(1) Have you correctly identified your pest problem? If in doubt, your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office or garden center may be able to help.

(2) Is the “pest” really a problem? Many insects are occasional invaders of homes and buildings and may only enter under adverse weather conditions or at one time of year.

(3) If a pesticide is needed, have you chosen the proper pesticide for your situation, and are you applying it in the correct way at the right time? Applying a pesticide for cluster flies, for instance, in June would be totally ineffective. If flies are a problem in

June, they are not cluster flies, which only begin to enter buildings in mid- to late August.

(4) Have you planned for future outbreaks? Harborage outdoors near the house foundation, doors, patios, or porches should be eliminated wherever possible. Clean up brush, accumulated dead leaves, and other debris; trim trees and shrubbery so that they do not touch the building; and select plants and mulching materials carefully to avoid future pest problems.

Table 7 lists some pesticides and other management options for annoying pests outside the home (see Tables 2 and 3 for toxicity information). Remember that pesticides are only one choice for managing pests and that they are temporary measures. Consider developing an integrated pest management plan optimizing cultural techniques for the future. See Part I, Cultural Methods.

Table 7 Management of annoying pests outside the home
Pest	Pesticide Management Options
Ants 5/16 inch	Baits containing borates or insect growth regulator hydramethylnon, or fipronil bait stations, or sulfluramid may also be used. Baits that offer both a sweet and protein matrix work well for many species. Registered insecticides include diatomaceous earth, Baygon, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, insecticidal soap, permethrin, and resmethrin.
Black flies 1//8 inch	Use repellents containing, N-N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (formerly called N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) (DEET) to protect people. Also 10% soybean oil, p-methane-3,8-diol, and IR3535 (some Avon products) are listed as repellents.
Boxelder bug 5/8 inch	See Boxelder in Table 11, Tree and shrub pest management for treatment of the insects on the tree, or use bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, or deltamethrin for nuisance pests outdoors to spot treat accumulations of the bugs.
Carpenter ants ½ inch	Baits are available for use out of doors for carpenter ants around the home. Baits stations containing borates or an insect growth regulator, or fipronil are some that may be used. Ants sometimes nest in trees in dead wood. Certified pesticide applicators may treat with registered pesticides, e.g., Tribute.
Carpenter bees 1¼ inches	If necessary, use commercial wasp and hornet spray, Deltamethrin, Baygon, or cyfluthrin, to kill bees, and spray or dust in the nest openings. With Baygon manufacturer recommends sealing openings with small pieces of stainless steel wool after spray application.
Chiggers 1/8 inch	Use repellents containing DEET or p-methane-3,8-diol. Apply per label directions; if you are walking through areas of low vegetation, only socks and cuffs of trousers may need to be treated. If necessary, use deltamethrin to treat infested areas: spray grass, surrounding weeds, and shrubs. Keep grass mowed low.
Clover mites 1/16 inch	Apply Baygon, deltamethrin, or permethrin outdoors around window casings or door frames. Use deltamethrin or permethrin to treat the soil in a band 15 to 20 in. wide around the foundation wall. Use a turfgrass insecticide labeled for clover mite control to treat lawn area near houses.
Crickets 7/8 inch	If needed, use Boric acid baits (like Niban) Baygon, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, or resmethrin: apply in areas where crickets may hide around foundation perimeter, especially near doors and windows.
Earwigs 11/16 inch	If needed, Baygon, bifenthrin, permethrin, or resmethrin may be used outdoors around foundation wall as a perimeter treatment.
Fleas 1/8 inch	Spot treat pet resting and sleeping areas with approved veterinary formulation. In severe infestations it may be necessary to spray or dust pet yard with Baygon, deltamethrin, malathion, permethrin, or resmethrin.
House flies 3/8 inch	Allethrin, Baygon, or deltamethrin may be applied as a residual spray.
Millipedes 1 – 1½ inches	Difficult to control with sprays. If necessary, use diatomaceous earth, Baygon, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, or resmethrin near foundations, entryways, near basement doors and windows, and other areas where millipedes occur. In very moist years large numbers of millipedes may move near foundations to escape excessive soil moisture, and control may be difficult.
Mosquitoes 3/8 inch	The active ingredients of some common repellents include N-N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (formerly called N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) (DEET), citronella, IR3535, soybean oil, and p-methane-3,8-diol. Follow manufacturers’ directions carefully when using repellents. Space spraying with aerosol bombs provides only very temporary control. For residual sprays applied to trees and shrubs where needed, use malathion per label directions. Permethrin and resmethrin are labeled for use on lawns and around shrubbery. Use Bti or over-the-counter methoprene for larvae per label directions. Check with your department of environmental conservation on legality before you apply anything to water.
Moss	Herbicidal fatty acids (herbicidal soap) for moss and algae are recommended.
Punkies (no-see-ums; sandflies) Smaller than a period (that’s why they are “no-see-ums”!)	Use space sprays as recommended for mosquitoes. The malathion residual treatment is also effective.
Slugs and snails Size varies greatly

Pest Management Guidelines A Cornell Cooperative Extension Publication	New York Pest Management Guidelines
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