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Insects?

(20 Posts)
Sandy64 Wed 17-Jun-15 20:47:21

There are people I have talked to who refuse to harm insects, particularly around children. Myself personally, if I see a spider in my house or a slug on my plants, they'll find themselves squashed. Am I alone in this? If you see a bug in your persoanl space, do you squash?

nightowl Wed 17-Jun-15 20:51:59

I don't harm insects. I try not to harm anything. Why would I?

rosesarered Wed 17-Jun-15 21:03:43

I would not do it in front of children, but spiders/slugs/ants and any other unwanted insects, we do get rid of.Flies in particular!

loopylou Wed 17-Jun-15 21:08:45

Spiders usually get caught in a glass and tipped outside,belies might get let out the window or swatted.
Other bugs? I try to catch them depending on size - DH deals with the biggies!

Moths are my hate, irrational because I can catch a butterfly in my hands, oh, and I don't like daddy-long-legs (shudder) mainly because their legs fall off envy

tanith Wed 17-Jun-15 21:17:24

I don't harm most insects apart from flies, ants and slugs and snails.. OH on the other hand will kill anything that invades his space unless I save it first.

vampirequeen Wed 17-Jun-15 21:36:21

Slugs and snails are controlled by pellets. I don't mind the odd few but if they get out of hand I deal with them. The same goes for ants. Not a problem if the nest stays small but if they start to spread too much or come near the house they have to be dealt with. Lily beetles get sprayed. Greenfly are left alone if there are ladybirds to feed on them. If the ladybirds don't want them then they get sprayed. Caterpillars have free range although I try to encourage them to live in selected areas. Flies get zapped by the zapper if they come into the house but are left alone outside.
.
Spiders never get killed. They get captured and released outside if they're in the house. The same goes for beetles.

I try to have a live and let live policy. I only act if the numbers get out of hand.

durhamjen Wed 17-Jun-15 22:17:36

What's an unwanted insect? All insects are wanted and needed. Without them most of our food supplies would be decimated.
No sprays, no slug pellets.
If the spiders are too big, I catch them in upturned glasses and put outside, like Vampire and Loopy.

jeanie99 Thu 18-Jun-15 03:03:40

I don't have any problem picking up a house spider, I don't kill them.

In the garden I don't like slugs centipedes or worms but just leave them.

jeanie99 Thu 18-Jun-15 03:05:13

I dislike flies in the house and do kill them with the swatter, thankfully we have very few.

Love to see bees and butterflies and encourage them into the garden.

ginny Thu 18-Jun-15 08:27:02

I won't kill insects, it's easy enough to put a spider in a glass as others have said. With a bit of patience most flies and bugs can be encouraged to leave the house.

Iam64 Thu 18-Jun-15 08:54:18

I don't mind insects, I open windows and they'll find their way out. I ignore spiders and they scuttle off. Bees are always welcome and I try to avoid irritating wasps. I'm afraid my humanity goes out the window where slugs, snails and hosta's are concerned. I pick the snails up and put them in the council recycling garden rubbish bin, where they can take their chances. I use the pellets that are alleged not to harm animals or birds, and use them sparingly. A slug/snail assault in spring and autumn seems to keep the numbers down during the warmer months

AshTree Thu 18-Jun-15 09:13:23

I never kill anything that does me no harm. So large spiders are always captured in a glass and released outside. Smaller ones are allowed to stay and share my house smile. Flies usually find their way out of an open window but if not, or if we have an invasion then I'm afraid they have to be dealt with via a swatter. Moths and craneflies and so on are left to my DH to capture and release as I am totally phobic about them!
As for slugs, I'm afraid I have absolutely no compunction about killing them. They invade our home and despite attempts at sealing all points of entry, we have never been able to keep them out of the kitchen, and I spend every summer having to repeatedly disinfect worktops and cupboards angry. So forgive me if I feel absolutely no compassion for these pests!

vampirequeen Thu 18-Jun-15 10:04:52

I have a problem with slugs in winter. It's impossible to block their access points so I run a layer of salt in front of where they come in. The slugs rarely touch the salt. Somehow they know they can't cross it safely. As one of their entry points is under the front door step the salt serves a double purpose because it stops witches entering too grin.

AshTree Thu 18-Jun-15 10:10:08

I have tried that vq, but unfortunately the kitchen is the main problem and it has three outside walls, all of which have to be lined with salt. It just ends up as a horrible mess, so I stopped doing it.
You're invaded by them in winter? How strange - we never see them in the winter, only the summer.

vampirequeen Thu 18-Jun-15 10:30:35

I think they live under the step in winter and the warmth of the house draws them in.

I think there are aerosols you can spray around the edge of rooms to deter them. Have you looked on Google?

TriciaF Thu 18-Jun-15 10:34:25

The only insects I try to kill are mosquitoes - I hate them because they bite me .
Even wasps I wouldn't kill unless I see a half-dead one on the ground.
Not for religious reasons, but as others have said, because they all have a purpose.
Just thought of another - fleas. They're a real nightmare. And bedbugs too. And ticks on dogs. Quite a few really.

henetha Thu 18-Jun-15 10:36:57

I try not to kill anything. My brother is a buddhist and some of his thinking has influenced me. But I particularly dislike wasps and if they don't leave when asked then I must admit I chase them with a rolled up newspaper and happily whack them.

nonnasusie Thu 18-Jun-15 13:23:54

A lot of the insects here bite or sting so get dealt with quickly, especially hornets! They get no mercy especially as I was stung near my eye a few years ago and suffered for days with swelling and itching! In fact the locals were amazed that I didn't immediately go to hospital as people have died from stings!! We also suffer fro colarado beetles on the potatoes and aubergines and they have to be squashed A.S.A.P or they would destroy them !! So no mercy here I'm afraid! It's war!!!

harrigran Thu 18-Jun-15 13:37:52

I have a fly zapper which gets used on wasps and flies that get into the house but spiders get sucked into a tube and carried outside and released. Moths usually self destruct by aiming straight for the lightbulb but I wouldn't worry about sending them to their maker either.

Greyduster Thu 18-Jun-15 19:34:02

I am ambivalent about insects up to a point - wouldn't dream of hurting spiders, bees (which we appear to have nesting in our eaves again this year) or most things I find in the garden (except the slugs that are currently decimating my strawberry bed). But I have a compulsive hatred of flies, and can't bear to have them in the house.