Eliminating Wasps and Hornets: What You Need to Know

Summer is around the corner, and that means you’re going to be spending more time outside. Unfortunately, that also means you’re going to encounter wasps and hornets from time to time, especially if you’re having food and drink.

The bane of picnics and barbecues, wasps and hornets can really make people uncomfortable. Even one lone wasp can ruin someone’s day at the park. That’s most likely because people associate them with getting stung – which does unfortunately happen from time to time.

Here’s what do you need to know when it comes to defending yourself against these flying menaces, as well as finding pest control for bees and wasps.

Solitary vs. Social Wasps

Wasps and hornets (which are actually a type of wasp) are generally categorized into two main types according to their behavior: solitary or social. Of all the species of wasps in the world (there are over 30,000) solitary wasps form the vast majority. However, social wasps are the type more commonly found in Ontario, and include Yellow Jackets, Paper Wasps and Bald-Faced Hornets.

What’s the difference? Well as you might have guessed, solitary wasps live their lives by themselves, and are much less aggressive and less likely to sting you. They mostly use their stingers to disable their prey. Social wasps live in colonies, and if they feel threatened in any way, especially near their home, they will attack and sting aggressively.

Yellow Jackets are a particular concern as they will tend to sting without even being provoked.

If you notice an active wasp nest near your home or business, you should take it very seriously. Call a professional wasp nest removal expert right away. Meanwhile, you can educate yourself about wasps and hornets and find out the best way to prevent an infestation.

Here are a few tips:

Ensure your home doesn’t have any openings for them to enter through. Inspect your home or business exterior thoroughly and seal up any cracks, crevices, gaps and holes with quality silicone or silicone-latex caulk.

Make sure to check out:

·         Windows, doors, siding, eaves and fascia boards

·         Roof joints and behind chimneys

·         Places where utility pipes, plumbing, wires or cables enter the building

Repair or replace torn window and door screens and weather stripping. Repair or replace screens in the roof and soffit vents if necessary.

Trim back trees, shrubs and bushes. Make sure to remove any empty wasp or hornet nests from previous seasons.

Store garbage and recycling with tight-fitting covers away from your building.

Regularly clean garbage cans, green bins and recycling receptacles to remove sugars and proteins. These will attract wasps.

In the summer, help keep wasps away (especially Yellow Jackets) from outdoor social areas by keeping food sealed or covered and cleaning up any spills as quickly as possible.

You can try to lure yellow jackets away from your outdoor eating areas by placing a cup fruit juice or other sweet beverage away from the area, which will help keep them at bay.

If you do notice a large number of wasps or hornets near your home or business, it’s best to call a professional exterminator right away. There’s no reason to put up with a wasp nest – and you should avoid handling it yourself. Leave it to the pros!

This is How You're Going to Quit Porn for Good

Change starts with you

The first thing you need to do is to want to quit porn for good. You need to really want to do this because, otherwise, you’ll fall back into it. Change starts with you, from you.

 

Try some other ways

You might have tried before to quit porn. You failed because probably you did it the same way at all times. That’s the reason why you cannot win this battle. Try it another way. 

 

Try talking to someone about this

If you cannot fight this battle alone, you might want to talk to someone about your struggling. Get a life coach, or simply talk to your best friend or even life partner. There must be a person you can talk to, who can understand you and help you get through this.

 

Delete all your porn videos

This is what should be called “cleaning house.” Get rid of all of it, delete it as soon as possible. Get the trash and put there all the discs and magazines, pictures and other videos. And don’t forget about your computer. It’s crucial that you don’t skip this step.

 

Avoid getting porn

You’ll need to block all the entry points you have. Which means that you might want to get a porn blocker for your phone, laptop, and computer from your office. Some of you might have people who send you e-mails. You need to also block them. And unsubscribe from all the porn sites that you watch. For some of the sites you’ll have to pay – see this as a way to have more money in your wallet.

