Decorate Fly Swatters

Fly swatters come with square, flower and even butterfly-shaped ends.

Fly swatters serve a practical purpose, but even those marketed as decorative are awfully plain. Embellish a plain fly swatter with ribbon, flowers or lace and hang it in your kitchen for a touch of country charm. Create a batch of decorated fly swatters to donate to a craft fair or to give as inexpensive, sensible gifts.

Instructions

1. Lay newspaper over a work surface in a well-ventilated area.

2. Wrap painter's tape around the base of the plastic fly swatter where it meets the wire handle. Place the fly swatter on the newspaper-covered work surface.

3. Shake the can of light brown spray paint. Point the spray can toward the wire handle of the fly swatter. Press the spray button and use fast, short side-to-side strokes to completely cover the front side of the wire handle with light brown paint. Allow the paint to dry.

4. Flip the fly swatter over and repeat the painting process to completely cover the back side of the wire handle with light brown paint. Allow the paint to dry.

5. Remove the painter's tape from the base of the fly swatter. Discard the tape.

6. Pick up the yard of dark brown ribbon and quickly pass the short ends of the ribbon through the cigarette lighter flame to heat-seal the ends.

7. Lay the dark brown ribbon flat on a work surface. Place the section of the fly swatter where the wire handle meets the plastic base centered on top of the length of ribbon. Tie the ribbon in a bow around the fly swatter. Set the fly swatter aside.

8. Pick up the spray of light pink flowers and pull three flowers off their stems. Set the three flowers aside.

9. Pick up the fly swatter and squeeze a dot of hot glue directly beneath the center of the bow tied onto the fly swatter. Pick up one of the pink flowers and press the back of the flower into the dab of hot glue.

10. Squeeze a dot of hot glue beneath and slightly to the right of the first pink flower. Press the back of one of the remaining light pink flowers into the dot of hot glue.

11. Squeeze a dot of hot glue beneath and slightly to the left of the first pink flower. Press the back of the final light pink flower into the dot of hot glue. Allow glue to cool.

Tags: wire handle, into glue, light brown, light pink, pink flower, pink flowers, work surface

Herpetologist'S Salaries

Herpetologists may study the impact of human activity on reptile or amphibian environments.

The term herpetologist is derived from the ancient Greek word "herpeton" meaning "to creep." It refers to a zoological scientist who specializes in reptiles and amphibians. A herpetologist may focus on a single species or a wide variety and work in a number of industry sectors, such as zoos, government agencies and research facilities. The field is not without its dangers; in June 2011, a UK herpetologist who ran a cobra sanctuary made headlines after being bitten and killed by one of his charges. But it can provide a rewarding career for those with a passion for our cold-blooded relatives.

Average Salary

As part of its national employment survey conducted in May 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics classified herpetologists alongside other zoologists and wildlife biologists. It reported that the mean annual salary across the category was $61,660. At the time of writing, two pay analysis websites published comparable figures for the average yearly salary of herpetologists specifically. Indeed put it at $48,000, while Simply Hired listed the wage as $45,000.

Salary by Industry

The bureau's survey revealed that the largest numbers of zoologists and wildlife biologists are employed by government agencies. The mean annual salary for an individual working for federal government was given as $77,030, while their colleagues employed by state government agencies earned a mean of $53,100. Local government paid $58,710 per annum. Practitioners may also work as consultants, a sector in which the mean yearly wage was listed as $55,130, or within scientific research and development services, reported at $72,410.

Salary by Geography

The bureau listed District of Columbia as the state in which a zoologist such as a herpetologist was likely to earn the highest annual salary, a mean of $106,540. Maryland and Massachusetts completed the top three states with means of $97,370 and $88,550, respectively. By way of contrast, Florida was listed at just $51,160. At the level of metropolitan districts, Barnstable Town in Massachusetts topped the table with a mean wage of $115,160. In contrast, Gainesville, Florida, was reported at $52,640.

Prospects

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment opportunities across the biological science, including for zoologists such as herpetologists, will increase by around 21 percent over the decade from 2008 to 2018. This is much faster growth than is expected of the country as a whole, put at between 7 and 13 percent for the same period. The increased need for environmental protection, rising government funding and the growth of the biotechnology industry are the primary reasons given for this growth. As such, salary levels should remain very competitive in the coming years.

Tags: annual salary, government agencies, Bureau Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics, Labor Statistics, mean annual, mean annual salary

Decrease Facial Swelling

Facial swelling and puffiness can be so annoying. Whether it is just trying to look your best day-to-day, or needing emergency help for a puffy face before a big event, help is here! Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. If you are having puffy eyelids, consider buying some green tea. Steep the tea bags just as if you were making a cup of tea (hopefully you will also enjoy drinking grean tea!). Make sure the tea bags have cooled appropriately before you put them on your closed eyelids. Leave them on as they cool completely. The tea contains tannin, which is a natural astringent, helping to decrease the inflammation of your eyelids.

2. Ever wonder why so many women's facial advertisements have pictures of women with cucumber slices over their eyes? This is because cucumber also contains astringent properties, and is a proven reliever of puffiness affecting the eyelids. Cut two slices of cucumber, lie down or lay your head back and apply one over each closed eye. About 15 to 20 minutes later, you will notice visibly reduced puffiness.

3. Finally, if you're dealing with facial swelling over the whole face or much of the face, apply a cold compress to reduce the swelling. The coldness may be uncomfortable at first, but remember to lie back and relax - allow the compress to remain on for 10 or 15 minutes in order to get the maximum benefit.

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Industrial Safety Rating System Requirements

Industrial safety ratings are created using safety and risk management audits completed using the International Safety Rating System (ISRS). The ISRS rates the safety and risk management systems implemented by industrial companies.

History

The ISRS was developed in 1978 by Frank Bird, a safety expert who researched about 1.75 million workplace accidents to create the standard. Safety standards are required for workers in an industrial facility, the surrounding environment and local community.

Ratings

Safety ratings are awarded by analyzing the risks associated with the industrial process taking place within an industrial environment. Procedures should be in place for pre-startup safety reviews, hazard analysis, process safety information and safe operating procedures.

Assessment

Safety management systems should include risk analysis for internal and external events affecting safety, and supply chain problems. Other information that should be collected include occupational hazards and process safety.

Tags: management systems, process safety, Rating System, risk management, Safety Rating

Read A Date Code

Even contraceptives are date-coded.

Reading the date code on any product can be very important. All foods, for example, will have a date code on them to determine the exact time when they become inedible or unusable. Fail to notice these codes and you might be eating something that is potentially harmful or dangerous. Other products such as cosmetics, contraceptives and medicines will also be printed with a date code to ensure that you're aware of its reliability and safety. Date codes come in various formats; the most widely used are the Gregorian, Julian and can calendars.

Instructions

1. Read a Gregorian date code in its standard day, month and year format. Although the Gregorian calendar is commonly written as 26 January 2008, for example, it can also be printed in slightly different ways --- either as numbers and words or just as numbers.

A product, for example, that bears a 01JAN10 date label should read as the date 01 January 2010 or Jan. 1, 2010. Similarly, a product that is printed with a date such as 07/08/15 has simply numbered the month; in this case it should read as the date 07 August 2015 or Aug. 1, 2015.

2. Read a Julian calendar date code by counting from Jan. 1 and then adding the number of days in the year. Julian product date codes are printed as a five-figure number; the first three represent the day of the year, while the last two digits represent the year itself.

For example, a date code that reads 08012 represents 21 March 2012; this is because the 080 stands for the 80th day in the year and the 12 represents 2012. Another example would be 31222, which translates as 08 November 2022 or Nov. 8, 2022. See the Resources section for a reference PDF of the entire Julian calendar.

3. Read a can code by converting the letters and numbers into their respective values. Can codes are usually printed on the top or bottom of the can and follow a simple conversion formula. The first number will be the month. January is the number 1 and each month is the next number through to 9 (September); October is O, November is N and December is D. If letters are used instead, January is written as A and each month follows the alphabet to September, written as L. This will be followed by the month date and then the final number will be the year. Each year is codified by a single number that represents the last number of the year, e.g. 2015 is a 5 and 2019 is a 9.

For example, a can date code of N206 would decode as 20 November 2016 or Nov. 20, 2016.

Tags: date code, date code, also printed, each month, example date, example date code

Plant An Asparagus Patch

Water your asparagus patch regularly.

Although you can plant an asparagus patch from seed, using 1-year-old crowns simplifies the process greatly. You'll be able to harvest asparagus within a year instead of three, and you can avoid the time-consuming care required by asparagus started from seed. Plant asparagus in the spring, when your location has warmed to approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the frost danger has passed. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Till the area in which you plan to plant asparagus to a depth of 6 to 8 inches.

2. Create a 5- to 6-inch furrow with a hoe. If you're planting multiple rows, space the rows 5 feet apart.

3. Place a line of triple superphosphate fertilizer down the length of the furrow. Use 1 lb. for every 50 feet.

4. Position asparagus crowns into the furrow, spacing them 1 1/2 feet apart. Point the buds upward.

5. Backfill the soil into the row, taking care not to compact the area over the asparagus crowns.

6. Water the newly planted asparagus thoroughly.

Tags: asparagus crowns, asparagus patch, feet apart, from seed

Natural Cures For Insect Bites

Bee stings can cause pain, burning and inflammation.

Insect bites are not just an annoyance; they can causes painful stings and burns. If you need quick relief from a bite, learn some natural cures for insect bites. Some common items in your cupboard can ease the pain, swelling and irritation of an insect bite.

Parsley

Parsley is closely related to celery.

