carapace of small bugs including roaches. It is discouraged from home use because if humans ingest the powder, it also slashes up the tissue in your lungs and doesn't always get expelled completely. Not a good thing to breath, but OK to use with some discretion in places your mouth and nose won't be near.

Boric acid *always* kills roaches because as it slashes holes in them (and in their gut if they eat poisoned bait) and then they leak out, dessicate, and die. Usually in odd spaces where you can't see or find them, so people say "It didn't work" because they didn't see any dead bugs. Like Joshua Slocum scattering carpet tacks on deck, it always works.

There is ant poison made by mixing boric acid into sugar water (fructose, karo syrup, whatever) and that is supposed to work the same way. Apparently ants are small enough so that when they ingest the stuff, it slashes them open from inside, damp or not. And again, you'll never see the corpses so you can say "It didn't work" all you please, but it has still killed them.

There's no way for critters to develop immunity against this since it is not a "poison" as such, it is a physical attack. There are faster kills (the Raid fumigators that are smoke, not aerosol, are extremely effective and leave no oily residue) and more obvious kills (like glue traps) but unadulterated dry boric acid is like a box of tiny daggers. In a damp environment, you'd want to clean it up and replace it with fresh stuff once it stops sticking to things and starts to get damp. (The dry stuff has a bit of electrostatic cling, so it also clings to bug legs and gets trekked into their nests.)

And then there's always fly paper. Cheap and ugly, but what walks onto it, stays there.

dannc · 16-08-2014, 08:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Boric acid and Borax are two different things. I have no idea what Borax does to bugs.
...

Borax does kill bugs, well at least fleas.

When living in FLA, my abode got infested with fleas.

There were flea bombs that worked for months but of course the chemical went over everything where as only the carpet needed to be sprayed. There were some sprays that would last a few months as well but they smelled.

Somewhere I read about using Borax. Not sure where I read this but it was pre Internet.

You just spread the Borax in the carpet and raked it in. The Borax would kill both the fleas and eggs.

Just don't put the Borax box next to the dry dish washing detergent that is in a box that looks like 20 Mule team.

Dish washing detergent does not spread in the carpet very well and I don't think it kills fleas but it does make the carpet smell better...

Later,
Dan

zeehag · 16-08-2014, 08:37

what is nice bout borax is it is not acid and it does have effect even when old and crusty.

i like the slickeriness it(borax) gives my wood and makes the avispas go away. i hope they stay away this time. i am running out of laundry soap.
here there are no dishwashers of non human design, so powder fro dishes is not seen. borax is findable occasionally, and in certain stores.

NorthernSeaWolf · 16-08-2014, 08:46

Since I prefer to avoid toxic chemicals, I thought I'd share this. Most people won't bother with essential oils, but if you're into natural therapies you may want to give this a try. It's a good indoor/outdoor all-around bug spray; just throw these together into a spray bottle and hit your surfaces with it.

3oz Vodka or a Witch Hazel/Distilled Water combo
20 drops Citronella Essential Oil
10 Eucalyptus Essential Oil
10 Catnip Essential Oil
5 Thyme Essential Oil
3 Neem Oil

Also, many bugs dislike dried lavender, which most people enjoy the smell of, so a few satchels here and there wouldn't hurt... and last but not least, spiders hate peppermint oil

zeehag · 16-08-2014, 09:42

hard to find those lovely essential oils here in my area...is easier and more effective to use chemicals, as these are insects with super powers.

Lubber4now · 16-08-2014, 13:10

Are vispas like flying vespas?

You can keep up your tennis game using an electronic bug zapper dealy.
I modify mine by using a wirecutter to widen the holes on one side to where when you swat a B17 size flying critter it zaps them.

I leave the other side intact for zapping skeeters.

Lubber4now · 16-08-2014, 13:18

A very effective critter trap I've used is a bottle with some sugar water in it.
I place it in a dark cupboard and after a day it is chock full of crawlies. I quickly cover the top and give it a good shake. Then I add some water and shake until the boogers have had it, then dump, rinse and add some fresh bait.

Cheap, safe, works well.