On the Offensive--and in a Panic
I put out all the cockroach-killing arsenal tonight, finally: about 20 of the little Combat "stations," and boric acid in some of the cabinets where I had kept food and along the floor near the stove, etc. And, although one of my co-workers who was advising me to use the boric acid kept assuring me that it wasn't really all that toxic, after reading the warnings on the bottle, I am convinced I have poisoned myself. There's one set of instructions for what to do if you inhale it--but how can you help inhaling it as you're spraying it around? (I did put on one of those paper masks that you can buy at the hardware store.) And then if it's visible, you're supposed to push it into the crevices, but how do you do that without getting it all over yourself? After I got worried about having inhaled the stuff, I tried to get fresh air, as directed ("move the person to fresh air") by opening the window, but it is so hot and humid out tonight (once more) that I just recoiled and closed the window.
I think I am going to go to bed and deal with this in the morning. Perhaps I can mop up some of the excess tomorrow with wet paper towels or something.
Suggestions are welcome.
Oh, and, fittingly enough, the segment on NPR (Leonard Lopate show, I think) that I am listening to is about toxic chemicals. Yikes.
I think I am going to go to bed and deal with this in the morning. Perhaps I can mop up some of the excess tomorrow with wet paper towels or something.
Suggestions are welcome.
Oh, and, fittingly enough, the segment on NPR (Leonard Lopate show, I think) that I am listening to is about toxic chemicals. Yikes.
posted by Sarah Sometimes at 11:54 PM
9 Comments:
One thing to remember is that if roaches are in your house, they are in the whole building, so getting rid of them has to be a building-wide endeavor. Your landlord might have to get involved, unless you have a really good tenants association. Also, roaches are drawn to damp places (under the sink, in the sink, e.g.) since they are basically waterbugs, so don't neglect that area whatever you are doing.
The idea behind boric acid is that it compromises the critter's shell, which causes it to dehydrate. It works slowly, so don't expect overnight results. I'm not sure what you were spraying, but the boric acid is usually in the form of powder. The powder is sprinkled around edges, and near places where you've seen the roaches enter/exit. To find out where they skitter off to when threatened, go into the dark kitchen and turn the light on. Watch where they go.
And, remember: boric acid is toxic to fire ants too. So be careful where you put that stuff. ;-)
FA: Thanks for advice and suggestions, which I will follow. And I will make sure to keep all boric acid away from any fire ants I happen to run into. :) And thanks for your e-mail--I've written you back, as you will see.
here's hoping that a) you are not dead of a boric acid overdose and 2) your roaches are all gone.
Bait stations are a great way to go. I've had especially good luck in the past with Raid products that use the active ingredient Avermectin. You've had your bait stations down for about a week now, right? You should be seeing some results, maybe not all roaches gone, but most of them. And the level of toxicity in bait stations is so low that humans and pets are generally not at risk. You're probably wondering why I know so much about this--I work in advertising and used to have a client who produced products for professional pest control companies.
Clowncar: Thanks for checking in on me! Yes, I am still alive and kicking--and the roaches seem to be mostly vanquished.
Terry: thank you, yes, the bait stations seem to be working. Although I have pretty much been staying out of the kitchen myself, not doing much cooking. I guess the test will be when I start really using the kitchen again. Also, am I supposed to leave the bait stations out for awhile longer, or can I get rid of them soon?
You can just leave them. You have them in out-of-the-way places, yes? Under cabinets, under the stove, behind the fridge... They won't do any harm to you and as long as they have bait left in them, they'll continue to control any roaches that come into your home. Most roach baits have appetite inhibitors in them; roaches feel full quickly and stop eating. That helps the stations last longer, since roaches don't scarf down all the bait. And they won't attract roaches from other apartments, which is great. Roaches typically live, eat and die in a fairly small territory. However, they may migrate to your apartment if other neighbors clean up possible food sources for them or spray, which tends to drive them out. So just leave the bait stations and let them continue to do their work. Again, I feel a little embarrassed to know this much about the subject, but I hope it helps.
Terry: This is all very fascinating--appetite inhibitors, who knew? Thanks for the advice. I do have most of the stations in out-of-the-way places and will leave them there, as you suggest. And I haven't seen one of the critters for a few days, which is encouraging.
Post a Comment
<< Home