Some of my hard work has paid off

[CountAllVotes]

No sign of these 'effers in my house today!

I've been busting my butt trying to get rid of them.

They get out of control very quickly this time of year.

They are called "grubs" from what I know.

I've been using Ortho 3-1 indoor/outdoor spray.

It seems to have done the job after two applications.

Will hit them again today.

How much longer will I be able to keep this house up?

Its a big job and what with the help I am paying to receive, I'm at my wits end!

[Emile]

1. You have ground grubs inside your house?

[CountAllVotes]

2. They work their way in through the front door

If you open the front door, there they are!

If you spray the area a few times they usually go away.

Last year it was so out of control I thought I was going to crack up!

My late husband USED to deal with this.

However, in the end he did nothing and left it all up to me to figure it out.

I figured it out and no one needs these damned things coming into your house!

[markie]

3. chickens!

chickens will take care of them in a minute

I hand pick all the Japanese Beetles and my chickens eat them by the dozens

[Emile]

7. That is a pretty hen. What kind is it?

[Emile]

4. I got a lot of them in my yard, that's why I

have so many moles. Back when I had dogs they would keep the moles thinned out. I have a huge yard approx. 5 acres, so spraying for grubs is not an option.

[CountAllVotes]

5. I spray around the entire outside of the house

The idea is to create a barrier.

It works to a point.

At least there were none inside this a.m. so I must have done something right.

While the Ortho 3-1 Home Defense is not the best choice, it is fairly non-toxic and can be used around pets if you wait one hour after applying it.

So far so good!

Apparently Neem oil is a good option for an entire lawn. You can spray it on the yard itself and its supposed to get rid of them. I don't know as I've never tried it.

I just wanted to STOP them from coming into the house from the doors leading outside.

[Kali]

6. wow

we get grubs in the lawn and in outdoor potted plants (and of course in the corrals). they will come to the surface if the ground is saturated, but I have never heard of them migrating en masse indoors.

I wouldn't spray them indoors, just sweep them up and throw in the trash. if they are damaging things (they tend to feed on roots, but some eat other things) you can spray outdoors. a barrier of diatomaceous earth or even pyrethrin powder (or spray) will probably stop them at the doorway but needs replacing after rain.

from a couple of posts it does seem like you are struggling to keep a yard, perhaps thinking of a nice apartment or condo with included landscaping might be something to think about.

[CountAllVotes]

9. So where do my three cats go?

No one wants someone with three cats.

I cannot afford a condo anyway.

You are looking at $250,000+ a HOA to go with it.

I'm sort of stuck is what I think.

I didn't know where they were coming from last year. When I found them under the doormat outside the front door OMG.

I treated that area several times before I finally got rid of them.

This time, I got on it FAST and after the 2nd application there were none to be seen in the house this a.m.

As for indoor treatment, it is limited to the entrances to the house (doorways). That's how they get in, through the doorways. Took me awhile to figure that out but yes, they are lawn grubs.

*whew*

I don't know what I will do.

I was told to take out a reverse mortgage the other day. I do not think that is a good idea either!

I was then told to get a roommate.

I just had one of those (my late husband) up until recently and no, I really do not want another one!

[Kali]

13. don't blame you about roommates!

does your city have any programs to help with exterior house/yard maintenance? some places do. they likely won't do regular work but for annual or semiannual large clean up projects it might help out a bit.

for young men doing yard work, cold drinks and a donut or breakfast burrito might soften them up to be more inclined to do what you want rather than hurrying to get the job done at whatever poor wage they are probably getting. or tips after the job. maybe you are already doing these things but if not I am just suggesting for people in general to always try to see the other side of what is going on.

it takes time to build relationships of all kinds. getting good laborers is one of them. expecting perfection is a plan for not getting it. to me the mistakes you are upset about are all pretty understandable and could be worked out with a little more patience and time (and supervision). if your flowers aren't in a delineated bed, create one, or even better hire the crew to do that too so they have "ownership" in the flowers too.

remember too, if it is a company and not a single guy doing the work that there is high turnover in that business and the actual laborers may not be the same people every week so may not get the instructions. or the owner may have 20 other customers wanting various details taken care of and may not remember. leave notes if you cant be there, with drawing/pictures if possible and especially if language might be a problem. but don't get too carried away if you are just paying for basics. guys getting paid by the hour don't have time to read novels when there is work to be done (thinking of my sister here, LOL - she who complains that nobody reads the 100s of notes she leaves everywhere).

[CountAllVotes]

12. P.S.

It is not en mass. It is maybe a dozen or so around the doorway(s). You can clean them up but they are back within a few hours so you have to spray with something to get rid of them.

The Ortho 3-1 indoor/outdoor stuff is the safest thing I can find.

I live in the woods that is why I have so many bugs where I live.

I use glue traps indoors. Those are fairly effective.

It is what it is so to speak.

[Kali]

14. my deal is, if it is a "limited" number and slow moving and you have to sweep them up anyway

then no need to kill them with spray (and have the poison in your environment for no real reason) if you are spraying as a barrier that is different. but those things are slow moving and while it may seem like a lot, they aren't like ants or a swarm of bees. save $, time, and your exposure for something that really needs spray. or do it thoroughly and treat the whole lawn. by the way skunks love those things. LOL

[CountAllVotes]

15. It is something that WAS being done a few times a year

This was one of my husband's jobs.

It only takes a few minutes and yes, the idea is to create a barrier around the house so less insects can get inside of the house.

That Ortho Indoor/Outdoor spray is not that strong.

People often claim it is too weak to do anything.

It is weak, yes but if you apply it a couple of times to an area with a load of those things (like the picture I posted), it does get rid of them.

If anyone cares to come over here and do the job for me they are more than welcome to it!

Thanks for the reply!

[spooky3]

8. Years ago I had to deal with those. They feed on the roots of grass in your

Lawn. So to get rid of them, you would need to get your lawn treated rather than focus on the house. Is that a possibility?

[CountAllVotes]

10. You need a spayer and Neem oil

I could probably do that.

I have called a young man that worked for me last year to see if he can help.

No call back yet.

Seems like the landscape place should be dealing with it doesn't it?

[spooky3]

11. It definitely does. They should take care of it. Nt

[flying_wahini]

16. Don't use toxins, here is why. Especially if you have children or pets on your lawn.

Check this out.

https://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/782

[CountAllVotes]

17. I do not use toxins on the lawn

And I do not have any children.

I have cats that do not go outside.

They are strictly indoor pets.

The guy in back of me used Round-up by the gallons.

He should have been a salesman for that crap!