Mashenka pencil is a long-used remedy for cockroaches and other household pests. Insects not only die, but leave human habitation.
But nowadays there are so many insecticides produced that, when faced with a choice, it is not always possible to give preference to the most effective product. Before purchasing another “weapon” in the war against disgusting arthropods, you need to figure out whether it’s really worth it.
Instructions for using Mashenka chalk
There are three ways to use this tool, and they harmoniously complement each other.
When choosing any method, before use, you need to carry out a general cleaning of the room (wash it clean and wipe dry).
Method 1.
First, open the package, but not completely - about half. Holding onto the side where there is still polyethylene, we draw in all the places where ants can most often be seen. Such places are:
- Near the trash can;
- Near the sink where dishes are washed;
- Behind the refrigerator;
- Bathrooms;
- Places where food is stored;
- Dinner table;
- Plate;
- Ventilation hole.
In addition to these strategic habitats, you need to pay attention to other areas:
- Skirting boards and areas behind beds. If possible, the furniture is moved away and disassembled;
- All kinds of cracks, dimples, seams;
- Frames of sofas, backs of paintings;
- Cabinets should be treated inside.
The chalk is applied in a thick layer in a continuous line, which is very important, since cockroaches can simply bypass the place where there is no trace of the pencil
Drawing a pencil in the form of a line
Method 2.
This method is good for handling inaccessible areas.
To do this, the chalk is kneaded to a powdery state (this must be done strictly while wearing gloves).
Sprinkle the final product into crevices, cracks, seams and other hard-to-reach places.
Using chalk as a powder.
But this method is more dangerous, since it increases the likelihood of inhaling poison through dust.
Method 3.
One chalk needs to be diluted in 3-4 liters of warm water until the feather is completely dissolved. At the end you should get a porridge-like mixture.
All surfaces in the room are washed with the resulting solution. If necessary, use a brush and paint over areas that are difficult to reach with chalk.
Does Mashenka chalk help against ants?
Chalk "Mashenka" can save you from ants. If insects have attacked your apartment, draw stripes along the entire perimeter of the room, like against cockroaches. Look where the ants' paths go: these insects usually do not run chaotically, but move along the same route. Draw stripes on their paths so that insects are sure to step on the poison. You can drop sugar syrup, honey, or some other treat attractive to parasites onto the strips.
Cockroaches and fleas may jump or fly over the drawn lines. Ants do not have such abilities, and a line 2 cm wide will become an insurmountable obstacle for them. They will bring pieces of the “delicacy” to the nest, feed all the inhabitants, and treat the female laying eggs. After some time, the entire family will be destroyed.
In the garden, you can sprinkle powder on the ground around the anthill. If there are aphids on the plants, make a water solution and spray the affected bushes with a spray bottle. This way you can deal with 2 types of pests at once. The same liquid composition can be poured directly into the anthill. Remove the top layer of soil and pour the powder or pour the liquid preparation into the place where insects accumulate. The principle of action of the drug in any form is absolutely the same.
So, the Mashenka chalk can be used not only for drawing lines in an apartment infested with harmful insects. This universal remedy has also found use in powdered and dissolved form. As soon as you notice that single scouts have looked into the house, take a white block and draw a protective outline to prevent the parasites from having any chance. The crushed preparation can be poured into cracks and hard-to-reach places, and the solution can be poured over indoor plants and loose wallpaper. The sooner you get down to business, the easier it will be to deal with unwanted visitors.
How does the MASHENKA anti-cockroach pencil work?
The instructions for using Mashenka for cockroaches state that the chalk contains contact poisons, that is, cockroaches become infected with it immediately after crawling along the line drawn with a pencil.
The effect of the insecticide is an impressive sight. When the cockroaches realize (so to speak) that they have begun to be poisoned, they panic and begin to pour out literally from all the cracks, dying as they go. Then all that remains is to collect the poisoned individuals and throw them in the trash.
Speaking specifically about Mashenka’s action, it’s as if she’s tearing insects apart from the inside. The poisons included in the composition block nerve impulses, that is, they have a nerve-paralytic effect. The muscles contract, tremors develop, and, as a result, paralysis. Thus, the insect dies in terrible agony.
Pros and cons of the product
Chalk is an ambiguous product; it has both positive qualities and disadvantages. It is worth noting that its effectiveness may vary depending on certain conditions.
