topic Re: What do you think? in Home

What do you think?

FlowerBear — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 17:34:44 GMT

I got a small bissell vaccumn to sweep up an occasional spider or earwig or hard shell bug or anything. Do you feel that if you sweep a bug up in a vaccumn it will not get out or stay alive? I dont want to invest the cost of the bug vac. I have this small light weight vaccumn and hoping that it will work to get a small bug now and then. I dont have many but in case I see one, I want to sweep it up. It has the little clear cup that you empty. I would empty it outside I guess unless its very late at night! But cant if it is has dust or stuff that is swept up like any other vaccumn. I dont want chemicals inside so that is not an option. Im not saying theres alot of bugs lol just for an occasional one is the sweeping it up a good option?

Re: What do you think?

MalteseMomma — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 17:39:55 GMT

lol @FlowerBear

I do hope someone answers your question,I have always wondered the same thing.I think they do NOT die.

I would be so happy to read they do

Re: What do you think?

NickNack — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 17:44:00 GMT

My guess would be that they don't die. I've wondered about this, too.

Re: What do you think?

ValuSkr — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 17:45:05 GMT

I would pick it up, using a tissue if necessary, and escort it outside. Unless Im in a bad mood, in which case it might be squished. But your idea - using a dedicated hand vac for iinsects - isn't bad. I doubt the act of vacuuming itself would harm the bug. But I think you'd have to empty the cup as soon as possible or the insect would pass.

Re: What do you think?

qualitygal — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 17:51:40 GMT

If I haven't stepped on it, I get a papertowel and smush it then. Outside, they can live, in my house, no way.

Re: What do you think?

novamc1 — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 18:03:29 GMT

Very low tolerance for bugs here. Inside OR outside. Just finished sweeping away the beginning of a wasp nest outside my kitchen door (just like I had to last year, our first year in this house.)

Also saw my first little lizard of the year outside of our screened porch/patio area only about an hour ago......saw one last year scurrying out of our garage.

We didn't have lizards where I lived before, but they don't worry me so much. I understand they eat other bugs, so that is absolutely FINE with me!! I hope they find a gourmet feast before the feast makes its way into my house.

We get tiny spiders along the baseboards, and I am now (instead of smushing them in a damp paper towel) just running my handheld DYSON and hoping they eventually die before I need to empty the cup.

Re: What do you think?

SHOPR — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 18:11:22 GMT

LOL this is the stuff that causes me bug nightmares!

If possible to stuff a crumpled up paper towel into the suction nozzle until some later time when you want to take it outside to empty, I think that would successfully trap living bugs inside the vacuum.

I think spiders probably live through being vacuumed. They scare me. LOL

Re: What do you think?

CelticCrafter — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 18:35:15 GMT

When I use my dust buster to catch a bug, I make sure I leave it running thinking that will kill it or at least stun it enough so it can't get back out.

Re: What do you think?

fthunt — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 21:02:28 GMT

If a bug is within reach - grab a tissue and FLUSH it down the toilet. No way is that bugger going to return. Spider on the ceiling - vac cleaner grabs him. He won't live long in the cup without food.

Re: What do you think?

SahmIam — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 21:10:14 GMT

If you vacuum them up and there is already a layer of dirt/dust in the bag/container; they die due to suffocation ( I presume). If you have nothing in there, they have no way to get to food so, they die. Or maybe it's due to no air flow.

All I know is I vacuum up bugs all the time; huge spiders to stink bugs to flies to whatever. I have a bagless upright and I can SEE that they are dead, often by the time I've turned off my vacuum.

Of course, hitting them with my broom yelling "DIE DIE DIE" works too but I usually save that for big things crawling on the floor with no vacuum in sight.....

Re: What do you think?

SilleeMee — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 21:20:49 GMT

You can spray the cup with bug spray first, let it dry then vacuum.

Re: What do you think?

summerwind — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 14:16:52 GMT

I have a cordless Black & Decker dustbuster that has a flap strategically located so nothing can escape. Never thought I'd love a cordless so much, but my new home is spread out, so it gets more use than my Dyson.

Got my bug-phobic son one for his house-warming, he was pleased.

Re: What do you think?

151949 — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 14:53:54 GMT

If I get a gecko in the house or on the porch I sweep them up with my hand vac - they don't die and I let them go outside. I'm sure it is a trauma for them but no way I will tolerate them running around my house, and I'm not quick enough to catch them.

Re: What do you think?

FlowerBear — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 18:37:03 GMT

I dislike bugs so much espec spiders. I will only squash a tiny one like on a wall. The others there is no way I can do that. I dont want to sweep any up and set them free outside like some people want to do and like some of the bug vacs I read about on Amazon! Sounds like using a dustbuster might be the right thing and maybe even spray with bug spray like suggested. Thank you so much for the ideas!

Re: What do you think?

Spurt — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 20:26:42 GMT

I wouldnt ever want to squish a bug and then have to deal with bug guts----EHHHHHH!!!

I usually grab a container from the recycle bin and scoop the bug up and throw it outside....I know, I know a friend says thats dumb because the bug will probably get back in my house...

Lately, Ive had to deal with bugs.....My indoor only cats are allowed on my small fenced in patio....Lately May Beetles have become prevalent, and I dont like using insectdicides either....(I guess the MAY beetles dont realize it's April and not May)....Well my cats like to capture the beetles in their mouth and bring their new "toy" in....and then I have to capture the bugs ....OY!!! ....bad kitties....

Re: What do you think?

gizmogal — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 20:45:49 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
You can spray the cup with bug spray first, let it dry then vacuum.

Exactly! I have a hand vac dedicated to extraction and extermination. I am positively revolted by insects.

I spray the interior of the cup with Raid or similar and it remains coated and lethal even when dry. I can use the vac any time and know if gets in that cup, it doesn’t get out. When I eVACuate any natural thing not meant to live with me, I can empty the cup in the outside trash anytime and know survival rate is zero. Every so often (especially in the summer) I refresh the cup with another dose of spray inside to make sure the kill quality is sufficient.

I know how I sound ruthless and vicious, but it’s self defense. I actually scream out loud seeing anything bigger than an ant. I don’t like surprises, like the thing crawling out to haunt me again! Terrifying prospect.

ewwww and eeeek

Re: What do you think?

Tigriss — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 21:20:12 GMT

You can always flush it along with any dirt/dust you have in the vac cup.

Re: What do you think?

Tigriss — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 21:26:19 GMT

Uh y'all it is spring, so those spiders may have babies on board. My sister smushed one with a broom on the white ceiling only to have all the babies scatter like little pepper specks. We vacuum them up and then dumped them. Geckos and lizards are not bugs but do eat them. They are out hunting too. Wasps do catch other insects to eat, but when they are in places you need to be, they have to go. A little Borax scattered in the baseboards will help kill them before they get inside. The Borax gets into their exoskeletons and dehydrates them. They also avoid it, so that keeps them away as well, but Borax is not good for pets. I use a picnic ketchup bottle to pour the Borax on the baseboards and work it into the carpet along the edge. It keeps away from pet paws and kills bugs. I also use it with some sugar and water on a cotton ball in the car to keep ants out. We have plenty of those all around.