Parsley is an herb that is used both to season dishes and garnish plates. Parsley neutralizes the poison transferred when some insects bite you. It also can stop itching and alleviate pain associated with insect bites. To use parsley to treat an insect bite, simply crush it up and rub it directly on the bite.

Salt

Salt may also reduce inflammation and tenderness.

Salt can help reduce the itching associated with mosquito and other insect bites. Two methods can relieve itching from insect bites. You can moisten the site of the insect bite with water and sprinkle it with table salt. You also can make a paste by mixing 1 tbsp. table salt and 1 tbsp. of water. Apply the paste to the bite and allow it to dry. Rinse it away after it has dried.

Onion

An onion is an edible bulb.

A cut onion can be applied directly to an insect bite to prevent swelling, redness and pain. Onion helps relieve insect bites because it has both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has enzymes that help breakdown the chemicals your body releases during the pain response.

Aloe

You can use aloe directly from a broken leaf to heal wounds.

Aloe is a healing plant with a variety of medicinal uses. It can be applied directly to an insect bite to speed up the healing process and reduce itching. Aloe is also cooling. If an insect bite causes a stinging or burning sensation, aloe can help reduce these symptoms, too.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree essential oil has a pinelike scent.

Tea tree oil comes from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia tree, which is native to Australia. When you apply a few drops of tea tree oil directly to an insect bite, the oil helps clean and disinfect it. It also may help prevent infection, ease pain and reduce redness, itching and swelling.

Tags: insect bite, insect bites, directly insect, directly insect bite, applied directly, applied directly insect

Is It Possible To Have Bed Bugs But No Bites

Bed bugs are creepy-crawly insects that survive on blood as a food source. A female bed bug lays one or more eggs a day and several hundred during its lifetime. Newly hatched bed bugs are the color of dry straw and are about the size of a pinhead. The adult rust-colored bugs are oval and flat-shaped, and they can live for extended periods without eating. Bed bugs often travel across the country inside the luggage of unsuspecting travelers. Does this Spark an idea?

Bed Bug Locations

Bed bugs love to hang out near places where people congregate or sleep. The flat shape of the bug's body allows it to wriggle into tiny folds of mattresses and box springs as well as crevices in headboards and bed frames. Books that are next to a bed, picture frames, radios and bedside furniture all provide suitable hiding places for the insects. Bed bugs are fond of setting up residence in upholstered furniture found in waiting rooms, offices, airplanes and even restaurants.

Bed Bug Growth

Bed bugs begin their life as eggs that females deposit in sheltered places. Bud bug offspring, called nymphs, grow out of their skins five times before reaching maturity, and this process is called molting. They feed on a meal of fresh blood each time they molt, and reach full maturity in a month. Bed bugs are very resilient and adults can live for more than a year between meals.

Bed Bug Food

The meal of choice for all bed bugs is human blood, and they prefer to draw blood while the donor is sleeping. The insect has a sharp skin-piercing device on its head that it uses to withdraw blood from human donors. When humans are not available, bed bugs will feed on warm-blooded animals such as rats, squirrels, cats, dogs and birds. A bed bug usually takes up to 10 minutes to ingest enough blood for a full meal.

Bed Bug Bites

Common bite locations are on the face, neck and shoulder areas. It is very unlikely that a person could have bed bugs and not get bitten. Individuals react differently to bed bug bites. Some people have no discernible reaction to a bed bug bite, and may receive a bite and not even know it. Many times, a person incorrectly attributes a bite to another form of insect without realizing the true identity of the culprit.

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Get Rid Of Insect Plugs In Grass Without Chemicals

A mating plug is a secretion used for the reproduction of certain species in nature, including some insects. If your lawn is infested with insects, chemically rich insecticide can potentially kill the grass and surrounding plants. If you wish to avoid chemicals for the sake of your yard or simply the sake of conscience, you can create a natural insecticide in your kitchen. The result is a non-toxic sprayable solution that will help you reclaim your yard. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Boil a quart of water.

2. Add 1 1/2 ounces of Fels-Naptha soap into the boiling water, using the cheese grater. Stir the water with a wooden spoon until dissolved.

3. Add a tablespoon of the soap concentrate to a plastic spray bottle.

4. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a quarter cup of rubbing alcohol to the bottle, then add a quart of water. Mix the solution together.

5. Spray the solution directly at the insects you wish to eliminate. They should die shortly after contact. Repeat as necessary.

Tags: quart water, your yard

Relieve An Itch From Niacin

Relieve an Itch From Niacin

Niacin-also known as vitamin B-3-assists in the body's metabolic process and and tissue respiration. It is also prescribed to help lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Occasionally, you may experience some side effects, such as burning, itching and flushing of the skin. This is caused by your blood vessels expanding, and it is a sign of improved blood flow. The itching occurs most often when you have taken too much of the supplement, or more than 30mg per dosage. Although this so-called "niacin flush" is uncomfortable, it is not toxic, and there are steps you can take to relieve it. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Work your way up to higher doses gradually. Don't start out taking a high dose of niacin. By slowly taking more until your body is used to it, you can prevent the "niacin flush" from occurring.

2. Take timed-released niacin capsules, which were designed to prevent the effects of the niacin flush, or itchy feeling. However, if taken consistently, these forms of niacin are associated with liver problems, so check with your prescribing physician.

3. Drink plenty of water. According to Dr. William Davis, a cardiologist from Wisconsin, ingest 2 8-oz. glasses of water immediately after the itching sensation begins. According to Dr. Davis, this quick task relieves the flush and itching symptoms in more than 90 percent of instances.

4. Take a 325mg table of uncoated aspirin; according to Dr. Davis, this can also alleviate the itching and burning.

Tags: niacin flush, Davis this, From Niacin, Itch From, Itch From Niacin, more than

Fix A Tear In A Trampoline

Fix a Tear in a Trampoline

Because trampolines are kept outside and often are not covered by owners, exposure to the elements can result in a damaged mat. A mat that has been weakened by natural elements can become weak and susceptible to tears. These tears can be caused other ways as well, including dog bites, cuts and small holes that have been enlarged. But as long as the tear or hole is less than 1 inch wide, it can be repaired.

Instructions

1. Inspect the surface of the jumping mat to find all areas that might need to be repaired. If the tears are more than 1 inch wide or there are many tears, it may be cheaper to replace the entire mat. Before taking the jumping mat off the frame, mark the tears with a piece of duct tape.

2. Remove the trampoline jumping mat from the frame by removing the springs from their frame holes. Be careful doing this, as the springs are tight and may not come out easily. To make this process go faster, get some friends or family members to help.

3. Lay the mat flat on the ground and make sure the tape marking the tear(s) is still in place. Measure the tear so the proper size of the mat repair fabric can be cut. The repair material should be cut two times the size of the tear.

4. Cut two pieces of the same size, as you will "sandwich" the tear with repair material, with one piece on each side of the torn mat.

5. Sew the repair material to the torn mat with a commercial-grade sewing machine or other sewing machine that can handle thick nylon thread. Fold the mat to make it easier to carry it to where it will be repaired.

6. Load the nylon thread on the sewing machine as you would regular thread. Pin the repair material to each side of the jumping mat around the tear to hold the repair material in place while sewing. Sew around the edges of the repair material; to ensure a firm hold, sew around the edges twice and across the middle of the tear.

7. Place the mat back on the springs and frame. Test the stability by jumping on the trampoline a few times before allowing children or adults to jump on it.

Tags: repair material, sewing machine, around edges, each side, inch wide

Homemade Insect Traps

Wear protective clothing if approaching stinging insects like wasps.

Store-bought insect traps can contain harmful pesticides that are unhealthy for humans, animals and the environment but sometimes, they are necessary to eliminate serious infestations. Avoiding infestation in the home is best accomplished by repairing holes in window screens and screen doors, keeping doors closed and sealing up points of entry where insects can enter the home. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Wasp Traps

1. Remove the cap and label from a clean, empty two-liter soda bottle. Place a finger inside the hole as you grasp the top of the bottle. Make the initial cut with a knife just above the shoulder of the bottle. Cut completely around with scissors.

2. Fill the bottom halfway with water. Add a bit of dish soap or 1/4 cup white vinegar.

3. Smear the neck of the bottle with peanut butter in the spring and summer. Use jam in late summer and fall. Place the inverted neck back into the bottle and secure it with tape.

4. Position the bottle about 4 feet off the ground. Empty the trap daily and refill.

Fly Traps

5. Follow bottle-trap cutting instructions to prepare bottle. Invert top and place it in the bottle. Add water and a ripened banana as bait.

6. Use a hole punch to punch one hole on opposite sides of bottle. Make a hanger by stringing two feet of twine through the holes and knotting the top.

7. Hang trap from a tree branch or pole. Change water and bait as needed.

Flea and Fruit Fly Traps

8. Fill a shallow dish with water and some dish soap. Place it near your pet's bedding or anywhere he spends time. Place a goose-neck lamp next to the dish with the light about six inches from the dish.

9. Turn off all the lights at night except for the goose-neck lamp. Fleas will be drawn to the light and fall into the water where the soap will submerge them.

10. Use additional traps in other infested areas of the home. Change water daily and continue trapping as long as necessary.

11. Eliminate use of the goose-neck lamp when trapping fruit flies. Add a small amount of cider vinegar to the water and detergent mixture. Place dishes of the mixture anywhere there are fruit flies to eliminate them. Change water as needed.

Tags: Change water, goose-neck lamp, bottle Make, dish soap, dish with, fruit flies

Get Rid Of Flies On Pets

Dealing with your pet's health problems can be difficult.