Because of this, some respond positively to the action of the chalk, while others complain in their reviews about the low effectiveness in the fight against arthropods. To determine the need to purchase the drug in your case, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of the drug.
Advantages:
- Universal application. Suitable for combating different types of insects - ants, cockroaches, bedbugs, flies;
- Low consumption - of course, the consumption of the amount of the drug completely depends on the degree of pest infestation of the room, but on average, one bar allows you to clean an area whose area reaches 30 square meters;
- Low price - this is one of the most affordable methods of pest control, the average cost is 100 rubles;
- Long period of action. The product retains its properties for up to a month. Residual effects vary as the insecticides in the chalk are broken down by exposure to sunlight. Therefore, we can conclude that in some places the drug will continue to destroy arthropods, while in others with a high degree of illumination, all properties will be lost;
- No smell;
- Conditional safety for the human body. The concentration of insecticide in the composition is low. It is also worth noting that during processing the possibility of releasing volatile compounds is eliminated. When applying stripes in a hidden area, the risk of poisoning a child or pet is eliminated.
Reviews also indicate some disadvantages of the product, namely:
- Average efficiency. It is almost impossible to achieve a good result in case of severe infection. There is also no bait in the composition, which leads to the need to apply more lines to increase efficiency. It will not be possible to finely process a remote place or a crack;
- Low impact speed. The process of exterminating pests using a Mashenka pencil is quite slow. After application, insects continue to appear indoors. Maximum effectiveness appears after two to three weeks;
- The need to clean an apartment or house after the death of pests. the surfaces also need to be cleaned of applied stripes.
Release form, components, features of the drug
If we talk about this form of release, then Mashenka is the most popular. It has a solid structure and is manufactured in an oblong shape of a light gray hue.
It is not difficult to use, as it is characterized by low weight - only 20 grams. The product is packaged inside impenetrable blue plastic packaging. The manufacturer is the Russian company Agrovit.
This type of chalk contains 2 main active ingredients, including:
- Zeta-cypermethrin, the concentration of which is 0.1 percent. Belongs to the insecto-acaricidal group of pyrethroids. This is an insecticide that has a contact-intestinal effect, that is, when it enters the body of an ant, it provokes the development of paralysis;
- Deltramethrin, concentration 0.5 percent. Belongs to the group of pyreroids, its main function is to enhance the impact and effectiveness of zeta-cypermethrin. The principle of action of the component is a violation of the transmission of nerve impulses, which is why the motor centers of arthropods are affected. The properties are preserved for 15 days after treatment.
An integrated approach to combat
If you lose the battle over and over again, and the insects begin a new attack, then do not despair. This happens especially often if the house has wooden floors in which fleas have settled. Victory will still be yours. And a simple flea chalk “Mashenka” will help. Reviews suggest that in this case a number of measures will have to be carried out, which will ultimately lead to the final cleansing of the house:
It is necessary to remove rugs and carpets and take them to dry cleaning. Empty the cabinets of things and thoroughly treat the inside with a chalk solution. If it’s winter outside, then take all your things out into the cold. Now we need to tackle the upholstered furniture. Sofas and beds, an armchair, must be disassembled as much as possible and thoroughly rubbed with chalk or sprayed with crushed stone. The “Mashenka” flea chalk works great, you just need to make sure that the insects come into contact with the insecticide and do not pass by. Take another look at where insects might be hiding in your room. Wallpaper that is coming off the wall, paintings, bookcases and drawers with writing instruments - all this must be taken into account. The baseboards around the perimeter of the entire room should be thoroughly rubbed with chalk.
Moreover, one strip needs to be run along the baseboard, and the second a little higher, along the wall. Pay special attention to cracks in the baseboard. These places are carefully treated by pouring a chalk solution into them.
We must not forget about the most favorite places for cockroaches. This is a garbage bin, a place for washing dishes, refrigerators and a dining area, the space behind the stove.
Preventive measures
Prevention will help in the fight against goosebumps. It should be carried out upon entering the apartment, so as not to spend money on expensive drugs later:
- These can be traps or deterrents. And pay special attention to the cleanliness of the room.
- It is advisable not to leave food remains in accessible places.
- You should get rid of food waste daily.
- Isolate the approach to the apartment , that is, take care of the cracks (caulk).
- Once every 6 months it is worth treating the door frame and ventilation shaft with an insect repellent pencil.
Home Remedies
First of all, you can use smells: garlic, bay leaf infusion, any ground spicy seasonings, etc. Ants also cannot tolerate strong ethereal aromas.
