Every summer, there is a surge in the number of insects in France. From ants to mosquitoes, they can easily find a way into your home during the warmer days and become a nuisance.
It can be particularly difficult to keep insects away from rural homes, with the open space and lack of people allowing undisturbed colonies to grow.
In other cases insects such as Asian hornets could build a nest in a property, which should be professionally removed as they can be deadly.
However, there are several things you can do to repel these species.
Below is a list of tips that can help you deal with each type of insect
Mosquitoes
Flowers such as geraniums, pelargoniums, lavender, and citronella can be used as natural repellents for mosquitoes.
Herbs such as basil, mint and rosemary can also help, as does garlic.
Closing all windows before turning on any lights, installing anti-insect netting and lighting citronella candles can also keep numbers down inside homes.
Wear long, loose-fitting clothing to stop mosquitoes from biting you.
Outside of the house traps - which can be purchased or made – can be used to kill mosquitoes.
These can range in cost from a few euros to more than a thousand but they can kill the insects en masse.
Tiger mosquitoes are particularly dangerous as they can spread diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya.
It is important to limit the areas where mosquitoes can lay eggs, which means clearing out parts of your land where stagnant water can collect, including gutters, tyres, plant pots, unused swimming pools, etc.
In serious cases of infestation, non-natural chemicals can be used, but you should check these are authorised for home or garden use. In serious cases, call a professional to help.
Flies
There are several different types of fly that can infiltrate houses in the summer, but the most common are tiny fruit flies.
Once inside a home, these small insects can lay hundreds of eggs, quickly leading to an infestation.
The best way to deal with these flies is to clear items where they may lay their eggs.
This includes over-ripe fruit, old onions or potatoes, other open goods in food cupboards, and any food scraps or items waiting for composting that may have fallen behind a bin or not yet been taken out.
Spillages, including under fridges and hard-to-reach areas of the kitchen can also be breeding grounds, especially sweet drinks such as fruit juices. Clean these with a disinfecting spray or wipe to remove the risk of flies laying eggs.
To keep any lingering flies out, create a homemade trap using vinegar to attract them, then remove them.
Otherwise, houseflies are the next most likely nuisance and are equally attracted by rotting food and rubbish but can be easily dealt with.
Again, natural repellents including mint, essential oils, lemongrass, lavender, cinnamon and especially basil can all help keep them outside of the house, as can installations such as fly nets.
Electric fly traps, fly tape, and insecticides all kill the pests, but may not be necessary.
Ants
Not solely a summer pest however ant colonies are more active in the warmer months.
Cold weather keeps ants mostly underground as they preserve body warmth and energy, but in the summer heat they are more likely to hunt for food.
Ants will be attracted to food scraps and will make a direct path to your kitchen, making their way through tiny holes and crevices.
The best way to avoid ants is making sure any open foods are put away in containers, or use pincers to securely close them – if there is no food source, ants will not come.
Thousands of ant species exist across the world, and in France the famously stinky ‘tapinoma magnum’ is a relatively new invasive species.
The number of species means not all solutions are guaranteed to work on all ants, however there are a few general repellents that are largely effective.
Strong smells can repel them, such as black and cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, vinegar, citrus peels and many essential oils. Talcum powder can also be effective.
Ants may also set up mini-colonies inside houseplants, so check to see if they can be traced back to any plants then destroy these bases.
Keeping outdoor spaces tidy will also restrict ants from setting up a colony in your garden, which can become a continual nuisance.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are similarly a year-round pest. They can be particularly difficult to remove if your home is in an apartment complex, where the lifestyle of nearby residents can contribute to their survival.
Natural repellents include garlic, cayenne pepper, and tea tree oil, as well as a mix of boric acid and condensed milk (you can buy the acid in pharmacies).
Once an infestation of cockroaches takes place however they can be very difficult to remove, and insecticides may need to be used.
Wasps
Wasps pollinate plants in gardens, and can remove pests such as caterpillars, meaning you shouldn’t try to kill them (unless you have a nest in or close to your home).
However, they can be aggressive and frequently sting humans, so are best kept away.
Natural repellents include mint, lavender and thyme, as well as vinegar.
One common tip is to purchase ‘decoy’ nests or hang up paper outside, which make wasps believe that a hive is already in the area. However this may also scare off other pollinators.
If eating or drinking outside, around 15 minutes beforehand set up a small area with a piece of fruit and some of the food you plan to eat, and place it a few metres away from your table.
The wasps will be attracted to this before you go outside, hopefully leaving you in peace.
Asian hornets
These hornets are a pest in France that decimate bee populations and have even been known to fatally attack humans.
They are difficult to repel, and like invasive tiger mosquitoes are not part of French ecosystems so eradication is the best course of action.
Traps can be purchased, or home-made traps including beer, wine, and syrup can be placed outside to collect them. Some mairies may fund traps to help deal with the issue.
In some cases, home-made traps can collect thousands of the insects, although they do risk catching other animals that are useful for gardens.
If you have an Asian hornet nest on your property, contact experts and do not try to remove it yourself as this can lead to serious injury and even death.
