How many folks here will kill bugs? I mean ... If a mosquito is biting you, a horsefly, a wasp stinging you?

me

If I kill a bug, it happens only after I have done everything reasonable to avoid it. That is the REAL process of veganism. If I see a roach, I take it outside....and eliminate the food source (my food leavings) from that area for 30 days...until the roaches leave. I clean the area thoroughly so that there are no chemical trails. As I am a religious man...I speak directly to the animals and to the father that holds us all in his hands...that the bugs live freely and happy - and that we do not harm each other. Just my experiences.

-To answer your question I do not WILL to kill bugs...but it does occasionally happen...yes. Usually in the cases you mentioned above.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I never ever deliberately kill a bug even if it's biting me.

Besides, it's easy to brush/blow an insect off of you. To swat it, stamp on it etc is cowardly IMO.

My cats bite me all the time. I'm not going to hurt them, why would I hurt a tiny, itty, bitty creature for doing the same thing? I often think it's the human ego and inability to share space that provokes us into killing little creatures.

If humans can't even live peacefully with tiny creatures, the future doesn't bode well for what's going on in the middle east! :-D

When a mosquito bites me, I get huge, painful welts that stay for days. I'm hoping that my diet will make me less sensitive (since it acts like an allergy to pollen or anything else, and my other allergies have improved a lot). But as it is, if I let that mosquito go, it will just bite me somewhere else, and it really makes me miserable. I would rather not, though.

I'll try to catch them in a cup and put them outside.

I am deathly, deathly terrified of spiders. In the house, I'll try to have someone else get it out of my area for me (if it's in my room near WHERE I SLEEP, I can usually let them go if they're in other places and not giant and scary). Fortunately, living in higher floors of apartment buildings seems to keep the insect count down to nothing. I did smash a spider that dropped on me while I was driving (no way I could keep my cool and not smash into other cars on the road), but I never feel wonderful about those times. =( It's one thing I am trying my hardest to take care of, even the little guys who scare me...

Most of my friends are terrified by the zillion leggers we get around here, but I think they're cute. XD

I also used to have a cat that LOVED to chase and eat crawley insects.

I can remember being on holiday in Greece a few years ago and me and my boyfriend being awoken in the middle of the night by that high-pitched "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh" sound they make! We ended up wide awake in the early hours, armed with a glass and a bit of card trying to find them all and relocating them outside, hahaha :-D

Rost, I'm still trying to find a natural anti-histamine for my allergies! I've found the best one so far is to drink ice cold water, but there's got to be something more natural. I keep thinking that maybe nettle might be good (in a homepathic kind of way).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2008 02:09PM by rawnoggin.

the kids swell up like that from mosquito bites, those little guys are dead if they come near my babies. little had to have more than one round of antibiotics as a small one from staph infections from his bug welts, when that is on the head it can be dangerous to the brain. it hurt me to give him drugs when he was so small but it was unavoidable. it hurts me less to squash bitey bugs as prevention. the rest of them i put outside unless it is totally unavoidable. and i spray the overhangs to prevent hornets and wasps from nesting on the outside of the house every year or we get serious infestations. i do that Before they come though so that i'm not killing a whole colony of small creatures.

Are there any decent natural mosquito repellents? The ones labelled as 'natural' in the shops smell suspiciously like something that ISN'T natural!

Some interesting posts. Maybe more people will weigh in.

The best repellent, is simply to wear darker, all-over clothing. Include a hat...and a cheap over-the-hat netting if you are concerned. Wear thick socks or boots, along with light work gloves in a heavily infested area. This involves no chemicals...or necessity to harm the insects. It's easy...and htis is just my experience.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

are mozzies attracted to light colours, david?

I agree with DMZ--dark, covering clothing is best (hard in the summer to do all the time--where I live, there are mosquitos everywhere, especially at dusk. It's not just a camping problem). Repellent doesn't work and soaks you with toxins. I will do herbals if I don't mind the smell, but I don't think they help that much either

Luckily, with these precautions I don't get a ton of mosquito bites. And if I were less sensitive, I'd love to just let the mosquitos get the blood, or shoo them off. As it is, I can't stand the bites. I think I will get less sensitive as my health continues improving, though.

They are attracted to light colors.

I've experimented with different aromatherapy concoctions: citronella, pennyroyal, "woodsy" scents... They deflect SOME, but not ALL mosquitos.

My favorite prevention is to just hang around someone warmer, sweatier and meatier than myself. That works like a charm in the summer. =D

^ LOL!!!

davidzanemason Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If I kill a bug, it happens only after I have done
> everything reasonable to avoid it. That is the
> REAL process of veganism. If I see a roach, I take
> it outside....and eliminate the food source (my
> food leavings) from that area for 30 days...until
> the roaches leave. I clean the area thoroughly so
> that there are no chemical trails. As I am a
> religious man...I speak directly to the animals
> and to the father that holds us all in his
> hands...that the bugs live freely and happy - and
> that we do not harm each other. Just my
> experiences.
>
> -To answer your question I do not WILL to kill
> bugs...but it does occasionally happen...yes.
> Usually in the cases you mentioned above.
>
> -David Z. Mason

This describes may way of handling it exactly.