Classic - fresh yeast diluted with honey.
A homemade spray of water and vinegar needs to be sprayed everywhere; ants are afraid of it.
Corn flour and rice flour act differently, but the principle is the same - the insect is literally torn from the inside. You need to mix flour with sugar.
Chalk is used as a bait for ants in combination with other mixtures
Ordinary chalk, crushed into powder, works the same as Mashenka chalk. It works a little weaker than the factory analogue, but it saves ants in small populations.
You can also wipe with half a lemon all surfaces visited by insects (and wash the floor with vinegar) and leave it overnight. Several such nights - and the ants' house will be included in the list of unreliable ones.
A mixture of honey and starch is killer for ants.
Is this remedy effective?
If the infection is severe, you should not use the product; you will need to select a more concentrated and effective insecticide and carry out a total treatment. As a preventative measure, Mashenka's pencil is very convenient. For example, if neighbors start poisoning cockroaches, then the insects will begin to actively crawl into adjacent apartments.
To protect yourself, it is worth drawing and regularly updating lines at places of general building communications - ventilation, pipelines, electrical wiring. You can use a pencil after a total treatment to prevent re-infection.
So, a cockroach pencil with the romantic name “Mashenka” is a fairly effective means of preventing cockroaches from entering your home. You can also use chalk if the premises are mildly infested. But if there are a lot of insects in the house, you should choose more “killer” products.
With which it is difficult for outdated pencils to compete. But not all products created decades ago are ready to lose ground. Cockroach chalk Mashenka confidently stands on the same shelves with the latest developments in this direction, in no way inferior to them in popularity. You can purchase it not only in Moscow, but also in any city in the country.
Rules of application
Not everyone knows that chalk can be used in different ways. Available processing methods using a bar:
Drawing lines is the most common option. In this case, stripes with a width of 1 to 4 cm are drawn. The stronger the infection, the wider the lines should be. You can draw solid or dotted stripes. It is important to apply them in shaded areas where sunlight does not reach, otherwise the insecticides will quickly lose their properties. When fighting ants, you first need to find their paths. They are easy to spot, since insects usually move along a chain. Lines are drawn along these paths. As a result, a large number of insects will become infected at once. Additionally, the drug is applied in places where ants can appear: baseboards, back surfaces of furniture, household appliances, internal shelves in closets. You need to wear gloves when working with chalk. There is no need to protect the respiratory tract and mucous membranes, since the product does not emit volatile compounds.
Preparation of the mixture. The bar should be left in warm water and until completely dissolved. The resulting liquid is used for processing. It is applied with a spray or brush
When using the solution, you must be careful. So, if you plan to spray the product, wear a gauze bandage or a respirator
A suspension of the toxic substance may enter the respiratory tract. In addition, the treatment of the room is carried out in buried clothes, which will protect the skin. The chalk is ground to a powder and scattered over surfaces where ants may be found: floors, baseboards, the area near the trash can. The disadvantage of this method is that it cannot be used for processing vertical surfaces.
Chalk Mashenka is often used for prevention. Thanks to its prolonged action, the product provides good results over several weeks. To protect the room from repeated invasion, lines are drawn in areas where insects may appear: ventilation ducts, window and door blocks, pipe joints, cracks in the floor, baseboards. The stripes need to be updated periodically.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Lk_EMzT5870
Where and how to use, the basic principles of the effects of chalk
The pencil consists of poisonous compounds characterized by a wide range of effects. Deltamethrin and zeta-cypermethrin allow you to get rid of insects of all groups - both home and garden. In addition to fighting ants (red, black), it perfectly destroys cockroaches, bedbugs, and flies. Death befalls ants if toxic components get inside the chitinous covers, since the likelihood that the insecticide will enter the digestive tract is minimal.
Chalk can be used on objects with different purposes. It is used not only in residential premises, but also in non-residential buildings. It is worth noting that the solid structure of the product has several advantages when compared with an aerosol or spray. By drawing a line with chalk, the risk of releasing poisons into the air is eliminated, making it suitable for use in preschool and school institutions.
It is worth mentioning that there are no restrictions on the use of a pencil, but you need to understand that it is only auxiliary. To achieve maximum effectiveness, it is necessary to additionally apply the gel, which contains bait, along the perimeter of the entire territory of the object. The chalk does not contain attractants, that is, substances that attract insects.