Botflies are the type of flies that will infest the skin and fur of your pet. What you will actually find on your pet is the maggots of this particular fly. They tend to treat your pet as a host, and they enter your pet's body through some wound or other orifice. If you can find the maggot before it gets a change to enter your pet through a wound or orifice, then you can remove it yourself. However, if the botfly maggots manage to get in, then you must let your veterinarian handle the removal process.

Instructions

1. Search your dog's fur for botfly maggots after each trip outdoors. The maggots are in the grass and will crawl onto your dog when disturbed. If you can find the maggots before they get into a wound or orifice, you can simply pull the maggot off your dog. These maggots are light colored, less than an inch long, and have a worm-like structure. Have your dog checked up by your vet afterward to be safe.

2. Look out for symptoms of a botfly infestation on your dog. Once the maggots get inside a wound or orifice, your dog can start displaying symptoms. These can include shortness of breath, cough, dizziness and circling, paralysis, fever, blindness, lesions in the eyeball or a lump on the skin where a maggot got inside your dog. The lump will have a breathing hole for the botfly maggot.

3. Bring your dog to the veterinarian as soon as you can if you suspect symptoms of a botfly maggot. Only your vet can diagnose and treat an internal botfly. Do not try to remove it yourself.

4. Follow your vet's course of treatment. You will likely need to administrate a broad-spectrum anti-parasite medication at home and bring your dog back to the vet for a checkup when recommended.

Tags: wound orifice, botfly maggot, botfly maggots, enter your, remove yourself

Get Rid Of Household Pests Without Chemicals

The chemicals used in insecticides (bug sprays) are toxic to humans and pets, have unpleasant smells, and can be adapted to by insects relatively quickly. Rather than purchasing another can of bug spray with even more powerful poisons, try driving pests out of your house without the use of chemicals that can harm you, your children and your pets. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Boric Acid

1. Purchase Boric acid. It was discovered in the 18th century and was used for its antiseptic (germ-killing) properties, but also has another application--killing insects such as cockroaches, fleas, ants and silverfish. The insects walk across the powder, eat it and die within a few hours.

2. Plaace the boric acid anywhere insects can hide or congregate. Cockroaches love electrical outlets and telephone jacks, so spreading the powder near these areas will maximize the chance of the bugs coming into contact with it. For ants, follow the line of ants to their point of entry and sprinkle it along their path for a few inches. Also place along baseboards, cracks or wherever insects may invade your home.

3. Safeguard your house. Boric acid can be toxic in large quantities to humans and pets. In insects, it acts as a poison in their stomachs and as an irritant for their exoskeleton (chitin). If you have a pet tarantula, keep the pet inside its case for the entire time you are applying the powder and do not let it walk near the areas the insects have been. Also, as with any pest repellent or insecticide, keep it out of the reach of children and do not let them apply it.

4. Take your time. Be patient when using boric acid. It may take several weeks to kill off all of the insects, so do not be fooled by a sudden disappearance of the pests. The acid may have killed off the adults, but the eggs haven't hatched yet.

5. Reapply it if necessary. For example, if your carpets need vacuuming while treating for fleas, reapply the boric acid immediately after vacuuming and continue the treatment as normal. If spills, leaks or other water problems affect the areas being treated, clean up using paper towels and re-treat the dry area as soon as possible.

Cedar

6. Purchase cedar. An aromatic wood with a fragrance pleasant to humans, cedar has excellent pest-repelling properties. Cedar can be purchased in planks, chips and as furniture--either as a lining or as the sole wood used.

7. Repel moths. Most cloth, but most particularly wool, is susceptible to the predations of certain types of moths. Cedar's smell repels these moths, preventing them from laying their eggs that hatch into the larvae which feed on your clothing. Placing cedar in your closet or chest of drawers will fill the enclosed space with the smell, which will become more concentrated over time.

8. Apply the cedar. Cedar planks should be sanded smooth to maximize their odor. The planks should be placed so that air can reach at least two of the surfaces to maximize odor output. Cedar chips' large overall surface area is excellent for distributing the smell but should be placed in a sachet--a small bag made of mesh cloth tied closed--in order to keep the chips from spilling all over the drawer or on the floor of the closet.

9. Purchase cedar furniture. Cedar-lined and all-cedar furniture are equally good at repelling insects. All-cedar furniture, however, can be very expensive but is very durable as it is resistant to rot, mold and water. Cedar-lined furniture is slightly cheaper, a good alternative for those with budgetary restrictions or for aesthetic reasons.

10. Maintain the cedar. Cedar planks should be sanded every 6 months or so, and cedar chips should be changed out about every 4 months to maximize their repellent properties. If an air-tight enclosure doesn't smell of cedar--or smells only faintly of cedar--it is time to re-sand or replace your cedar. This should not be a problem in all-cedar or cedar-lined furniture, as the amount of cedar involved will repel insects for years.

Hedge Apples and Cinnamon

11. Purchase ground cinnamon. Cinnamon repels most ants in North America. There are a few theories as to why; it could be the oils from the cinnamon or the smell of the powder irritating the ants. Either way, cinnamon sprinkled along the baseboards of a room (or house) can repel ants.

12. Experiment with cinnamon. Some ants are not repelled by cinnamon, and the only way to find out is to sprinkle a line of it across the trail of ants. If they continue to walk over it even hours later, you have a variety that is immune to cinnamon's effects.

13. Purchase hedge apples. Hedge apples, also called Osage Orages, are the green, lumpy "fruit" of the Osage tree. This fruit has been used to repel most insects, including spiders and cockroaches. Hedge apples can be found in the wild in Midwest states, Texas and Arkansas. Hedge apples are also called "green brains," "horse apples" and "monkey brains."

14. Prepare the hedge apple. Cutting the hedge apple in half and placing it in a room is often the most effective way of repelling spiders, cockroaches and crickets quickly. Some people prefer to keep the fruit whole, as it is more aesthetically pleasing in this form. It is still effective if whole but may not be as strong. Either way, place the hedge apple into a container. It will rot as the months go by and even fresh, green ones are sticky.

15. Replace your hedge apple. Hedge apples are only good for a couple of months if kept in a cool room (warmer rooms make the fruit rot faster), so they should be replaced when there is no more green left on the fruit. Sliced fruits should be replaced sooner, as they are prone to rot faster.

Tags: hedge apple, planks should, along baseboards, also called, apples also

Herbs To Repel Spiders

A good repellant should not only be able to ward off spiders, but also keep a home's inhabitants safe. Many repellants contain chemicals such as the poisonous substance called diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET). Human exposure to DEET can cause mild skin irritation or even death. Natural repellents are alternatives to chemical repellants. Natural repellants for spiders can be made using certain herbs. Does this Spark an idea?

Tobacco

Tobacco is an herb that is sometimes used to repel spiders. This natural remedy involves soaking chewing tobacco in boiling water. After the tobacco cools, strain and keep the tobacco-infused liquid. Combine two parts of this liquid with one part liquid soap and spray the mixture on windows, vents and cobwebs.

Oils

Citronella oil, lavender oil, cinnamon oil, peppermint oil, citrus oil and tea tree oil are inexpensive oils that will kill spiders -- as well as other insects -- on contact. Put 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Add 1 ounce of neem oil and four drops of the essential oil of your liking. Spray the repellant around doors, windows and vents to repel spiders.

Chestnuts and Eucalyptus

Some people believe that chestnuts can repel spiders, although no scientific evidence supports the claim. Scatter whole chestnuts and sections of osage oranges -- commonly known as hedge apples -- around areas where spiders have been spotted as a possible deterrent. Eucalyptus is another herb believed to repel spiders. Place eucalyptus leaves on shelves and in closets and drawers.

Other Natural Repellants

Vinegar is yet another natural alternative to chemical repellants. Vinegar's scent repels spiders, which makes it an effective indoor deterrent. Mix one part vanilla extract with three parts white distilled vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture into cabinets and dark corners of your closets. Also, use the mixture on window and door sills to prevent spiders from coming in through small cracks or openings.

Tags: repel spiders, chemical repellants, spray bottle, windows vents

Homemade Insect Killer

Insects become pesty when they start to take over your garden and yard.

Insects are a constant during warm months. Most insects serve an important purpose in the ecosystem, but when their population becomes large and invasive, nature's helpers can become pests. Many commercial products are available to kill and repel insects in your garden, on your pets and on you. While these products are effective, they introduce poison chemicals into the environment as well as to you and your pets. Natural methods are just as effective in killing insects, and they save you money and chemical exposure. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Insects in the Garden

1. A spray bottle makes it easier to apply your insecticide directly to the site of the insects.

Pour 2 tbsp. liquid hand soap into a spray bottle. Add 1 quart water and shake the spray bottle to mix.

2. Spray the soapy solution on any flowers, vegetables or trees where insects are being destructive. Check the undersides of leaves, flowers and vegetation to make sure you haven't missed any insects. The soapy spray affects the insects' cell membrane, causing them to dehydrate and die.

3. Apply your soapy insecticide at least once a month to control the insect population in your garden. Rinse vegetables and fruits thoroughly with cool water before cooking or eating them so all the soap is removed.

Insects on Your Pets or You

4. Lemons are a natural insect repellent.

Create an all-natural insect killer to use on your pets and family. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Add six lemons, sliced in half, to the boiling water; then allow the lemons to sit in the cooling liquid for several hours or overnight.

5. Hold a strainer over a spray bottle and pour the lemon liquid through the strainer, into the bottle. Discard the lemon halves.

