What bugs hate lime?

Author: Dr. Nicole Hoppe DDS  |  Last update: Saturday, August 9, 2025

At the Fifth Annual Virginia Sustainable Agriculture conference, several noted producers and writers told how hydrated lime applied to the foliage of vegetable crops repelled a wide variety of insects including aphids, flea beetles, Colorado potato beetles, squash bugs and cucumber beetles.

What bugs does lime keep away?

Lime is amazing stuff. It keeps out fire ants, mud-burrowing bugs, slugs and termites, and deters many other insects too. It has an anti-sceptic quality that renders your space infestation free. You can lime wash chicken coops, tree trunks and animal pens with the same results.

What does putting lime around your house do?

Lime is a powerful and natural way to control a variety of common backyard pests. From aphids to ants, lime can be an effective, eco-friendly solution for keeping your outdoor space pest-free.

What bugs does citrus repel?

Mosquitoes are drawn to stagnant water, so consider placing citrus peels near birdbaths, ponds, or other water sources to deter them. You can also scatter the peels around your patio, garden, or picnic areas to create a natural bug-free zone.

What smell do all bugs hate the most?

Bugs hate the smells associated with repellency, such as lavender, citronella, vinegar, peppermint, and geranium. These oils are considered a natural way of driving away bugs from your home without harming you, your family, and other animals.

I put cloves in the white vinegar and the final result was incredible

What bugs hate the smell of lemon?

Consider these tips on how to use lemon to keep pests such as spiders and ants away. Lemons and cloves are two natural scents that can help keep the common house fly away, Get Rid of Flies noted. This pest can quickly become a nuisance as it buzzes around your home and boldly lands on or near delicious meals.

What actually keeps bugs away?

Some plants, like lavender, marigold, citronella grass, rosemary, and basil, naturally repel bugs. Lavender is particularly popular as a natural, people-and-pet-safe pest control plant. The aroma of lavender is too strong for small insects and discourages them from flying near the area.

Do lemons and limes keep bugs away?

Keep them away by slicing lemons in half and inserting whole cloves into the flesh. Sit the lemons in small bowls and place them on your table. Wasps (and bees) do not like the smell and will steer clear.

Does vinegar keep bugs away?

Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray. Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray. It is effective in repelling ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and many others. Creating a mix is quite simple and is considered safe for humans and pets.

What smell keeps mites away?

The source recommended either lemon basil or Peruvian basil as they are the most fragrant. Not exactly seasonal, but always fresh - insects hate peppermint! Do It Yourself blog explained that you can spritz some peppermint oil, or rub crushed leaves directly on your body to stave off any bugs that want a bite.

What happens when you put lime on your yard?

Adding lime to the soil of your grass is an effective way to boost soil pH while also encouraging proper growth. Lime used for grass comes from natural limestone. The rock is finely ground and then used to treat the soil in lawns, gardens and other parts of the landscape.

Can you use lime for pest control?

Lime for Pest Control

If you have squash bugs, fleas, beetles, cockroaches, or aphids, adding lime to your garden can help eliminate those problematic bugs. Lime causes the insects to dry out and suffocate. Keep in mind that lime will kill all insects, even the beneficial ones in your garden.

Do snakes hate lime?

As we've already discussed, there's been no evidence to support claims that lime is a natural snake repellent; the same is true for sulfur. What started this idea is the fact that snakes do not like strong smells.

Will lime keep ants away?

Lemons, limes, and oranges may add zip to your favorite drinks. But ants see them as the enemy. Fresh citrus peels are toxic to the fungi that ants feed on. Spread them around the areas where you see these pests meeting up and they'll be looking for a new place to congregate.

Is lime safe for dogs?

The flesh of a lime is considered nontoxic to dogs. However, the citric acid can be irritating to their intestinal tract, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea. And in large amounts, the flesh can potentially result in neurologic symptoms including depression and loss of coordination.

Does lime keep mites away?

Lime helps to control not only lice and mites, but also fleas, and it's cheap so it doesn't have to break the bank. To apply the lime you simply sprinkle it over the soil and then rake it in with a garden rake. Try and concentrate on applying it in the areas where chickens have their dust baths.

Does pine sol keep bugs away?

Create a fly and wasp repellent.

Upstairs Downstairs Cleaning says that you can use full-strength Pine-Sol as an insecticide or a 4:1 Pine-Sol to water solution spray for staving off wasps and other stinging insects—just steer clear of honeybees!

What is the best homemade bug killer?

Vinegar, whether white or apple cider, is one of the simplest and most effective sprays for killing and repelling common pests, including ants, moths, roaches, mosquitoes, bed bugs, fruit flies, spiders and horseflies. Simply mix one cup of white vinegar, at Walmart, with three cups of water.

Is lime a good insect repellent?

Experts generally agree that while lime can help deter mosquitoes, it's not a comprehensive solution. According to the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, lime has some mosquito-deterring properties, but its effectiveness is limited and short-lived.

Why scatter lemon slices in the yard?

The citrus fruit does an excellent job of making garden soil more acidic while also acting as a powerful weed killer. You can turned into a fragrant air freshener and transformed into a pest-repellent candle. The peels even make excellent seed starters.

Does cinnamon keep bugs away?

Yes, simple cinnamon is a common and economical tool that you can use to help facilitate repelling these insects. Cinnamon's intense aroma is overwhelming to insects and as a result they will seek a new home and breeding ground away from you.

What smell do bugs hate?

Lavender oil, with its soothing floral scent, is not just for relaxation. It's also one of the smells bugs hate, particularly moths, fleas, flies, and mosquitoes.

How do I permanently get rid of bugs?

While it seems nearly impossible to keep bugs out all the time, here are some easy ways to help eliminate.
  1. Seal Up Cracks & Openings. Take a close look at your screens, windows, and doors. ...
  2. Clean Up the Kitchen. ...
  3. Dry Up Damp Areas. ...
  4. Clean & Sweep Regularly. ...
  5. Keep the Outside Free of Debris. ...
  6. Kill the Bugs You See.

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