Since the drug has components that require contact action, the death of arthropods is possible only when they touch the poison, this is done by crossing the drawn lines. In case of contact with an insecticide, it blocks nerve impulses, then the motor centers are affected, subsequently a state of paralysis occurs, and then the death of the insect.
Description
This is an inexpensive drug that consists of 95% chalk and gypsum. The remaining five percent is occupied by a toxic substance that causes the rapid death of ants.
On a note!
A quality product must have an appropriate certificate, which will be indicated on the packaging. You can find crayons on the market without a certificate. Most of them contain a substance dangerous to humans, DDT, which is now banned in many countries around the world.
The chalk is sold in a blue package with the red inscription “Mashenka”. It can be used immediately after opening the package. It is better to use ant repellent chalk as an aid.
Main advantages
It’s not for nothing that the “Mashenka” chalk fell in love with a wide audience. Reviews emphasize that a simple and cheap product has a lot of advantages, which conquers the first time:
- The chalk is colorless and odorless and is suitable even for people prone to allergic reactions.
- It can be used regardless of whether people are in the room or not.
- Accordingly, there is no need to leave the house for several hours and then ventilate it for a long time.
- Long lasting. If the line is not applied to a surface that is regularly wiped with a damp cloth, it remains harmful to insects for several months.
- Ease of use. Any student can easily make strokes on the floor.
- Possibility of use for prevention.
But that's not all. “Silver Chalk” is famous for the fact that it is equally dangerous for almost all insects, so you don’t have to buy different products for all occasions.
Reviews
The pharaoh ants prevailed! If my cookies crawled all over the house. I thought I would never get rid of them. I thought so until I tried Mashenka. I won’t say that the insects disappeared quickly; it took them a month to die out. But a year has passed and I haven’t seen a single ant. I even started to miss these scoundrels!
Olga, Moscow
Muravyov received it from unscrupulous neighbors. They quickly multiplied and crawled openly even during the day. Mashenka bought some chalk, drew lines, and began to wait. There were much fewer insects, but they never completely disappeared. Apparently the ants have adapted to Mashenka.
Andrey, St. Petersburg
Mashenka brought Muravyov out and provided preventative care, that’s great. By the way, the price is also good. But that's not the main thing! What struck me was this: my dog greedily ate some chalk and got poisoned. She felt a little nauseous and that was the end of it. It turns out that Mashenka is quite safe!
Maria, Moscow
How it works
Pencil "Mashenka" against cockroaches has enteric-contact activity. The principle of action of the product can be described in four stages.
- Contact. A cockroach, running over the treated surface, stains its legs, whiskers and belly with the insecticidal composition.
- Absorption. Under the influence of air humidity, the poison begins to penetrate through the shell into the insect’s body.
- Eating. Having reached the shelter, the pest begins to clean its paws with its jaw and eats part of the poison.
- Death. After a few minutes, the cockroach dies.
If the pest population in the room is large, one piece of chalk will not be enough. You will have to combine the product with insecticidal aerosols, gels or traps.
Why Mashenka is good
The Mashenka pencil against cockroaches has a number of advantages, thanks to which millions of customers choose this product:
- Chalk Mashenka against cockroaches, reviews of which may be mixed, effectively destroys cockroaches.
- The low price of the pencil makes it accessible to all groups of the population. Even the cheapest products of a different type will cost more than Mashenka chalk.
- This product does not generate dust, does not smell, does not emit toxins - it is safe to use. This is especially important for families with children or owners of furry pets.
- It is very easy to wash off pencil streaks, unlike other cockroach medications.
- Mashenka is well remembered from childhood. In those times when other means were unavailable or did not exist at all, it was Mashenka who helped get rid of cockroaches.
These reasons explain the fact that in many apartments today you can still find chalk strips around sinks, behind the refrigerator, and on the inside of kitchen cabinet doors. Often, close to the line drawn, there are corpses of those who underestimated the cockroach chalk.
Since childhood, I remembered that we always had these lines and stripes behind the refrigerator, around the sink and trash can, around the kitchen furniture, and in the toilet. Therefore, when I myself needed to remove cockroaches from the house, I immediately ran to the store for Mashenka. I thought it wouldn’t work today, because cockroaches mutate and adapt. But no, Mashenka did not disappoint, just like many years ago.