6. Spray your dog or cat's fur with the lemon liquid and rub in with your hands. Avoid spraying the spray near the dog or cat's face. Instead, spray some lemon insect repellent on your hands and rub it onto the fur around your pet's face, avoiding the eyes.

7. Spritz the lemon insect repellent onto your skin, clothing and hair to repel fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. This is especially effective when you're going to be in the woods or outdoors for long periods of time.

Tags: spray bottle, insect repellent, your garden, your pets, lemon insect, lemon insect repellent, lemon liquid

Cultivate Catnip

Catnip is a perennial of the mint family that is a hardy and beautiful addition to any garden. It has feathery leaves and small lavender flowers that group in spikes at the top of the plant. The plant originated in Southern Africa, but was cultivated in Canada and became an abundant weed in North America. Catnip gets its name from the happy effect it has on our feline friends. Nepetalactone is the active ingredient in the essential oil that causes the effects of catnip on cats. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Growing Catnip

1. Fill 2-inch pot with soil and moisten with water.

2. Press one seed into the pot and cover with a thin layer of soil. Cover the pot with plastic wrap and store in a warm place.

3. When the seed sprouts, place in sunlight and keep soil moist.

4. When last frost passes, transfer sprouts outside to get them acclimated to the outdoors. Plant sprouts in sunny spot about 15-18 inches apart. Keep well watered.

Storing Catnip

5. Seal catnip in a freezer tight container and store in the freezer.

6. Store in a UV repellent air tight container such as tin or crockery if you cannot store in the freezer.

7. Keep in a cool place.

Tags: store freezer, tight container

Natural Home Bug Repellent Remedies

Mosquitoes are annoying, blood-sucking pests.

Fighting biting insects can be a pain and over-the-counter products are expensive. Using natural remedies for bug repellents is more affordable and may be less abrasive on your skin. You can find most of the ingredients to make these natural remedies in your own home. Try these natural, homemade remedies before spending money on commercial products. Does this Spark an idea?

Vanilla Extract

Use pure vanilla extract as a natural bug repellent. Put a dab of vanilla on your wrists, behind your ears and on your neck, says Garden Mandy, because most bugs do not like the smell of vanilla and will stay away.

Lavender Flowers

According to Tipnut, if you have access to lavender flowers, crush and rub them on your ankles, wrists, neck and behind your ears. Mosquitoes do not like the smell of lavender. You can use citronella, basil and catnip in the same way. Crush the leaves to release the aroma and apply directly to your skin or clothes.

Herbal Repellent

Mother Earth News recommends 1 cup of 190-proof grain alcohol (available at any liquor store) and a combination of any of the following essential oils (available at any health food store): palmarosa, rosemary, pine, cedar wood, basil, citronella or lemon. Mix 2 tablespoons of your choice of essential oil with 1 cup of 190-proof alcohol and shake well. Test a small amount on your skin to make sure you are not allergic to the mix, and then apply to your clothes, using a spray bottle, or apply directly to any exposed skin. For a better smell, you can add a few drops of peppermint oil to the mixture, according to Mother Earth News.

Homemade Bug Spray

Pioneer Thinking recommends pouring witch hazel or olive oil in a spray bottle and mixing with your choice of essential oils, such as lavender oil, peppermint oil, cedar oil, lemon grass oil or tea tree oil. Mix, using a 10 to 1 ratio. Shake well and spray all over your body when going outside.

Homemade Lotion

Pioneer Thinking also provides a recipe for making a bug repellent moisturizing lotion. Add 2 ounces of distilled water to a mixing bowl with 120 drops of your choice of essential oil (citronella is recommended as working best for insect repellent). Use a wire whisk to beat in 2 ounces of olive oil and beat until creamy.

Tags: choice essential, your choice, your choice essential, your skin, apply directly

Ecological Concerns That Affect The Tundra

Damage to the fragile ecosystem of the Arctic tundra can have a massive impact on animal life.

The Arctic tundra, one of the world's most fragile ecosystems, is a vast plain stretching across the polar regions of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Russia. Ironically, much of this region is classified as both desert and wetland because even though annual precipitation from rain and snow is less than that of the Mojave Desert, the permanently frozen ground, or permafrost, inhibits the absorption of moisture so water stays on the surface. Once damaged, the tundra is unable to recover quickly, which means that even minor environmental destabilization can result in long-term disruption of the interdependent relationships between indigenous plant and animal life.

Global Warming

The delicate plant life of the Arctic tundra is especially vulnerable to destruction from climate change.

About 14,000 years ago, the Arctic climate began to change, resulting in massive extinctions of Ice Age plants and animals. Today, many scientists fear that history may be repeating itself. The depletion of the protective ozone layer over the polar regions, caused in large part by the chlorofluorocarbons used for decades as aerosol propellants and refrigerants, has allowed sunlight to heat up permafrost, which stores massive quantities of carbon dioxide. As this "greenhouse gas" is released into the atmosphere, ground temperatures rise further, prompting deeper melting of permafrost and speeding up the warming process. The Pew Center on Global Climate Change warns that as a consequence of rising land temperatures, a meltdown of polar ice masses could contribute to a rise in sea levels and cause widespread flooding of coastal areas around the world. Other experts, such as Professor Greg Henry of the University of British Columbia, predict that this could happen within the next few decades.

Impact of Oil and Mineral Extraction

The tundra is rich in oil, gas and mineral reserves that can't be extracted without disturbances to the ecosystem. The infrastructure needed for such industrial development includes networks of roads for vehicular transportation, pipelines and factory complexes, all of which add to the strain on the land. As the tiny, delicate plant life indigenous to the tundra is destroyed, the food chain is disrupted because when herbivores starve or migrate elsewhere for food, carnivores starve too.

Pollution and Accumulations of Toxins

According to the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, chemicals generated by heavy industry in eastern Europe are a major source of polar pollution but heavy metals and toxins from as far away as southeast Asia have been found in the tissues of terrestrial, aquatic and marine animals. Ocean currents and atmospheric circulation carry the pollutants from the lower latitudes and because of the region's extreme cold and reduced sunlight, they don't break down, remaining poisonous much longer than they would in other climatic conditions. Radioactive fallout from the testing of nuclear weapons in the 1960s and early 1970s is also still detectable throughout the Arctic.

Impact of Tourism

Every year, thousands of tourists aboard luxury cruise ships depart from ports in North America and Europe to experience the austere beauty of the Arctic, creating more pressure on the ecosystem. The tourism industry, including sport fishing and hunting, has also increased the volume of noisy airplane and helicopter traffic, raising levels of air pollution and sparking panic leading to egg loss in bird colonies. Plant life trampled underfoot won't regenerate for decades and no disposal facilities exist for garbage left behind on the permafrost by human visitors.

Tags: Arctic tundra, animal life, delicate plant, delicate plant life, life Arctic

Home Remedies For Repelling Mosquitoes

Making a home repellent using natural resources is an alternative way to get rid of pests.

During the spring and summer seasons, it is important to be aware of insects. Mosquitoes bites are certainly not fun but some of the commercial repellents on the market may contain toxic chemicals. Natural remedies are safer and most of time cheaper as well. Making a home repellent and using natural resources is an alternative way to get rid of pests and enjoy the nice weather.

Basil

Use basil to keep mosquitoes away.

An easy way to keep mosquitoes distant is basil. Simply crush some fresh basil leaves and rub them on your skin. The leaves make a good first aid remedy due to the antibacterial oil they contain. This is what gives off basil's familiar odor, which keeps insects away.

Garlic

Keep bugs at bay with garlic.

If you mix one part garlic juice with five parts water in a small spray bottle, it will last up to six hours. The compound allicin repels mosquitoes and may even affect the insect's sense of smell. This gets in the way of it finding its prey. Just eating garlic may keep the pests away.

Eucalyptus Tea Oil

Lemon eucalyptus oil repels mosquitoes.

Besides helping to cure colds and congestion, lemon eucalyptus oil repels mosquitoes from biting. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that the active ingredients in the oil provide long-lasting protection from insects.

Feverfew

Feverfew helps protect against flies, gnats, mosquitoes and bees.

Feverfew, part of the sunflower family, helps protect against flies, gnats, mosquitoes and bees. Brew a double-strength amount and bathe your skin; let it dry. You can find feverfew dried, fresh, as a tea and in capsules.Use the whole herb as fresh as you can find it. Just be cautious because many people are allergic. In this case use it as an encapsulated freeze-dried herb.

Tags: repels mosquitoes, against flies, against flies gnats, alternative pests, eucalyptus repels, eucalyptus repels mosquitoes, flies gnats

Cure Itchy Mosquito Bites

Mosquitos may be small but the irritation their bites cause is a real problem.

Itchy mosquito bites are one of life's nuisances. When a bite is at its worst, it consumes all your attention. Fortunately, there are better remedies on the market today than calamine lotion, and learning cure itchy mosquito bites is not difficult. With the knowledge that the itching is actually an allergic reaction and a few common items from the drugstore, you will be feeling better in no time.

Instructions

1. Wash the affected area with a soapy washcloth.

2. Dilute the hydrogen peroxide solution by pouring equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide and water into a container for liquid.

3. Dip cotton balls in the diluted hydrogen peroxide solution. Dab the mosquito bites with the wet cotton balls gently. This will disinfect the mosquito bites and help reduce the chance of infection. Let the peroxide solution rest for two minutes. Rinse it off.

