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The common indoor bugs we see anywhere in the world are flies, spiders, fleas and beetles. No-one likes to have insects indoors, so most people go to just about any extremes to eradicate these common indoor bugs. Less common indoor bugs may be woodlice, earwigs, scorpions and millipedes or centipedes, although they are not less unwelcome.

No matter where you live in the world, it is very difficult to keep these common indoor bugs outside, unless you go to the extremes of keeping all your windows and doors closed at all times, which is obviously impossible. I now live in Thailand and I know for certain that this is not an option.

So, just what can you do about it? Well, let’s deal with all the flying insects first, because of all the common indoor bugs, I find them the most obnoxious indoor bug. They are very annoying, buzzing around your head and mosquitoes and other flies can produce irritating sores and besides that, all flies carry disease. I cannot bear to see them walking on food, knowing that they have more than likely just come off some dog’s muck somewhere and now they are spitting on my food in order to taste it with their grubby feet!

My first line of defence is fine-mesh door and widow screens. They are not dear and can be fitted retrospectively to any window. My window meshes slide, so they can cover only one half of a window at a any one time, but I do not think that’s a problem. You can still set up cross-winds, by opening two or more windows at opposing ends of a room. I love to see the flies on the mesh trying to get in by day and the mosquitoes doing the same by night. At night, it is wise to switch on as little light indoors as possible in order not to attract these common indoor insects.

My second line of defence is natural predators – lizards, like Geckos (Jin Jok, in Thai). Some people don’t like them in the house either. I can’t say I’m all that keen on them indoors myself, but they are hard to keep out and they do consume hundreds, if not thousands, of indoor bugs every day. I like to see them lying in wait on the outside of the mesh, ready to jump on any bug trying to struggle its way through the mesh.

My third line of defence is an indoor bug zapper. You know, the electric, handheld bug zapper that looks like a toy tennis racquet. They are brilliant at catching and destroying any flying indoor bug. The inset literally explodes and vaporizes on contact with the fully-charged wires of the indoor bug zapper. If you haven’t tried using one, you really ought to. They are most gratifying. These three defences keep our house pretty much free of flying insects.

The crawling common indoor bugs are less of a problem really. Door screens on self-closers will keep 99% of them out and the Geckos will help too. Spiders can get in fairly easily, but then, I don’t mind them too much as long as they keep away from me, as they consume other insects too. They are on our side to be honest. However, for those who can not bear to trap them and throw them outside, the handheld indoor bug zapper works a treat on spiders too.

Fleas can be a problem, if you have cats or dogs, but then if you wash or dust the animal once a month, you should be able to keep those common indoor bugs under control quite easily. However, there are two final measures that we employ. Every week, before we go out for the day, we spray every room with fly killer and every six-months we spray any rugs or carpets with an insect killer containing permethrin, which will survive washing and vacuuming for that long without losing its ability to kill common indoor bugs on contact. If you stick with these measures, you should be able to keep your home or office quite free of the most common indoor bugs and any less common indoor bug as well.

Have you ever used an indoor bug zapper? If not, or if you want to get an indoor bug zapper, just click one of the links to our web site or blog.

I don’t know whether you have ever used a handheld, indoor bug zapper, but I think that they are marvelous. I?m talking about the handheld type that looks like a child’s plastic, toy tennis racquet. They come in two basic kinds. I prefer the rechargeable bug zapper, because batteries end up up costing more than the indoor bug zapper itself, although you could always buy rechargeable batteries, but then they are dear as well.

My wife and I like to spend time in the garden. We meet friends there, dine there and in general loaf about outside, as do most folks about here, when they are not working. What’s more, it?s much cooler outside than inside. A comfortable chair, a few snacks, a cool drink and a book or a companion and life does not get much better. In fact, it’s idyllic.

That is until about six or seven o’clock when the first wave of mosquitoes have judged that the sun’s rays have lost enough strength that they will not evaporate and they come out searching for blood. Some evenings are worse than others, of course. Usually, the mosquitoes are pretty tolerable, especially seeing as I have discovered the indoor bug zapper. (I don’t know why it is referred to as an ?indoor bug zapper?, it is just as effective outdoors as in).

It’s not that I like to slaughter things, but I find it hard to have compassion for mosquitoes. Nevertheless, I do get a certain amount of enjoyment from seeing and hearing mosquitoes and other bugs literally blow up with a flash and a spark as they come into connection with the electric and ground wires of the indoor bug zapper. These electric bug zappers can pack quite a charge, particularly if the batteries are new or the pack is completely charged.

The other day, I discovered a new use for my handheld, indoor bug zapper. I’ll tell you how it came about. I was in the garden, as normal, and my bug zapper was close at hand as the first squadron of mosquitoes was expected. I had my book in one hand and the bug zapper on my lap, when my wife asked me to go to the shop for her. No problem, so, I set off on the five minute walk.

I was half-way there when I noticed that I had the indoor bug zapper in my hand, but it was not worth taking it home and beginning the journey again. Anyhow, on my return journey, I had my small bag of provisions in one hand and the indoor bug zapper in the other, when a local bully of a dog came running out of a garden right for me. This has occurred often and, although he has never bitten me yet, it is somewhat frightening. He stood there glaring at me with teeth bared and his ‘pack’ of miscellaneous neighborhood pals came out to encircle me and join in.

I don’t actually know what the best course of action is in this situation. I have tried standing my position, but the intimidation just continues and I have tried to continue walking, but he gets worryingly nearby sometimes. This time, I all of a sudden lashed out with the indoor bug zapper and just hit him on the nose. Well, I’m not sure whether it hurt him, it did not appear to too much, but it gave him a very nasty shock in more ways than one, I can tell you! He leapt about four feet into the air as if he were on a pogo stick and then fled for all he was worth with all his friends following him. It was very satisfying after six months of aggravation from this dog.

Nevertheless, I don’t take my indoor bug zapper everywhere with me, but I will in future, if any more local dogs trouble me. I know it works a treat. I have seen that one since, but he stays far away from me and doesn’t utter a squeak. I think I would take my indoor bug zapper with me, if I were wandering in an unfamiliar part of town or the park nonetheless.

Have you ever heard of an indoor bug zapper? If not, or if you want to get an indoor bug zapper, please click one of the hyperlinks to our website or blog.