Chalk "Mashenka": instructions for use
Using the Mashenka chalk is very simple; it has the shape of a block, familiar to everyone since school. Do not rely on your skills, the instructions for use were written for a reason, you should read them. You can simply draw lines in places that are difficult for children to reach and inconspicuous, but there is no guarantee that active movement of insects will occur there. For maximum efficiency, outline the entire perimeter of the room with a continuous line at least 2 cm wide. Draw a closed outline along the baseboards on the floor and on the walls. Now the cockroach will not be able to leave or enter the room without touching the poisonous trail.
Treat utility entry points, ventilation openings, and window sills. If there are cracks or holes in the structures, draw a continuous closed outline around them. Draw a circle around hard-to-reach places where insects like to nest: the back walls of furniture, the interior cavities of cabinets and sofas. For convenience, you can chop the block and sprinkle powder on the places where pests accumulate.
The drug does not lose its qualities if dissolved in water. You can spray the solution on indoor plants and even vegetable crops. A small concentration of poison will destroy harmful insects, but toxins will not accumulate in greens and fruits. Using a home spray bottle, direct a stream of liquid product to areas where traces of parasite activity are visible. Returning there, they will definitely receive a dose of poison.
When fighting harmful insects, you need to take precautions and protect yourself from contact with poison. When drawing lines, you can open one edge of the package and hold the drug by the cellophane wrapper, but it is better to wear rubber gloves
Try to prevent particles of the drug from getting on your face: if you are crushing chalk or sprinkling powder on insect nests, it is advisable to protect your eyes with glasses. After work, wash your hands and face with soap, and only then can you touch food products.
Description of the product
Chalk “Mashenka” is an insecticidal agent that has a contact effect, that is, in order for the insect to receive a dose of poison, it needs to come into contact with the surface treated with chalk.
The drug contains an effective insecticide - chlorpyrifos, but the main substance of the product is a cementing composition. When particles of the drug enter the digestive system of an insect, the cement blocks its functioning, resulting in the death of the insect.
Advice! You can buy Mashenka chalk in almost all hardware stores. The product is inexpensive, one pack is enough to treat 20-30 meters of area.
Packaging and appearance
Externally, the product looks like ordinary school white chalk, which does not have a distinct odor. Packaged in paper or polymer packs, decorated in blue tones. Instructions for use must be printed on the package. The weight of one package is 20 grams.
Storage conditions
To prevent the chalk from losing its insecticidal properties, it is important to store it correctly. Storage conditions:
- room temperature;
- lack of high humidity;
- no direct sunlight.
Advice! Chlorpyrifos is unstable to ultraviolet radiation, so Mashenka’s pencil should not be stored in places exposed to direct sunlight.
Safety
The product belongs to the IV (highest) safety class, that is, chalk is of low toxicity for humans, of course, unless you start using it internally in large quantities. However, you should not neglect basic security methods:
- The chalk should be stored in its original packaging away from food products;
- When using, it is not recommended to hold the pencil with bare hands; it is better to use gloves. You can apply the product by holding it through the packaging.
Effect of Mashenka on bedbugs
How the Mashenka chalk works:
- As soon as the parasite comes into contact with the chalk strip of poison, a toxic substance will appear on its paws, which penetrates the digestive system through the proboscis;
- After entering the bloodstream, the toxic substance begins to act. Zeta-cypermethrin and deltamethrin have a similar principle of action. As a result of interruption of the transmission of impulses to the nervous system, all muscles of the parasite stop functioning, which leads to its death;
- Unlike aerosols, which instantly enter the body of parasites during spraying, chalk acts after a certain period of time. First of all, the insect must come into contact with the drawn chalk strip. To achieve maximum effect, as many insects as possible must cross it. In addition, bloodsuckers carry poison on their limbs into nests, infecting all their inhabitants;
How does Mashenka chalk work against pests?
The active ingredients of the crayon - zeta-cypermethrin and deltamethrin - make up only 5-10% of the weight of the pencil. The rest of the mass includes gypsum and chalk. Contact action drug: for an insect to be poisoned, it must touch the drawn strips. Usually one block is enough for a large room; to process a private house or apartment you need to stock up on 3-4 crayons.
The composition of the chalk is very simple, it includes only 4 components, but the insecticide kills parasites perfectly.
To understand why strips with tiny amounts of toxin are so effective, you need to understand how the drug works. A cockroach runs along the line, particles of poison stick to its paws. The pest comes to the nest, and after a few hours the poison will penetrate the body. Nerve impulses are blocked, paralysis of all systems occurs, and the parasite dies. From the poison brought into the nest, all individuals become infected, and the colony gradually dies out. Considering that cockroaches are cannibals and eat the corpses of their relatives, poisoning of the entire colony occurs very quickly.
