Pests and Predators

Homemade mosquito traps – is it possible to make one that’s effective and actually works? Such a trap is easier to make than you might think, and the beauty of it is that there are many solutions for keeping mosquitoes at bay, some for outside and some for inside. This article focuses on much more … Read more

Every gardener hates pests, but if you only have insects and slugs to worry about, count your blessings; no garden pest is more destructive than deer. Think about it: all they eat are plants, and deer have vastly bigger appetites than any insects. If a single deer gets into your garden, that can be disastrous, … Read more

I don’t think too many people would disagree that mice are very cute, but for those of us who have had to deal with them in any context except as pets, there is no arguing that they are destructive little critters. A single mouse can ruin food in your pantry, chew on wiring and of … Read more

Is there anything more aggravating than flies buzzing around your kitchen and elsewhere in your home? I don’t think so, and doing even a cursory search on the subject will give you endless results on getting rid of them, trapping them, and repelling them. Particularly, safe, DIY fly repellent is something that most homesteaders seem … Read more

For being so small, rats can be a truly huge problem. Whether they are in your home or just lurking on the homestead, there’s no end to the trouble they can cause… They routinely poach eggs, kill chicks and ducklings, contaminate feed, and spread nasty diseases that you, your family, and your animals can catch. … Read more

There is nothing you are going through that cannot be made worse by the presence of flies. From common annoyances like house flies to the biting, blood-sucking horse fly to the congregating clouds of clusterflies: they’re all nasty, all aggravating, and can make your life and the lives of your animals hell. And getting rid … Read more

Unless you live someplace very cold, there’s one thing you can always count on to ruin your time outdoors, whether you are working or relaxing: mosquitoes. These biting little scumbags will cover you with red, itchy welts, and worst of all they can spread disease. If you live anywhere it’s warm, and especially near water, … Read more

Mice might be cute and cuddly in controlled circumstances, but pretty much every homesteader knows by now that they are a giant problem when they are on your property. They can terrorize chickens and eat eggs, infest and ruin livestock feed, spread disease, and tear up your house- aside from making everything filthy. You need … Read more

Deer are amazing and majestic animals, and they also make for good sport when hunting, but if I’ve learned anything these past few years is that they’re among the most destructive, persistent, and difficult-to-stop and garden pests there are. Worse, deer eat almost anything. Anything that you’re growing in your garden for eating (corn, veggies, … Read more

Ask anyone who lives way out in the country, and especially anyone who owns livestock, and they will tell you that flies can be an absolute nightmare. Much of the time they are just an annoyance, pestering animals and you. But many kinds of flies, particularly horse flies, can be dangerous and have powerful bites … Read more

A gardener’s work is never done, and some of the most urgent and persistent annoyances you’ll have to deal with in your garden are mammalian pests. From rabbits and deer to raccoons and even the occasional possum, there’s nothing most mammals love more than scarfing up the produce you’ve worked so hard to grow. But … Read more

Unless you are at one of the poles, no matter where you go in the world you can count on one kind of insect being there to torment you: mosquitoes. These blood-sucking flies are the scourge of many an otherwise pleasant outdoor adventure or excursion. Beyond the sheer aggravation, they can actually prove to be … Read more

If you live anywhere mosquitoes are common, and especially if you’re outside during peak season, you already know how intolerable it is to be mobbed by these bloodsucking parasites. Aside from the unsightly and maddingly itchy welts they leave behind, mosquitoes are actually quite dangerous because of the diseases they transmit. You’d be wise to … Read more