Q. We’ve used an exterminator to kill cockroaches inside our house, and the service seems to have worked inside. The problem is all the cockroaches left outdoors. At night, you can see dozens of them scurrying around the driveway, and I assume they’re coming from the city sewer system. How can I kill the roaches outside?
A. Try using boric acid, which you can pick up in the pest control section of most drug stores. Apply the powder to the problem areas according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Boric acid is deadly poison to pests like roaches and other insects, but safe for people and pets, generally considered to be no more toxic than table salt. Boric acid powder is usually applied to cracks and crevices in a thin layer where insects travel. When the insect crawls over the treated area, their legs become coated in the powder, which is then absorbed through their outer body or ingested when the insect grooms itself. Once absorbed, the acid begins poisoning the insect until it dies. Reapply the product every couple of days after it rains. It may take a couple of weeks of reapplication to completely eliminate the pest problem.
Do you have questions of your own? Visit www.extremehowto.com and click on How-To Forum.