The main number died out, but new parasites hatched from the eggs. The lines are believed to retain their poisonous qualities for up to 4 weeks. It is possible that some drugs will also destroy young individuals. But there is no guarantee that you got a high-quality chalk for cockroaches, and even under the influence of sunlight, the poison can decompose even in the best insecticide. Update the lines to eliminate both the main cockroach family and their offspring.
Action and efficiency
“Mashenka” discourages consumers with its results from the first use. Insects crawl out of all their “houses” and a cemetery is literally created from their bodies.
The twisted body of a cockroach after exposure to Mashenka
This effect is provided by the above-mentioned chloropyphos. When it enters the pest’s body, all nerve impulses are blocked (due to the effect of the substance on acetylcholine serase, which is responsible for the functioning of the nervous system).
Because of this, the entire muscle structure begins to contract in spasms, which ultimately leads to a nerve disorder.
Validity
The product is distinguished by its resistance to environmental factors and is not affected by temperature changes. Because of this, it can be active for a very long time. Thus, some studies have shown that the average duration is from forty to seventy days.
Although everyone considers the cementing composition to be important, only because of its external manifestation, its influence on the internal structure of an ant or cockroach also makes itself felt. When ingested, cement clogs blood vessels, which accelerates death.
Action
The ant repellent Mashenka does not lose its properties under the influence of sunlight, high or low temperatures, only moisture reduces its effectiveness. The chalk applied to the surface remains to protect the room for about 6 months.
When insects enter the body, the active components disrupt the functioning of the nervous system. Muscle paralysis occurs, followed by death. The rate of death depends on the amount of poison ingested. Mass death of ants after treatment of the room is observed within 2 weeks.
How to get rid of an anthill
You need to pour as much soda into the nest as possible, preferably through a funnel. Now pour in the vinegar. That's it - the nest no longer exists.
Along the path of all ant paths, as well as around the entire anthill, you need to pour more regular salt. An ant will never climb on salt.
Little ants in the kitchen will forever stop bothering you if the only food they can get is the following mixtures:
- You need to take 3 tbsp. l. ethyl alcohol, dishwashing detergent and water, spray the kitchen.
- Any minced meat (1-3 tbsp) should be mixed with 1 tsp. Boers. Arrange in the form of balls around the anthill.
Is it possible to completely remove ants using Mashenka chalk?
Ants are characterized by differences in the characteristics of their life activity when compared with representatives of other insect species. For example, to kill a cockroach or bedbug, you can use a drug with contact or intestinal action, after which you can expect the death of the infected individuals. This scheme allows you to reduce the pest population. All females are capable of reproduction, so if they are destroyed, the number of pests will be reduced as quickly as possible, and new individuals will not be able to appear.
In the case of ants, the queen, who lives in the anthill/nest throughout her life, is responsible for reproduction; she is not responsible for obtaining food and building housing. The induced functions are assigned to working individuals, who catch the eye of the owners of the house or apartment. If only the worker arthropods are destroyed, new individuals will continue to reproduce as the female continues to lay eggs.
So, we can conclude that the impact needs to be directed at the uterus, which can only be reached by destroying the anthill, which is quite difficult, since it cannot always be located around the perimeter of the home. Most often, arthropods set up an anthill outside the building. If destruction of the queen is impossible, then the use of contact insecticides is required, which the workers will deliver inside the nest.
Taking into account the fact that Mashenka chalk does not contain attractants, it is necessary to apply stripes on the premises as often as possible, due to this the likelihood of picking up particles with a toxic substance will increase. The ants will carry the poison inside the anthill, and when in contact with their fellows, they will quickly spread it to all healthy individuals
This scheme has a fairly high probability of destroying not only the working ants, but also the queen.
When using chalk along with bait, the effectiveness will increase several times. To do this, after applying stripes throughout the premises, you need to leave attractive food for arthropods near them. While looking for food, they will quickly fall into a trap and receive a dose of poison.
Folk remedies for red and red ants
To get rid of red ants in your apartment, it is not necessary to use toxic chemicals. There are many widely known folk recipes that cope well with this task and are completely safe for people and animals.
You can use folk methods to scare away ants, kill working insects, destroy the female and the entire colony with her.