 

Get someone who can help you 24/7

You need to find someone who’s willing to help you at all times, on a daily basis preferably. Make sure that person is there for you because a good idea is to call that person when you feel like watching porn, even if that means that you have to call that person every day. That person might set some consequences if you fail. It’s actually a very good idea. Some consequences may include run laps, lunges, sport in general, or even worse – do some things you never said you would, such as giving money to a political party that you don’t vote for.

 

Choose a life without porn

Words can lie, but behavior – never. This change starts with yourself. Don’t stay in denial; your life might become even better after quitting porn.  

 

There are numerous tools which can help you quit porn. Some will block the porn from all of your devices. Some may give a full report of your internet use to your trusted person who can set the consequences (accountability partner). You need to understand that you have to be open for this whole thing to work out and beat the porn addiction. Also, remember that you’re not the only one who has this problem. Lots of people get affected by this. Check out pornaddiction.com for a good recovery program.

Dating Tips for Nervous People

https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-and-woman-sitting-on-bench-805313/

If you are someone who feels sick at the thought of going on a date, you may feel that there is no cure for your first date nerves. While everyone feels anxious before going on a date, there are some tricks you can use to minimize your nerves so that you can let go and enjoy yourself. Read on for some suggestions…

Do something you like beforehand – One of the worst things you can do before a date is nothing. If you simply wait around, you are going to end up over-thinking everything, and you will work yourself up into a nervous frenzy. Instead, you should do something that you enjoy so that you have a distraction. This could be anything from listening to your favorite song to baking a cake – whatever appeals to you.

Set yourself realistic expectations – It is important to remember that it is okay if your date does not go well. You are not meant to fall in love with everyone you date, and everyone you date is not meant to fall in love with you. If you aren’t into your date, that is fine. You can use it as practice for your next date! No matter what, though, do not let it dent your confidence. This isn’t a job interview!

Practice your date – Another way to ensure you feel more comfortable is to have a practice run beforehand. You can ask one of your friends to help or you can use services like The Chatline Guide. This will enable you to practice speaking with the opposite sex. If you make a mistake or embarrass yourself, don’t worry – it is just a practice session. It is better to do it now!

Make sure you are comfortable – People are their most confident when they feel comfortable. Avoid wearing clothing that you do not feel at ease in. You are going to spend more time worrying about walking in your heels than your date. Moreover, you can always choose a pub you have been to before, or anywhere else you are comfortable with, as your first date venue.

Plan a simple date – Last but not least, keep the first date simple. Something low-key with less pressure like going for a drink or a coffee is ideal. You do not need to do an intricately planned activity, as you will only then worry about the activity as well as the dating. Avoid putting more pressure on your shoulders.

As you can see, there are a number of different approaches you can use to get over your first date nerves. From practicing to planning a simple date, if you follow the advice that has been provided, you should feel a lot more comfortable about going on your date. Remember to relax and enjoy yourself. After all, it is meant to be fun!

 

How to Improve Hand Dexterity in Children

Making and playing with slime is all the rage and is great for hand dexterity!

As small children begin to grow from babies to little boys and girls, they develop better hand dexterity. Any parent is familiar with the dilemma of a child who frequently drops their drinking cup through inattention or a lack of hand dexterity and strength. When introducing small kids to playful exercises that they’ll enjoy while improving their hand dexterity, it’s a win-win for parents.

Here are a few ways to get your children to be better with their hands.

Paper Folding

Origami is all about using paper to produce interesting shapes and objects. As the Origami Way website shows, there’s no end of creativity that’s possible for children who happily while away the hours producing their latest invention. Origami can also be an extension of the coloring book because coloring in the sides of what they’ve made and drawing fun things to bring the shape to life is what it’s all about.

Play-Dough

Colorful play-dough, and the edible play-dough that’s available now too, has been pleasing kids for many years. They learn to mold the dough into different shapes and forms to create new things with their hands. Play-dough comes in sets with different colors to add pleasing visual elements to make it more exciting for toddlers.

Edible play-dough is also a safer option for kids that like to put everything in their mouths. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on them while they play with the play-dough to ensure their safety always. There are also YouTube videos to show kids 5+ how to get more creative using the malleable product.

