Flies, Moths, Ants: Natural Solutions Against Insects

With the arrival of sunny days, all kinds of little critters proliferate in homes. Here are the most effective natural solutions to avoid being invaded by ants, flies, and moths.

What to do about flies?

During the beautiful season, mosquitoes are not the only unwanted flying insects in homes. During the day and especially in the countryside, flies can quickly become invasive.

To deter flies from entering the house, there is of course the traditional strip curtain. Another natural solution against flies is to place a damp sponge soaked with a few drops of lavender essential oil in strategic locations.

To kill the intruders, you can use the well-known glue ribbons, not very aesthetic but effective. You will also find small circles to stick on windows in supermarkets.

What to do about ants?

When ants invade your home, it quickly becomes an invasion!

If you are reluctant to use commercial traps and aerosols, you can try the following natural solution:
1- Pour some strongly brewed tea into a small dish.
2- Add a drop of crushed garlic.
3- Place the dish at the ants' entry point (often a windowsill or a sliding door leading to a terrace).

Since ants navigate using scent trails, this 100% natural recipe should confuse them and prevent them from returning to your home.

A few drops of peppermint or lavender essential oil placed on their path would have the same effect.

Another scent that these insects hate is cayenne pepper, so feel free to sprinkle this red and spicy seasoning along their route! But be careful: this spice can stain light surfaces.

What to do about moths?

To combat moths, start by identifying the enemy. There are indeed two types of moths that are not chased away with the same methods:
• Textile moths that love woolen clothes.
• Food moths that invade packets of rice, pasta, and flour.

There are several natural solutions against clothing moths:
• Cedarwood rings to sand regularly to reactivate their scent.
• Lavender or thyme sachets to be renewed every 2 or 3 months.
• Cloves, whose smell is also repulsive.
• Newspaper: simply place a page under and over the clothes to keep moths away—a very economical trick!

To get rid of food moths when the invasion has already started, follow these steps in order:
1- Throw away all infested food.
2- Clean your cupboards with soapy water.
3- Store opened packages in airtight containers.
4- Place bay leaves (Laurus noblilis) in your cupboards: their smell is said to repel them.

Note: In case of a severe infestation, you will find sticky traps available in stores to place inside cupboard doors.