Hello, I have a 2004 Rav 4 and little gnat like bugs have made it a home. I don’t eat in my car or drink anything other than water or diet soday so I’m not sure why they are there. I have leather seats and do not want to use a chemical that would damage them. Any suggestions?
Open the doors and set those little fellers free… Sorry but needed a chuckel
If you have any little freshess packets that come with new shipped items.The little bags that say not to eat them. The chemical in the bag kills bugs without bothering anything else i would put one or two on a saucer on the carpet and see if bug be goners…
Ha! I will try that I have a bunch of those little bags from all the shoes that I buy! Thanks, Carolyn
If that doesn’t work - or even if it does - you could also try hanging up a couple of those sticky fly strips. Obviously you don’t want to drive with these up - just hang them while you’re out of the car.
But I would also worry about what they are and where they came from - I’d try to catch one and identify it.
I agree with cigroller.
Your best chance of exterminating the pests is by proper ID and a pest control company which can use or recommend a non-toxic cure.
They will be able to tell you where the bugs came from as well.
The Cooperative Extension service of your state’s agricultural college will do this free-of-charge, and will recommed appropriate and safe pesticides for your specific insect problem. In many cases, there is even an office at the county level. Whenever I have a “bug question”, I bring a specimen to the nice people at Cook College of Rutgers University, and they provide great help.
Why pay the pest control company for advice that can be gotten without charge from the highly educated people at your state university?
I agree that the Agricultural Extension Service is a great resource. I’ve used the a couple of times to ID snakes in my yard. They also may remove pests in your house, like birds or squirrels.
Do you remove the diet soda cans from the car as soon as you’re finished? Or do they sit in the cup holder empty? If they sit in the car empty, that’s where they’re coming from. I can leave an empty can on my bench overnight, and if I disturb it in the morning, these little bugs come flying out of the can. I call them Drunk Bugs.
Tester
The chemical in the bag kills bugs without bothering anything else
Usually the little bags are desiccants (silica gel or similar) to keep the item dry, rather than a pesticide.
Collect some of the little critters in a plastic bag and go to your state’s Department of Agriculture office and ask. They’ll tell you exactly what kind of bugs they are, their scientific name, what they eat, how they nest, and how to get rid of them. And it’s all free!
I’ve done this with bugs. They even sent a detailed followup report. They’re a great resouces.