I try and shoo them away to the best of my ability ... if they are shooable. Some things like horseflies just don't listen to reason ... they have to be done away with sometimes. I try and be as nice as possible but when there is no real choice ... I do what I have to do.

when i am out in the world i don't kill bugs, i consider it THEIR home, and i am the trespasser. in my own house, i usher spiders and bees and most other insects (and geckos) gently out the door, but i am an unmitigated ant and roach murderer. thanks to y'all, i'll be spending the day (and probably lifetimes to come) atoning, and thinking of better approaches.

my apt has so many ladybugs! i don't know where they all come from but i do not kill them. my cat got one one day and killed him (her?) before i got a chance to shoo the cat away! i felt really awful! i as a general rule do not kill bugs (and never have, even when i was made fun of in high school for it!!) unless they scare me and it is a reflex...like the house centipedes that we had every now and then in toronto...those things scared me sooooooo bad! also, mosquitos get a swat because i am very allergic. i had to stand at my brother-in-laws wedding with my arm swollen from my shoulder to my elbow from a bite. it was so painful!

When I get into a situation where I must unavoidably take the life of the insect I sometimes apologize first. lol Just a wierd habit.

I don't exactly believe in reincarnation but sometimes I'll wish for them to have a good rebirth. Like a cat or something.

-DaveK

I never EVER kill any living thing...not intentionally at least (accidentally lost a plant to or two though).

I used to be freaked out by spiders and other crawly things until it occured to me one day that they're part of this planet no less than me, with a whole little community and purpose of their own. Who am I to take that away from them because I don't get what it is, or just plain think they're yucky? Maybe they think I'm yucky too!!!

I say "hi, welcome to my home," then talk to them the whole time I'm trying to whisk them outside, or otherwise, to safety (flys aren't aware they might burn to death on a lightbulb I don't think). If I they can't, or won't, let me help I just leave them alone. AND I am happy to report that never, not ONCE, have I ever been bitten, or scratched, or had my stereo stolen.

Maybe they just want to hang out. I take it as a compliment and move on.

~lanie

"Beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing lies a field. I'll meet you there." ~Rumi

I never kill anything on purpose, either. When it has happened by accident (stepped on an insect, for example) I feel awful. When insects get into the house, I ask them to leave (or ask my husband to take them out if I can't do it--out of fear when it comes to spiders).

My daughter welts up a lot, so I created a blend of essential oils for her that works well (if it's continually reapplied). I can't remember what all is in it, but it's a blend of lemon- and mint-type oils, I think. I insisit that my daughter comes in when the sun is going down (that's when the mosquitos come out).

My older sister laughed so hard when I was shocked that she kills insects. I still don't see what's so funny about it. I love all of life and don't wish to cause any intentional harm or death.

Lots of love to all of you,

Wendi
XOXO

What about fruit flies? I've (THANK HEAVENS!) never had the problem with where I live, but, should they come along and start eating my food... I remember reading somewhere about making an apple cider vinegar trap that won't kill them?

I don't kill fruit flies. I think:

1) they are cute and
2) they help with decomposition

I trap them and let them go outside. I take a wedge of spent lemon and I put it in a ziplock to use as bait. When the little guys accumulate I sneak up and zip the bag closed. They seem to like lemon more than anything else I have tried thus far. The trap is a standard on my unused kitchen range throughout the summer.

It's all a matter of habits. Keep the area clean and free of debris, and fruit flies can't/won't go there. If you DO get them, just set out a bowl of fruit debris for an hour, then quickly cover with a cloth/bag to capture the feeding fellows.....and take outside and dump. Clean the entire area with vinegar or bleach - including your garbage can/area. Should work fine.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I catch almost all insects and put them outside - even spiders - even hobo spiders!! But I agree with the mosquito swatters. We live by water, and they are everywhere. Mice are real bad here too, even if you eliminate the food source they still hang out ruthlessly. And fleas - well - I do feel bad for the suckers, but they've gotta go. I know it shortens the life of the animal, but every other year we treat our dogs with Advantage. Tried the herbal stuff, and it does not work. Another bug I kill is ticks, because of lyme.


Me (30), Joseph (24 mo.) Jeremiah (4 mo.)

We are enjoying spring and being outside!!!

gorillawar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't kill fruit flies. I think:
>
> 1) they are cute and
> 2) they help with decomposition
>
> I trap them and let them go outside. I take a
> wedge of spent lemon and I put it in a ziplock to
> use as bait. When the little guys accumulate I
> sneak up and zip the bag closed. They seem to like
> lemon more than anything else I have tried thus
> far. The trap is a standard on my unused kitchen
> range throughout the summer.

Thanks for that one. I am having a little problem with my worm bin right now. I didn't put enough paper on top and the fruit flies were getting attracted. Now I have this huge dillema. I basically INVITED them into my house. Problem is that my terrace outside is screened in, so even though I took it out they're not "out."

-DaveK

You're welcome. I usually have so much fruit around that they continually come from something. I like my fruit room temp, my dining table looks like a frugivore buffet, so it's very hard to eliminate the source. Actually the counters usually have produce across it as well ... something is always ripening.

I'm fasinated by insects! My yard is full of insects birds butterflies bees ect! It's amazing! If a roach happens to make it's way in my house I will catch it and release it back outside. Since I have cats, mice don't bother with me! I can't kill any living thing. I've found that being vegan you become very senitive to all living
things, I thought it was me at first but other vegans that i've spoke to feel the same.
Jan

www.myspace.com/greeneyedvegangirl
GO VEGAN!