Wasp, tiger mosquito, Asian hornet, ant, bug, jellyfish ... The list of licensed naggers summer seems endless. How repel? The war - green - is declared.Dangerous insects: the ecological response
Relaxation, aperitifs on the terrace, evenings in the garden ... It often share these summer moments with bugs that plague our lives. Let us fight!In the air
To scare away mosquitoes, nothing beats good old recipes grandma! Geraniums in windows, lemongrass and basil pots away flying insects of all kinds. Not sure, however, that these solutions are sufficient to deter the tiger mosquito, an Asian cousin arrived on French territory eight years ago, with all the exotic diseases it transmits: chikungunya, dengue and more recently, the virus zika, which can cause fever, pain and paralysis.
Two engineers have developed a new weapon against this terrible invader: the vacuum cleaner mosquito tested Camargue. Decoys were installed; attracted by a mixture of carbon dioxide and pheromones, flying predators are literally sucked by the chimney when they close approaching. In addition to being green, this invention also works on arabis these midges fond of human blood.
Bees, wasps, bumblebees ... The family of Hymenoptera triggers its share of screams and movements. Yet fussing is the best way to gain exposure to the sting. Ignorance is the best protection, since this kind of insect attacks only if he feels attacked or if you approach too close to its nest. To avoid that this prompt on your grill or in your glass of wine can be disposed of cloves or coffee grounds into a cup or pour the melon juice diluted in a bowl. The wasps will die by drinking this preparation.
The Asian hornet, accidentally arrived from China via the crates carrying pottery eleven years ago, has already colonized 70% of our territory. Scourge of beekeepers - it attacks the bees - he made his first human victims for two years. How to eradicate it? The garden plants Nantes seems to hold the key: his botanists have noticed that the animal is attracted by carnivorous plants, pitcher plants. Native to North America - so they have never seen before hornets - these plants have invented a highly selective trap to swallow up to 50 insects. Investigations are underway to find the molecule attracting hornets for use as bait and the market starting next year.
On the floor
The summer is also the season of ticks and chiggers, small mites that favor warm-blooded mammals ... including us. Lavender oil, vinegar and garlic are good repellents against ticks. The chips will be more sensitive to the strong mint. Beware of tick bites, painless, can cause a potentially serious infection, Lyme disease. Hikers are particularly vulnerable as they pass through forests or tall grass. The most efficient ? Wear long clothing to prevent them from clinging.
And spiders? They are Greener than insect since electrical outlet delight them. Do not they say that they are evidence of a healthy home? The eight-legged beast, object of ancestral phobia, does not bite the man if she feels threatened. To prevent it indicate an address on your ceiling, use of essential oils of lavender and horse chestnut, or spray white vinegar or alum stone extracted on their canvases.