4. Squeeze antihistamine cream onto the cotton swab and dab the mosquito bites. Use the antihistamine cream if you have only a few mosquito bites. Wait two minutes to allow the cream or gel to sink into the skin. If you have numerous bites, use the analgesic gel instead and then take an oral antihistamine as directed on the product packaging. The antihistamine will combat the allergens in the mosquito saliva that cause the itching, while the analgesic gel will temporarily numb the area.

5. Squeeze hydrocortisone cream onto a clean cotton swab and dab the mosquito bites. Hydrocortisone will fight the inflammation the mosquito bite causes.

6. Repeat the process every four hours until the swelling goes down and the mosquito bites no longer itch.

Tags: mosquito bites, hydrogen peroxide, mosquito bites, peroxide solution, antihistamine cream, cotton balls, cotton swab

Create A Go Kart With A Lawn Mower Engine

There's no better feeling in the world than being behind the wheel of your own vehicle. For decades, children have been able to get that feeling at an early age with their own go-kart. As with any car, the right engine can make or break your driving experience. When building your go-kart, a lawn mower engine provides the most power for your kart.

Instructions

1. Find simple wooden go-kart plans from the Complete Kartbuilding Website. Construct a go-kart according to the plans and add a large pulley to the center of the rear axle.

2. Choose a horizontal lawn mower engine for the go-kart. Attach the lawn mower engine to the rear of the go-kart above the bushing/bearing assembly.

3. Add a small pulley to the horizontal engine. Attach the engine pulley to the go-kart's rear wheel pulley using a drive belt.

4. Connect bicycle brakes to the go-kart according to the directions in the separate brake plans on the Complete Kartbuilding Website.

Tags: lawn mower, Complete Kartbuilding, Complete Kartbuilding Website, go-kart according, Kartbuilding Website

Mix Pounce Insecticide

Caterpillar eating crops.

Pounce is a permethrin-based insecticide that works by getting on, or in the target insect: Therefore the spray must come in direct contact with the insect to kill it. It is used on a wide variety of agricultural crops, in livestock areas and in homes to control insect problems. While it is very effective at what it does, it can be highly toxic to aquatic fish and insects as well as birds and bees, so Pounce must be used with caution. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Don safety equipment: goggles or face-shield and rubber gloves. Long sleeves and long pants should be worn while working with Pounce.

2. Measure out four ounces of Pounce and pour into the one quart bottle.

3. Measure one pint of water and pour into the quart bottle.

4. Put the lid firmly on the bottle and shake until the Pounce is evenly distributed in the water.

5. Pour the diluted pounce into the 15 gallon container.

6. Add 12 1/2 gallons of water and agitate.

Tags: into quart, into quart bottle, pour into, pour into quart, quart bottle

Make An Inexpensive Rain Barrel

A rain barrel is essentially just a large drum placed at the end of a home’s guttering downspouts to catch and store rainfall from the roof. The stored rainfall is then typically used to water plants, flowers, and grass to keep a home’s landscape healthy without putting extra strain on the diminishing potable water supply, especially during those hot and dry summer months. Aside from saving water, there are other benefits to using a rain barrel system. Rain barrels prevent run-off from potentially washing harmful chemicals and pesticides into local streams and rivers. They also help keep sewer systems from becoming overwhelmed trying to drain all the run-off from a big rain shower which can help to prevent flooding in poorly drained areas. These tips will show you set up your own simple and inexpensive rain barrel system. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Saving Water with an Inexpensive Rain Barrel

1. Get a 55-gallon plastic drum. Plastic is best because it will not rust. You can find a reconditioned food service barrel in the Yellow Pages of your local phonebook. Use food grade to ensure they drums never contained any harmful substances.

2. Drill a hole into the top of the barrel large enough to accommodate your downspout.

3. Drill a hole about two to three inches up from the bottom of the barrel large enough to house a copper water faucet. Use washers to set the faucet into the barrel. Make sure there is enough room to attach a hose to the faucet.

4. Drill a small hole about an inch or two down from the top of the barrel to serve as an overfill valve. You can also fill this hole with water hose segment and hose clamps to attach one rain barrel to another.

5. Fit a drain widget or screen into the top hole to keep leaves and debris from getting into your rain barrel.

6. Position the barrel so that the downspout will drain directly into the widget filling the drum. You may need to shorten your downspout with a saw to the appropriate length. Set the rain barrel up on concrete or wood blocks to make it more accessible.

7. Repeat the steps to make a rain barrel for each of your home's gutter downspouts.

8. Sit back and wait for the next rain shower. A quarter-inch of rain will typically yield about two hundred gallons of water.

Tags: rain barrel, barrel large, barrel large enough, barrel system, Drill hole

Homemade Bat Houses

Building a bat house supports conservation efforts while providing many benefits to land owners as well. A single brown bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes an hour. Organic gardeners and farmers build bat houses as a natural way to reduce unwanted pests and insects and a single bat house can be purchased or built for between $5 and $40. According to the US Fish and Wildlife service (USFW), "A typical summer colony of 100 bats feeding 200 days will consume more than 2200 pounds of insects." That's approximately 600,000,000 bugs. Does this Spark an idea?

Attract Bats

To attract bats you will want to install a bat house on your property. Most bats hibernate in caves during the winter and then move to trees or bat houses during the summer months. As more and more trees are removed and cut down, bats are having a harder time finding appropriate places to live, mate and raise their baby bats or pups. The best time to install a bat house is late winter or early spring, but the USFW service reports that you can install a bat house anytime of the year. Bat houses should be installed about 10 feet off the ground and in a spot where they can receive around six hours of morning sun.

Decide What Type of Bat House You Want

It is extremely surprising how many bats can live in one bat house. Some may think it necessary to put up 10 or 15 bat houses on one acre of land to make sure all the bats in the area have a place to live. The truth is that a single box no bigger than 8 inches wide by 15 inches long can house up to 30 bats at a time. There are an enormous amount of bat houses on the market, both for sale and as DIY projects. There is no need to buy bat house plans as many conversation groups provide a variety of free house plans.

The most popular bat house is a single chamber style. The size of the house and number of chambers defines how many bats the house can hold. The Pennsylvania Game Commission offers a free plan for creating a seven chamber bat box that can house a colony of about 300 bats. The three most built styles of bat boxes are the chamber, rocket and a bat/bird combination. That's right, bats and birds often coexist in nature and plans are available to build a single house that can provide space for both species. A rocket house is a square house design built to be mounted onto a high pole.

Building a Homemade Bat House

If you are interested in building your own bat house find some good plans. Most are free and can easily be downloaded on the Internet. All you will need for most bat house plans are a small piece of plywood, metal screws, plastic screen, wood glue, staples, tar paper, water based stain and a little time. Building a bat house is a great project for the beginner carpenter as it is about as basic as it gets. If you're building a house you can transform scrap wood that would have been thrown away into bat houses for your yard or to sell. Anyway you look at it, you'd have to be blind as a bat to walk by the opportunity to turn your yard or garden into a bat haven.

Tags: house plans, install house, many bats, single house, your yard

Easiest House Plants To Maintain

The ideal houseplant thrives in dry air with little water or maintenance.

Most people have at least one potted plant growing somewhere in their homes. There are a huge range of species sold as house plants in stores and garden centers, but many are difficult to grow indoors as they need bright light, high humidity or special care. Some species seem to be able to tolerate neglect and even thrive with little maintenance. Even hard-to-kill species require minimal attention and houseplants should never be left with their pot in a saucer of water as this will drown the roots and potentially kill the whole plant. Does this Spark an idea?

Spider Plant

The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is a South African species with long, thin, arching leaves with longitudinal green and white stripes. It grows from fleshy roots and can spread to be 3 feet across. Spider plants produce long stalks with small white flowers followed by attached plantlets. They favor bright light and rich, well drained soil but can grow in low-light rooms and do not need high humidity to thrive.

Jade Plant

Jade plants are attractive and easy-to-grow houseplants.

The jade or money plant (Crassula ovata) is a succulent species with small, fleshy, rounded leaves that can reach 5 feet in height as a houseplant. It is very tolerant of almost any indoor conditions and needs little maintenance. Jade plants rot easily if over watered and thrive in bright light and direct sunshine. Individual leaves can be planted with their base in damp soil and will grow into a new plant.

Pothos

Pothos or devil's ivy (Epipremnum aureum) originated in the Solomon Islands. It is a tough climbing vine with heart-shaped leaves that are often variegated with yellow or white. Pothos plants can be trained up a moss pole or allowed to trail. The plant looks at its best in bright light, with regular watering and fertilizing, but will continue to grow in conditions with little care.

Mother-In-Law's Tongue

Also known as the sanseveria (Sansevieria trifasciata), mother-in-law's tongue is a hardy houseplant that grows well at low light levels. It succulent, erect leaves grow up to 3 feet high and 3 inches across with a pointed tip. Some cultivars have pale, horizontal bands while others have yellow leaf margins. Mother-in-law's tongue produces fragrant, greenish yellow flowers if they become pot-bound. Variegated cultivars are more colorful if grown in bright light.

Lucky Bamboo

A West African species related to the dragon tree, lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is such an easy to care for houseplant that it can be grown in a container of water. Provided they are kept in bright, indirect light and not allowed to dry out lucky bamboos will grow for years with no soil at all. They are sensitive to chlorine and need bottled or distilled water rather than tap water.

Tags: bright light, with little, African species, high humidity, houseplant that, Jade plants

Cure Infections Caused By Bed Bugs

While bed bugs are nasty little critters, they don't spread disease. If you have an infected bed bug bite, you most likely got it form scratching it. Many people are allergic to bed bug bites, making it hard not to relieve the itch by scratching. Another possibility is the bite may have gotten infected through a chance encounter with bacteria from some other source. Whatever the cause, here's clear up an infected bug bite.

