does this need cleaning after the bees hatch and leave? how do you clean it? also, does anyone have any problems with spiders moving in?
1492398
I purchased this as a gift. I think it is only meant to be used for just one season. Sorry I couldn't be more help.
1492399
Just heard the Kentucky State Apiarist talk about mason bee houses today--she said the next female to use it for her eggs cleans it out before using it.
1492400
Our mason bees lay eggs and fill the tubes with mud...they hatch in the spring and do the whole thing over again. We're going into our 4th season with it....so far, 85% of the tubes get filled with mud. The bees don't like those "big" tubes though...manufacturer needs to redesign IMO. We're very happy with it. Last season we added a rectangular one and only 1 hole/tube was filled with mud...we'll see what the future holds. No spiders or problems.
1492401
Hi...all I did was use a brush to clean it out, last year was my first experience w/ the house...you must place it facing the morning sun though. Spiders???No,I had one that had wasps cause I did not have it in the sun...duh....so beware of that..hope that helped.
1492402
Mine has been out for 2 seasons. I haven't done anything with it yet, but I bought 2 news houses for this year so I could rotate out the old ones and see if anything needs to be done. I think they are only designed to last 2 years, but mine is still in great shape.
1132771
Spider or small insects may enter the house through the damper. I placed a Filter housing with a removable filter on the site of the damper that faces the inside of the house. Frequently I will remove the filter wash it and return it into the housing. That way one is sure that no spiders or bugs will come in.
1173176
If it were me I would toss it. Mites can be serious so although you could wipe it off, I would just buy a new one. You have to clean everything really well. You can use neem on the back...on drop between the wings and I have gone so far as washing the area around the cage with diluted cedar oil. Good luck!
738228
I recommend hosing it down. That's the easiest way I have found to clean this habitat. If you don't have a hose, then placing it into a bath tub works too. But then you have to clean up the tub afterwards.... The bottom gets rusty after about a year. I have 2 boy rats. They're medium rats and I think the cage is just about the right size.
894902
I usually just breathe on it and then polish it of with a towel. Works great! If the kids were using it with jelly fingers *sigh* I use a damp cloth to clean it off (without any cleaner or soap).
2178656
So far I have only needed to wipe it with a damp paper towel to clean the plates. I avoid chemicals that would leave an odor and repel the mice. The only "false" trips I have had were when the plates got crusty as they sometimes empty their bladder. I have caught perhaps 40 mice and two pack rats in a month and a half. I am rural and have it outside.
1948543
Cockroaches are hard to kill. They hide in walls or the inner workings of old appliances. They eat anything (including each other). If you have an active infestation, it will take time to clear them out. To get rid of the bugs, you need to apply the powder (a light dusting is good) to areas the bugs are likely to cross over. The kitchen is likely to be a hot spot because they tend to nest in areas where they have found food in the past. Don't breath the dust when you apply it, but don't worry about putting it around food prep areas. It is safe to eat. If you dust your floors, leave it on the floor for at least a few hours. If you vacuum it up, reapply it in about a week. The dust won't harm the eggs. They can hatch a new generation later, which is why it is important to reapply. When you find a dead bug, flush it down the toilet. If it is carrying fertile eggs, they can still hatch after the adult dies. When you go a couple of weeks without seeing the little buggers, you can dust around the perimeter of the floors and counters from time to time. That should discourage them from moving back in. Persistence is the key here. Good luck! Hope to hear that this works for you. One side note. If you are going to vacuum this up after applying it to your floor, try to dust lightly. A little goes a long way and I have heard from others that too much in an area is not good for your vacuum.
1793285
Hi, I think this is the best stuff available for spiders, I used it and let it dry, do not overspray. It should dry within 2 hours in humid conditions and quicker if the weather is dry. My daughters bedroom was infested and nothing else worked. I went into the room covered from head to toe with a resperator and gloves, sprayed everything and closed the door. 2 hours later I aired it out vacuumed and changed the sheets, 4 hours later my kids slept through the night. There was no more odor and that was the end of the anoying pests. As long as you use common sense and don't saturate but give an even coat as if you were spray painting you shuld have no problem. Hi, I think this is the best stuff available for spiders, I used it and let it dry, do not overspray. It should dry within 2 hours in humid conditions and quicker if the weather is dry. My daughters bedroom was infested and nothing else worked. I went into the room covered from head to toe with a resperator and gloves, sprayed everything and closed the door. 2 hours later I aired it out vacuumed and changed the sheets, 4 hours later my kids slept through the night. There was no more odor and that was the end of the anoying pests. As long as you use common sense and don't saturate but give... » Read More Hi, I think this is the best stuff available for spiders, I used it and let it dry, do not overspray. It should dry within 2 hours in humid conditions and quicker if the weather is dry. My daughters bedroom was infested and nothing else worked. I went into the room covered from head to toe with a resperator and gloves, sprayed everything and closed the door. 2 hours later I aired it out vacuumed and changed the sheets, 4 hours later my kids slept through the night. There was no more odor and that was the end of the anoying pests. As long as you use common sense and don't saturate but give an even coat as if you were spray painting you shuld have no problem. « Show Less
2052649
No need to replace unless damaged. Just clean regularly and bee guards should last as long as the feeder.
2104622
I have not used Spider-Not, but this products is recommended for in-house use. I purchased Web Out Cobweb Eliminated to use in my backyard. I sprayed several times. We have less spiders now. However, we did not eliminated spiders completely. That is very difficult.
435638
The ants can't get in because they have to crawl through the water but the bees can fly in, so I think you will still have a bee problem. Try to google it.
1537450
This stuff doesn't work like a bug-killer...more like a repellent. I've had wasps, bees, mosquitos and flies around the back patio where I have the "egg" and they just fly away after a short time. Our back neighbors have a pool and we get the brunt of the bugs from the water source. The wasps took longer to go away. We were afraid they'd make another hive/nest where they do every year, but they didn't. You do have to refill it (I use only about two tablespoons at a time), but it lasts through the summer and we live in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Just a small warning, the liquid you pour into the egg smells like a very strong flower. My husband doesn't like the strong scent; I think it smells nice and goes well with the rose bush I've hung it in. Two of our friends thought they were smelling the roses, but neither them, nor I, wanted to stand around it for very long. Our patio is enclosed on two sides, with the back and side yards open. Hope this helps.
407242
You can find almost anything on youtube. I went there and it give detail on how to clean it and you do need to take it totally apart. Seed gets stuck in the bottom around the yellow part and if you don't take it apart, you can't clean it. There a place to push in at the bottom part after the cage is removed, to release the plastic tube for detail cleaning. If you don't keep it clean, the birds will stop using it.
1071620
So far I haven't really cleaned it. Dust does accumulate in the bottom area below the main seed chamber and it looks like it would be a pain to try to disassemble for actual cleaning. So that's a downside. On the upside, it has been squirrel proof, unlike other feeders I have used. A similar suet feeder has also proved squirrel proof as well.
1389042
Buy a new one, you probably have dust and or a spider living inside. Does it go off at 2AM? That's a definitely indicator it's a critter.
893978
My rat zapper came with cleaning instructions. Have you tried cleaning the unit per the instructions? I have not experienced your situation.
1283245
It works great with stink bugs. That is why we got it. We keep one upstairs, downstairs & at work. Works great with spiders too. My son said it "makes catching bugs a sport".