Coping with Bugs

Midsummer is the time when insects make themselves most known -- indoors and out. If you find unwanted creatures in your house or garden, don't reach for the poison. Deter them with gentler methods for a safe household environment. For example, discourage ants trailing in and out with sprigs of pennyroyal. Or make bands of crushed eggshells along walkways to keep them from crossing.

Aphids on your garden plants can be knocked off with frequent, strong streams of water from the garden hose. If you notice yellow-and-black-striped Colorado potato beetles or the metallic-blue-green Japanese beetles crawling on your plants, put down a dropcloth and, in the early morning when they're most active, shake them off and dump them into a bucket of soapy water.

If a colony of yellow jackets sets up housekeeping in your lawn, watch them from a distance to find their underground doorway. At night, when they're not active, place a large glass casserole dish or salad bowl over the hole and weight it down with a brick. The wasps will be forced to exit elsewhere and usually won't return.