Instructions

1. Check your bed bug bite to see if it is infected. Bed bug bites are often bright red and welt-like, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the skin is infected. An infected bite may ooze whitish or yellow pus. It may also be painful instead of merely itchy.

2. Wash the infected bed bug bite with soap and water.

3. Swab the bed bug bite with an antiseptic like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.

4. Apply an over-the-counter antibiotic cream or ointment to the bite.

5. Call your doctor if these steps don't control the bed bug infection. You made need a prescription of antibiotics to cure it.

Tags: infected bite, bite with

Heal Insect Bites With Tea Tree Oil

Heal Insect Bites With Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is known as a skin miracle that has been used to heal warts, lice, acne, atheletes foot, dandruff and corns. Inhaled it is also said to boost the immune system, although you should never ingest it as it can cause depression, confusion and even a coma. Tea tree oil comes from tea trees in Australia and has been used by aborigines for hundreds of years for it's natural healing qualities. It is even put into the first aid kits of Austrailian soldiers. Here is how you can heal insect bites naturally with tea tree oil.

Instructions

1. Wash area thoroughly with soap and water. You can use anti-bacterial soap. You always want to keep the area clean to prevent any further infection and please refrain from scratching as this can cause an open wound. Insect bites are no fun, but you can get rid of them quickly.

2. Once the bite is clean, apply 1-3 drops of tea tree oil with a cotton swab directly to the bite. It's important to saturate the area with tea tree oil. This will get deep into the infection, cleanse it and cure it quickly.

3. Apply band aid so as the keep the tea tree oil on the bite as well as from evaporating and also, to keep you from being tempted to scratch. The other good thing about tea tree oil though is, it takes the itchy feeling away as well. Do this daily, 1-2 times a day until the bite is completely healed. Do not put any lotion on top of or immediately around the area until it is gone. Tea tree oil will heal it in a matter of days and also leave no scar remaining. Furthermore, it only takes a few drops daily to make a lasting impression.

Tags: been used, Bites With, Bites With Tree, Insect Bites With, With Tree

Herbs To Repel Pests From Vegetable Gardens

Plant the herbs within or around your garden.

Hours and money spent caring for a garden are wiped away by unwanted pests, from mice to aphids. There are several pesticides and chemical repellents available to control these unwanted visitors, but some contain ingredients that harm the plants or pets. Herbal companion planting will safely and effectively repel insects, mice and moles from your garden. Does this Spark an idea?

Repel Ants

Plant catnip in your garden to repel ants, Japanese beetles and squash bugs. Use the fragrant herb, which belongs to the mint family, to protect your garden from stray cats, as well. Plant catnip around the garden's perimeter and the cats will be too interested in the intoxicating herb to bother your vegetables or flowers. Catnip will also attract bees to the garden, making it ideal for flowers that reproduce through pollination.

Repel Aphids

Cilantro, coriander and pennyroyal will all repel aphids from your garden. Aphids are small, pear-shaped insects that cause severe damage to plants in the form of wilting, yellowing and decreased growth rates. Plant cilantro near asparagus and spinach, but keep it away from fennel. Dry the seeds harvested for coriander to flavor your Asian or Latin American dishes. Avoid planting pennyroyal around cats, as it will prove toxic to the curious felines.

Repel Mice

Grow tansy in your garden to repel mice and several other insects, including aphids. Tansy was originally used for medicinal purposes in ancient Greece, although it is toxic in large doses. Harvest the tansy and use the dried leaves to repel mice in your home, as well.

Repel Moles

Plant gopher purge, or Euphorbia lathyrus, to repel moles and gophers from your garden. This herb secretes a milky white substance from its leaves and root system that causes skin irritation on contact. The herb requires replanting every two years and is effective for use both around the garden and inside the entrance of any gopher or mole burrows.

Tags: your garden, from your, from your garden, around garden, cats will

Natural Ingredients To Put In An Outdoor Fountain To Keep Mosquitoes Away

Mosquitoes can ruin an outdoor evening or even pass on potentially life-threatening diseases.

Mosquitoes can be a huge problem for many homeowners. Not only are the tiny pests annoying, but their bites can cause everything from a mild, itchy bump to West Nile disease. Mosquitoes require stagnant water to breed so the more sources of stagnant water you can eliminate from around your property the fewer mosquitoes you should suffer. One source of stagnant water can be a backyard fountain. Fortunately there are several natural things you can do to keep mosquitoes from breeding there. Does this Spark an idea?

Cinnamon

Sprinkle cinnamon into your outdoor fountain. Adding even 5 percent cinnamon will kill all mosquito larva in approximately 24 hours, but a concentration of 15 percent cinnamon will kill the larva in closer to six hours. Adult mosquitoes will not land or lay eggs in water containing cinnamon. Common cinnamon available at your local grocery store is all that is necessary, stirred into the water. Fifteen pounds of cinnamon mixed into 100 gallons of water creates approximately a 15 percent concentration.

Pour in Vinegar

Add vinegar to the water in your pond until you have added approximately 15 percent vinegar based on the total volume of water in your fountain. In other words, if your fountain contains 100 gallons of water you will need approximately 15 gallons of vinegar. A 15 percent solution of vinegar will kill all mosquito larva in approximately 18 to 20 hours and kill any mosquito eggs.

Add Citric Acid

Pour citric acid into your fountain until the acid makes up approximately 15 percent of the total volume of liquid in the fountain. The acid repels adult mosquitoes and kills larva within 42 to 45 hours.

Bleach

Add common household bleach to the water in your fountain each week to kill mosquito eggs and larva. A 15 percent solution of bleach kills all mosquito larva and eggs within six hours. Only add bleach to the water if fish are not present and there are no plants that the bleach can affect. Sunlight breaks down bleach quickly, so add bleach to the water in your fountain in the early evening hours in order to give the bleach time to work. Add bleach to the water in your fountain every 7 to 10 days to be totally effective.

Fish

Stocking your fountain with mosquito-eating fish such as Koi, Sarasa Comets, or Shubunkins can end your mosquito problem while adding a new level of enjoyment to your fountain. Mosquito-eating fish can each consume up to 100 larva per day.

Tags: your fountain, water your, bleach water, kill mosquito, water your fountain

Home Remedies For Bed Bug Bites

Home Remedies for Bed Bug Bites

If you sleep on a bed-bug-infested bed and get bitten, you will definitely not have a comfortable time sleeping. Bed bug bites are characterized by skin irritation, rashes, inflammation of skin tissues and patterned marks in skin. Some people may even encounter allergic reactions. Here are some tips on how bed bug bites can be treated at home to relieve pain and to hasten the healing process.

Initial Home Treatment

First, wash the affected area with soap and water. Do not scratch your skin as this will only worsen the condition by spreading the bug venom and increasing your chances of infection. You may apply an ice pack on the area to relieve itching and swelling.

Drugs and Natural Home Treatments

Bedbug.org suggests that for medical treatment, apply cortisone topical creams on the bed bug bites. You can also take antihistamines to provide relief from itching and other allergic reactions.

Natural Home Remedies suggests you make your homemade version of calamine lotion by making a baking soda solution. Simply mix baking soda with a few drops of water to create a thick paste. Apply the mixture to the affected area just like any other lotion. Leave it on the area until it dries.

Other substances such as grated potatoes, mallow root and arrowroot powders are also natural treatments for bed bug bites according to Natural Home Remedies. They provide relief for pain and itching of the infected skin areas. Similar to the treatments of chicken pox and other forms of rashes, ground oatmeal or rice made into pastes are effective treatments for skin itching. They have a cooling effect that provides instant relief and comfort

Mud and Herb Poultices

Natural Home remedies also suggests several other treatments that involve chewing fresh herbs and applying the mixture to the affected skin areas. Common herb choices include comfrey, chickweed, wild geranium, yellow dock and wild mallow.

Natural Home Remedies also suggests that one of the age-old poultices used for white powdered clay mixed with herbal tea.The great thing about white clay is that it has an almost infinite shelf life since it rarely contains any fungi. This can be applied alongside the above-mentioned starchy substances of mallow root and grated potatoes.

Plantains are also natural itch-relievers. Plantains contain a certain active substance called allantoin which is a type of anti-inflammatory phytochemical. It not only effectively fights germs but it also hastens the healing of wounds and infections, plus triggers the regeneration of new cells in the skin.

Tags: Natural Home, Home Remedies, Natural Home Remedies, affected area, allergic reactions, also natural, also suggests

Repair Cement Steps

Over time, even properly poured concrete steps can develop small cracks or chips. These imperfections can lead to greater damage as the concrete is subjected to the freeze-thaw cycle and water expands within these cracks. To prevent the need to completely replace the steps, repair any identifiable damage as soon as you notice it. Even large cracks and chips are worth repairing if the concrete is generally in good condition. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Enlarge the crack or chip using a cold chisel and ball peen hammer to create a reverse V shape in the concrete. The base of the enlarged crack or chip should be at least one inch wide, with the surface of the crack being noticeably narrower. Be sure to wear safety goggles to protect your eyes during this step.

2. Flush the newly exposed surface with water from a garden hose, rinsing away any debris. Use a stiff bristled brush to further remove any fragments, and then give the area a final rinse with the hose.

3. Cover the surface of the crack or chip with a concrete bonding agent using a synthetic bristled paintbrush. Allow the concrete bonding agent to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions before adding concrete -- 15 minutes is standard.

4. Mix enough concrete patching material to fill any imperfections. Measure precisely, following the manufacturer's instructions. Too much or too little water could cause the patch to crumble over time.

