The blue box Raid bombs leave no residue. I don't even have to wipe off the trains or track when I am done. The work, and look, fine as soon as I power the track. The product information says the same thing...nothing to clean later. I have been doing this yearly for seven years now.
Crandell
Since my layout is built in a shed I dont exactly have the best sealed room for my trains to live in. I get plenty of spiders and they keep the skeeters and skeeterhawks down pretty good, the other things that cause problems for me are the wasps and other fliing bugs that like to use my shed to hybernate in. Quick solution to that is leave the heat on for a couple of days to wake them up then lights out!! They are unprepaired for the cold and end up dead on the floor.
Massey
A Veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."
I agree on leaving the wolf spiders. They don't spin webs, they hunt, so are much less a hassle than other spiders.
One thing about my layout that attracted bugs was when I did some pretty massive Scupltamold scenery. I got some sort of tiny bug that seemed to live on it (not silverfish, but far smaller). Once dried out, the bugs disappeared. Sometimes waiting solves the problem, sometimes changing the environment does it, both without any insecticides. Not sure what to do about moths, though.
BTW, I highly advise that you NOT use a bug bomb. They put out a cloud of stuff that can mess up plastics and paint. The fine print on the bug bomb will usually say that in some form, but considering that most model RRs have large amounts of both that could be affected, not a good idea at all...
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Left the window open for a few days and a wasp started pluging the smoke stack with mud. Closing the window fixed the problem.
CTValleyRR Centipedes are more of a concern. They feed on decaying organic matter, and you shouldn't have any of that in your home, as a general rule.
Centipedes are more of a concern. They feed on decaying organic matter, and you shouldn't have any of that in your home, as a general rule.
But a well scenicked layout might have plenty of "decaying organic matter" of one kind or another, from ground goup using crushed leaves to trees made of natural materials, to scenic products that resemble paper mache. I have seen a variety of tiny critters in and around the scenery. I few brief bursts of normal bug killer such as Raid -- and leaving the layout area until the odor goes away -- seems to do the trick. My wife is fearless around nearly any vermin with the exception of centipedes and I have to admit I am not real anxious to be around them either.
Dave Nelson
For the creepy crawlies, sprinkle baking soda around the entire perimeter of your basement, garage, whatever. It can be vacuumed later, along with all the carcasses, and oh, how many there'll be!
Or, go to Wally's and get some of the blue box Raid fumigator bombs. Three per box, I think. One bomb is good for about 400 square feet if it isn't too cluttered and is poorly ventilated. Otherwise, two should look after about 700 square feet. Open all the drawers and cupboards, spread around stacked stuff to the extent possible, displace serveral suspended ceiling tiles, and let 'em smoke.
CTValleyRR modelmaker51: Actually, you should leave the spiders alone, they eat most of the other bugs. Yeah, but they're messy eaters. They tend to leave the area littered with sucked-dry bug husks. Not to mention the webs.
modelmaker51: Actually, you should leave the spiders alone, they eat most of the other bugs.
Actually, you should leave the spiders alone, they eat most of the other bugs.
Yeah, but they're messy eaters. They tend to leave the area littered with sucked-dry bug husks.
Not to mention the webs.
Not a problem with a vacum. Sucks 'em right up
6HP shop vac thats what I'm talking about.
Truck.
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Centipedes are more of a concern. They feed on decaying organic matter, and you shouldn't have any of that in your home, as a general rule. Check your walls and floors (and, heaven forbid, your layout) carefully for rotten wood. Dead leaves that you've tracked in will also attract them. They're also attracted to moisture, which again is hopefully absent from your train room.
Get rid of the food, and the bugs will leave.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
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modelmaker51 Actually, you should leave the spiders alone, they eat most of the other bugs.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
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moelarrycurly4 chatanuga: Any suggestions for spiders and centipedes? Kevin A Big Shoe
chatanuga: Any suggestions for spiders and centipedes? Kevin
Any suggestions for spiders and centipedes?
Kevin
A Big Shoe
That's what I use on spiders and centipedes. And on big tan scorpions as well (ugh, do those things leave a mess).
Vic
Modelling the span between the real and the N-sane...
chatanuga Any suggestions for spiders and centipedes? Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
You can also buy cedar oil in a small spray bottle, but it is pricey.
Western red cedar is an excellent insect repellant. Buy a couple of planks, cut them into shorter strips, and distribute them around your layout. Moths hate it. Keep the sawdust, too, and put paper bags of it strategically around. Personally, I love the scent.
If you get mice, peppermint oil is an effective repellant for the little buggers (because letting your cat in the room would likely do more harm than good).
I've noticed a rather annoying infestation of moths in my train room as of late and have been mulling different ways of getting rid of them. Since the room also serves as an office area hanging a no pest strip or putting moth balls in there isn't an option. I'm considering a fogger but am concerned about damaging the layout. How do you guys keep the bugs at bay?
Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.
www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com