Learning to Move a Finger Ball

For little ones learning to get more control with their fingers, introducing a finger ball lets them grab it and try to walk it along the floor with their fingers. If they aren’t using their thumb enough – known as having a lazy thumb – encourage them to do so. The sense of touch, movement of the ball and finger dexterity all play a part in this activity. Introduce finger balls of different sizes to vary up the exercise – some little ones will quickly discover that larger balls are harder to control for them. They’ll have to try harder until they’ve mastered it which teaches them not to give up easily.

Paper Scrunch

Paper scrunching helps kids to strengthen their hands while improving control at the same time. The idea is to have small pieces of paper beneath each palm that are wider than each hand. With the left and right palm laid flat over the paper, the child attempts to grip the paper and scrunch it up into a small ball. Different paper is useful to offer a greater or lesser challenge depending on their age and hand control: plain sheets, tissue paper or sheets with a heavy-weight for a greater challenge work best.

There are many little exercises and fun games that children can play to improve hand dexterity and strength. Without both, they’ll keep dropping drinks on the floor and find it increasingly difficult to manage hand-eye coordination. But once they’ve gotten better, they’ll enjoy a sense of achievement and new confidence for new challenges ahead.

5 Kid-Friendly Stops in Missouri for Road-Tripping Midwestern Moms

If you’re a mom that loves the open road and has mastered the art of road-tripping with your kids, Missouri is definitely a spot that deserves your attention.

“Wait. Missouri? Really?”

Surprised? Hey, they don’t call it the “Show Me State” for nothing!

Honestly, though: Missouri is brimming with some of the best nature attractions around, especially if your little ones are the type that like to run around until they wear themselves out.

And not only is Missouri a fantastic road trip destination, but also a wonderful place to set up camp. Whether you’re looking for RV rentals in Missouri or are interested in a traditional tent to spend time with your kids, camping in the natural beauty of the Ozarks is an experience like no other.

Now, what are you going to do throughout your Midwest adventure to keep your kids busy and totally entertained? Let’s break down some awesome options for moms who love the great outdoors.

Missouri Botanical Garden

If your kids consider themselves nature lovers, look no further than one of the world's premiere botanical gardens.

From checking out the Climatron geodome that makes you feel like you've stepped into a jungle to the serene Japanese Garden, there are over 79 acres of plant life to explore. There are likewise kid-specific educational events and flower shows scheduled throughout the year, meaning there's always something new to see regardless of when you stop by.

National Tiger Sanctuary

Definitely not your traditional zoo, the National Tiger Sanctuary boasts rare breeds of big cats. Most notably, the sanctuary offers the opportunity to see white tigers up close. In addition to the Sanctuary's “Awareness” tour where you see firsthand how these majestic cats are cared for, you can book a “Feeding” experience to witness these massive mammals during mealtime.

Lake of the Ozarks State Park

Missouri offers up some offers state parks to out-of-towners, and this gem is no exception. Ideal for a picnic or for families who love to hit up the water for a swim or kayak adventure. There are also multiple hikes such as the Hidden Springs and Rocky Top Trails if you're looking to put in some miles.

Sachs Butterfly House

Another prime spot for nature lovers, the images taken at the Sachs Butterfly House mostly speak for themselves. Your kids will not only be amazed by the color and beauty of the house itself, but also learn a thing or two about insect life. And yes, you should most definitely expect a few critters to land on you while you're here.

Mark Twain Cave

If you've never taken your kids to a proper cavern, this will definitely be a spot to remember.

Located in Hannibal, you and your family can walk in the footsteps of Mark Twain as you explore tightly woven labyrinths that look like something out of a storybook. The tour guides at Mark Twain Cave are known to crack jokes, easing the tension and providing a more lighthearted experience for little ones who might be intimidated by the journey at a glance.

Although “Missouri” may not be synonymous with “awesome family vacation” in your head, it’s a great time for Midwestern moms and kids alike. Even if you can only check out a couple of these attractions, they’re totally worth the drive and your kids will cherish the memories made here.