5. Push the concrete patching material into a crack using a trowel. Fill the crack completely and then smooth the patch until it is flush with the surface of the step. Use the stiff bristled brush to lightly scratch the surface of the step to create rough texture that will prevent slips in the future.

6. Push a board against the riser of the step for corner chips. Cut the board so it is flush with the riser, and then brace it against the riser using bricks to hold it into place. Then you can fill the corner chip with concrete patching material using a trowel. Don't forget to roughen the surface lightly with a brush.

7. Cover the top of the patch with a piece of plastic sheeting. Every day for a week, remove the sheeting and mist the concrete with water, then recovering the patch. At the end of the week, remove and discard the plastic sheeting and any supporting form work.

Tags: concrete patching, concrete patching material, crack chip, patching material, against riser, bonding agent, bristled brush

Homemade Insect Repellent For Roses

Keeping insects off roses is easy with homemade repellents.

Many pests like to attack roses, such as aphids, beetles and flies. Luckily, there are methods for keeping insects off roses without using harsh chemical insect-control sprays. Some homemade insect repellents include chemicals like ammonia, but others use essential oils and other natural ingredients. Always test homemade sprays on one plant before treating your entire garden. Does this Spark an idea?

Soap

Organic gardeners have long used soap and water as a natural insecticide for roses and other plants. To make a soap spray, mix pure soap such as soap flakes or unscented dish soap with water until the soap dissolves, then spread suds on plants by spraying or with your hands. It is important to use pure soap without additives like whiteners or fragrance. because these chemicals can affect plants. Use 1 tbsp. of soap flakes or liquid dish soap per gallon of water.

Baking Soda

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, has long been used as a protection against black spots on roses. To make a baking soda insect spray, dissolve 1 tsp. of baking soda in 1 quart of hot water. Once it cools, pour it into a spray bottle and spray plants, making sure to cover both sides of the leaves. To make the spray stick to leaves better and add insect-killing power, add 1 tsp. of liquid dish soap.

Neem

Neem is an essential oil extracted from the African neem tree, which is similar to a chinaberry tree. The active chemical ingredient in neem oil, azadirachtin, kills insects when they ingest it and also inhibits many insects from laying eggs. You can buy neem oil from essential-oil retailers and use it as part of your own herbal insecticide blend, but neem oil insecticide sprays are also available at most gardening stores.

Ammonia

The household cleaner ammonia can also kill insects such as aphids and beetles. To make an ammonia insect-control spray, mix 7 parts water to 1 part ammonia and spray on plants. Always test on a few leaves first to see how your roses react. Because ammonia can damage some plants, don't use it in the summer or when plants are stressed.

Insect Repelling Spray Recipe

Here is one recipe for a natural insecticide spray for roses using common kitchen items. As with any new insect-control product, always test this spray on one plant to make sure it will not harm your roses. Grind up one bulb of garlic and one small onion into a pulp. Add garlic, onion and 1 tsp. of dried cayenne pepper to 1 quart of water. Allow to steep for at least one hour, strain, and add 1 tsp. of liquid dish soap to the strained liquid. Mix well and spray on plants. Store it in the refrigerator.

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Kill Insects In Plant Dirt On House Plants

A number of insects will make a home in your houseplants if given the opportunity. Insects like spider mites, aphids, mealybugs and white flies are some common pests that will damage your houseplants. These insects work by feeding on your plants, which can stunt growth, cause a loss of color or even kill the plant. Many bugs also leave unsightly signs. Aphids will cover a plant in a sticky substance. Spider mites may leave webbing on the underside of leaves. Mealybugs look like little cotton tufts, covering your plant in white puffs.

Prevention is your best defense against indoor pests, but if an infestation does occur, there are a number of steps you can take to save your houseplants. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Prevention

1. To prevent infestation, check your plants for signs each week. Look for obvious bugs, and look for any changes in your plants' health.

2. Observe the soil when you water your plants. Some bugs live in the soil and may damage the root system.

3. Wash your plants with warm, soapy water once a month. Keeping them clean will keep them healthier and make them less attractive to bugs. Many species of bugs prefer plants that are already ailing.

4. Use packaged potting soil whenever you repot your plants. Using outdoor soils can introduce bugs.

5. To prevent soil bugs from making your plant a home, allow the soil to dry between watering. Soil bugs seek out a damp environment. Taking this step will make the plant's soil inhospitable.

Treatment

6. If you discover bugs on one of your houseplants, immediately move it to a room away from your other houseplants.

7. Attempt to wash away the bugs with mild soap and warm water. Wash the plant each day for a week.

8. Cut away any dead, damaged or heavily infested parts of the plant.

9. Remove large bugs by hand or dab them with rubbing alcohol using a cotton swab. Contact with rubbing alcohol will kill most bugs.

10. If the bugs persist, you may need to use an insecticide. Many nurseries carry insecticides made from various oil extracts such as thyme or garlic. Try these first. If they don't work, you might need to try something stronger. Choose your insecticide based on the type of bug you're trying to kill and follow the directions carefully.

11. To get rid of soil bugs, mix an insecticidal soap with water according to the insecticide directions, and use that to water the infected plant. Only water it once, and then wait at least a week for retreatment.

12. Watch the plant closely for a week to see if the bugs come back before bringing it out of isolation. If the bugs do come back, repeat the treatment steps or discard the plant.

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Attract A Mosquito

Attracting mosquitos can be a lot easier than avoiding them.

Knowing attract a mosquito will help you determine go about preventing the attraction in the future. Pay attention to things such as diet and physical activity before you spend a lot of time outdoors. The smells and substances that your body produces is likely to attract these pesky creatures. Odds are if you are trying to draw in mosquitoes, you will have more luck than you would like. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Eat foods that are high in salt. Dairy products can cause your body to produce lactic acid. Also foods that are high in fat and sodium will also cause you to attract mosquitoes. It's not the food itself, so you are okay outdoors while you are consuming it. It's what the food does to your body later that draws these insects. Mosquitoes are attracted to the salt that your body produces, so when you consume high sodium foods, this is likely to be evident in your pores.

2. Exercise and build up a sweat to draw in the mosquitoes. Exercise also produces lactic acid. This is evident in your sweat and breath. If you wish to attract mosquitoes, exercise outdoors and build up your best sweat for optimum results. Moisture of any kind draws in mosquitoes as they associate it with a potential blood supply. Also mosquitoes lay eggs in moist areas so they may see your body moisture as a place to reproduce. Body heat also draws in mosquitoes, so body heat and moisture together are great ways to attract them.

3. Produce carbon dioxide. You can do this by increasing your body temperature through activity. Light a candle or start a bonfire if you really want a gathering of mosquitoes. Fire of any size produces carbon dioxide.

4. Wear sweet fragrances. Put on sweet-smelling lotions or creams. Invest in floral-smelling perfumes. To mosquitoes, these products are sweet-smelling like blood. These fragrances cause the mosquitoes to associate their floral scent for a possible blood supply.

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Homemade Insecticide For Grubs

Grubs cause lawn damage.

Grubs, which are actually the larvae stage of beetles, can cause serious damage to your lawn if the infestation is left untreated. These larvae feeding on the grass roots in your lawn can kill it. A homemade insecticide is safer than a commercial insecticide when you have pets and children playing on your lawn. Does this Spark an idea?

Grub Infestation

A grub infestation appears as brown splotches of grass on your lawn that lift off the soil base easily when raked or scuffed with your shoe. To confirm you have grubs, dig down several inches and shake out the dirt. Grub larvae will appear as worms that are white and half-moon shaped. Skunks and other wildlife will tear up your lawn scavenging for grubs, which is another indication that you have an infestation.

Garlic to Kill Grubs

Garlic is a natural material that kilsl grubs and other pests on your lawn and in your garden. To make a lawn spray, smash ten garlic cloves in a garlic press and spread on a cookie sheet to dry. After powdering the dried garlic in a food processor or blender and grind it's mixed with a 1/4 cup of water and allow to sit for several hours. After straining the mixture goes into a one-gallon plastic container filled to the top with water. If after saturating the lawn, the solution appears to harsh add water by the cup until the testing shows the solution doesn't damage the grass. When ready to spray, put the mixture into a garden sprayer and saturate your lawn. The best time of the day to spray is in the evening. If the grubs are still visible a week, reapply. The garlic spray is not harmful to pets, but if they are on the lawn when the grass is wet from the solution it can cause irritation to their eyes.

Horseradish Spray for Grubs

A second solution requires three quarts of water, two cups of chopped cayenne pepper and a one-inch piece of horseradish root (purchase at a herb shop) boiled, strained and cooled. When ready to spray your lawn put solution into a garden sprayer and saturate your lawn. The spray is not harmful but may cause irritation to the eye if the spray is still wet or there is a dew on the grass, so use caution for a few days after applying the solution.

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How Do Daddy Long Legs Catch & Eat Their Prey

Crane flies are mistaken for daddy long legs but are not related.

Pholcidae, or daddy long legs, are members of the arachnid family that includes spiders. The term "daddy long legs" has also been mistakenly used for harvestmen, which are arachnids, but not spiders, and crane flies, which are insects. They are found globally apart from the Arctic and Antarctic. There is a myth surrounding daddy long legs that they have the most potent venom of any arachnid, but they cannot penetrate human skin. This is untrue, but to other insects, proper daddy long legs are very dangerous.

Food

Daddy long legs, as opposed to harvestmen and crane flies, eat other insects. This includes anything it can get its hands on. Daddy long legs are both scavengers and predators, depending on what they are catching.

Web

True daddy long legs, like spiders, spin webs. Unlike spiders, however, a daddy long legs web is not sticky -- it is an irregular shape, which make it harder for insects to escape. Once it has trapped an insect in its web, the daddy long legs wraps it in silk, injects venom by biting it and waits for it to decompose before eating it in a similar way as a spider.

Other Techniques

Some species of daddy long legs invade the webs of other spiders. They will eat prey caught in the web and then mimic the vibrations. The web's host will come to investigate and be bitten by the daddy long legs, who will then eat that spider as well.

Other Spiders

The myth surrounding daddy long legs originates from the fact that it can kill much more venomous spiders, like the redback and huntsman. Modern studies suggest this has little to do with venom potency; rather, it is because daddy long legs are faster than other spiders as they have smaller bodies and longer legs.

Harvestmen

Harvestmen, which are often mistaken for daddy long legs, survive mainly on vegetation as they have no way of catching prey. Decaying plants are a staple food, along with insects they find caught in other traps.

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Identify Spider Species In Oregon

When you know what to look for, spiders can be easily identified.

Over 500 species of spider reside on plants, under rocks and in the corners of homes in the state of Oregon. The species range in size, color and habitat. They also differ in behavior, and how harmful their venom is to humans. Classification can be broken down to four types of spider: jumping, crab, cobweb-weavers and funnel-webs.

Instructions

1. Forests harbor spiders, though some species prefer dark corners inside homes.

Wear protective clothing, and venture outdoors to a wooded area or indoors to a dark area. Bring a notebook and pencil to sketch the spiders you find so you can identify them later.

2. You never know where a spider may hide.

Look under rocks, in trees and on plants to find a spider if outdoors. Look in the basement, attic or garage if indoors.

3. Observe and note the spider's color, legs and behavior. If it is black and white striped, green or earth-toned it could be a jumping spider. Other signs of jumping spiders are a red, black or a shiny metallic color. If the spider walks in a halting motion on short legs or you see it jump, it could be a jumping spider. If you have a spider that camouflages with its habitat, and holds its first two pairs of legs out to the side you might have a crab spider. Other signs you have a crab spider are if the spider's first four legs are longer than the rest, and it moves like a crab.

4. A garden spider.

Observe the type of web, if there is one. Orb weaving spiders like the garden spider make round webs with spokes and rows that trap prey. If the spider in the web is orange-brown in color with long, spiky legs it's likely a garden spider. If you find a messy-looking web in a dark corner of the basement or under a rock pile (even with no spider present) you may have found the western black widow's web. If the web appears to be a sheet with a funnel-like area or a sac at one end, you are looking at a funnel-web dweller.

5. The infamous black widow spider is easy to spot by the red hourglass.

If you find a web without a spider, tap on the silk lightly with your pencil to see if the spider will come out of hiding. If it does and you see it has a large black abdomen with or without a red hourglass beneath and long black legs, it could be a black widow. Funnel-web dwellers that come out of their funnels can be identified by their coloring. Stripes could mean it is a barn funnel weaver or a wolf spider, while an absence of rings on the spider's legs and a herringbone pattern on the abdomen could indicate it is a hobo spider. A spider with a yellow to yellow-green coloring means it is likely a yellow sac spider.

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Make Wire Fish Sculptures

Wire fish sculptures can be made with a variety of personalities.

Fish are fun and they can be even more fun if you fashion them out of wire. Since their bodies are streamlined and fairly straightforward, you can make wire fish sculptures as simple or complicated as you like. A few simple steps and easy to get ingredients will help you make wire fish sculptures.

Instructions

1. Lay the chicken wire flat and cut a rectangular piece to the size your fish will be. Wire cutters work best for this process but you can improvise with pruning shears or scissors you don’t care if you ruin.

2. Decide where his tail will be and create it accordingly. Snip an area of the wire as far up from the bottom as wide as you want the tail to be. Do not snip the wire all the way across, but several inches on each side leading up to the middle. You should end up with a rectangle with a flap at the bottom, still secured in the center. Bend the top sides of the tail down into a triangular shape. Secure by twisting the snipped ends of wire around each other or with small pieces of other wire.

3. Roll the chicken wire into a cone shape, with the thinnest area at the base of the tail and the fattest area where the fish’s head will be. Secure the cone shape by twisting the snipped ends of the wire around the base or with other wire.

4. Roll the wire inwards at the top of the cone shape to create the fish’s top and bottom jaw. You can roll them into a smooth shape for a benign fish or leave it jagged for a nasty fish. Again, secure your rolled jaw by twisting the snipped ends of wire around the base or with other small pieces of wire.

5. Paint if desired. Since chicken wire is kind of boring, you may want to spray paint your fish a jazzy aqua, really red or deep forest green. You can use several colors, making it darker around the mouth to emphasize it. You can also sponge on paint or use a brush for thicker paint distribution.

6. Add the eyeballs. Eyeballs can be made out of clay by rolling four balls of clay and affixing two for each eyeball, one ball inside the wire fish sculpture and one on the outside. Press together and allow to dry then draw a pupil. Eyeballs can also be made out any roundish object you feel like gluing to the outside of the fish’s head.

Tags: chicken wire, cone shape, ends wire, ends wire around, fish sculptures, snipped ends

Herbs That Kill Control And Deter Fleas Ticks & Mosquitoes

A widely popular herb, mint keeps out a number of pests from the garden.

The presence of a wide variety of insects in gardens is a normal and expected aspect of gardening. There are a wide range of control options to control pests such as ticks, fleas and mosquitoes. This includes the more environmentally friendly options such as using plants and herbs with natural insect repellent properties. Using herbs in gardens is not only a better alternative for harmful chemicals but also provides fresh culinary herbs for use in the kitchen. Insecticides made with the extracts of these herbs kill a number of pests. Does this Spark an idea?

Rue

Rue (Ruta graveolens) is an evergreen herb with metallic blue, feathery foliage. The herb has disinfectant and insecticidal properties for getting rid of flies, mosquitoes and a number of other insects naturally. Rubbing the herbs over pets keeps away the fleas. Planting rue with other plants keeps beetles and slugs from the garden. The semi-woody plant grows to a full height of about 2 1/2 feet. Rue foliage has a medicinal and bitter smell upon crushing or cutting. The herb blooms with small, four petaled flowers during summer. Rue is easy to grow from seed and thrives in a range of soil types including poor soil. You also can grow the herb as an indoor plant.

Wormwood

Wormwood (Artemesia absinthium) is among the bitter herbs used for centuries to repel and deter insects including ticks, flies and moths. Wormwood grows to a mature height of about 3 feet and has gray-green foliage. The plant is covered with fine hair and blooms with yellow flowers during summer. Wormwood is widely used in traditional medicine both by itself or in combination with other herbs to relieve digestive and gallbladder disorders. Wormwood, also referred to as artemesia, grows naturally in the temperate and mild climates. The foliage of wormwood is used for making an herbal tea.

Mint

Mint (Mentha) is among the most recognized and most used herbs in the kitchen, which also keep away a wide range of insects with its strong scent. Mint is especially effective for deterring beetles and fleas. Keeping sachets of dried mint in closets keeps out moths and placing fresh mint in pantries helps deter ants. Rubbing the herbs over the neck, face and hands repels mosquitoes, and rubbing the herb over pets and mouths of horses and cows keeps them free from flies. Planting mint with cabbage and tomatoes gets rid of aphids, cabbage white butterflies and white flies.

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Get Typhoid

Diarrhea, headache, lethargy, and a 103-degree fever weren't what you had in mind for your much-awaited South American vacation. Instead of avidly scaling the ruins of Machu Picchu, you languish in your hotel room bed with typhoid fever. As the virulent Salmonella typhi bacteria establishes a stronghold in your body, your traveling companion worriedly scrolls the pages of the Centers for Disease Control website on the third world's most dodgy Internet connection to tell you what else you can expect as typhoid progresses: rapid weight loss, an extended abdomen, and motionless delirium--and continuing high fever, of course. At least four weeks of acute illness wasn't supposed to be a part of your travel plan, but at least when someone back home asks you, "How on earth did you get typhoid?" you'll be able to tell them.

Instructions

Get Typhoid Fever in Five Steps

1. Fail to get a typhoid vaccination before you travel to countries where typhoid is prevalent--your health has always been good. But the Mayo Clinic notes that typhoid is endemic to developing nations such as India, Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. Typhoid vaccines may consist of a single injection or four doses of oral tablets that must be completed at least a week before travel, notes the CDC.

2. Drink the water. S. typhi can contaminate sewage, which in turn finds its way into the water supply. The CDC urges you to drink bottled water (preferably carbonated) and other beverages if you want to prevent typhoid. When eating out, request that drinks be served without ice.

3. Purchase food from street vendors. Part of the delight of traveling afar are the colorful kiosks lining the streets that feature local delicacies. Turns out you could have done without that paleta; the CDC warns that water used in popsicles and other icy treats can be contaminated with the typhoid bacteria. Food handled by vendors with typhoid fever who don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom can be contaminated, as S. typhi is spread through the oral-fecal route.

4. Eat raw fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce, that cannot be peeled. You're less likely to consume typhoid-contaminated foods if you can peel them, notes the CDC. But make sure not to eat the peelings and to wash your hands before you handle food. When it comes to food selection, the CDC notes that hot, cooked foods are far safer.

5. Don't wash your hands. The Mayo Clinic states that hand-washing with hot, soapy water is the best way to prevent typhoid, particularly after you use the bathroom or before eating or preparing food. Alternately, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used whenever water isn't available for hand-washing.

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