You can scare off insects with the help of spices and flowers that have a strong aroma. Ants cannot tolerate the smells of lavender, garlic, mint, anise, cloves, and citrus fruits.
The treated surface of kitchen furniture and the floor will repel insects from the apartment. Ants follow the well-trodden path of scouts who leave enzyme trails. The vinegar erases them and they lose their way.
The easiest and safest method to destroy a colony is cornmeal. It must be scattered like powder in places favored by insects. They eat this product themselves and feed it to the female. They cannot digest this type of flour and die over time. It will take time to destroy the entire colony.
An aerosol from water and liquid soap corrodes the chitinous shell of insects and they die.
Boric acid is an excellent, inexpensive way to kill parasites. It is used as one of the bait ingredients
It is important to maintain proportions. A strong concentration of acid will kill the insect on the spot, and the female will remain unpoisoned
Here are a couple of recipes:
Egg bait. Mix 5 g of acid with two raw eggs and roll into balls.
Meat bait. Add 1 teaspoon of boric acid to 3 tablespoons of minced meat. Mix and form into balls.
Ants living in the house are classified as medium-difficult parasites to eliminate. In an apartment building, the situation is complicated by the size of the colony. But the enemy is not as terrible as they make him out to be. By involving your neighbors and using several methods at the same time, you can defeat the enemy in three to four weeks.
How to protect yourself and your loved ones
Despite the fact that deltamethrin and zeta-cypermethrin have a low degree of toxicity, Mashenka chalk can be harmful to humans and animals. The reason is prolonged contact with the skin or entry into the digestive tract. To ensure that the fight against cockroaches goes without unpleasant consequences, follow five rules.
Do not unpack the crayon completely. Remove only the top part of the packaging. The remaining cellophane will protect the skin from direct contact with the insecticide. If you tear the package completely, be sure to wear gloves.
Wear a mask or respirator. If the soap starts to gather dust and the product gets into the respiratory tract, poisoning is possible.
Keep your children safe. “Draw” with chalk only in places that the child cannot reach.
Keep your pets safe
Despite the fact that the harm of chalk to warm-blooded animals is minimized, caution will be necessary. Limit pets' access to treated surfaces and store any remaining product in a secluded place.
Don't let your guard down
The residual activity of Mashenka can last up to two months, even if you thoroughly wash the surfaces. Therefore, do not forget about precautions when you stop using chalk.
If you carefully study the reviews about the Mashenka chalk, it becomes clear that you can achieve the greatest success in the fight against cockroaches if you approach the issue on a large scale. Agree with your neighbors to process the apartments at the same time. Also, use a couple of crayons to go over the floors and walls in your entryway, as well as near your garbage disposal.
Video on the topic
How to use it correctly
There is nothing complicated about using Mashenka to fight cockroaches. It is necessary to apply stripes in those places that are especially often visited by cockroaches: behind the refrigerator, around heating pipes or appliances, at the sink, near the trash can. All necessary places are indicated on the packaging of the chalk.
- Draw lines on baseboards and back panels of furniture. This should be done especially carefully on kitchen furniture. If possible, mark the entire perimeter of the rear panel.
- Enclose the trash can in a chalk ring. Make sure that the bucket always stands inside the circle.
- Make markings around the entire perimeter of the sink. Mainly, it is from this source that cockroaches quench their thirst.
- Outline the perimeters of all ventilation ducts.
- Surround the legs of the tables with a chalk pattern so that an insect, crawling onto the table, is forced to walk on the chalk.
The stripes should be thick so that cockroaches cannot step over them, but pass with all their legs. The price of chalk is low, so saving is inappropriate here.
The number of Prussians destroyed by chalk depends on the timing of its use: the longer the “drawings” are left undisturbed, the longer they will destroy arthropods. You should not remove the strips until the cockroaches are completely gone. Treatment should be repeated until the cockroaches disappear. Only there can one be sure that man and means have defeated the most ancient creatures on earth.
I still remember how my mother regularly bought a Chinese anti-cockroach pencil at the market. They died almost instantly. Now that I was faced with such a problem, I didn’t think that I would find a piece of chalk. didn't help. I was preparing to buy expensive sprays and gels, although I don’t really believe in their effectiveness. And suddenly in the store I see Mashenka’s pencil, similar to the one I remember! I was glad to see him, like an old friend. I immediately bought a year's supply. True, I used it very generously, so my supply was significantly reduced. I smeared everything possible, making sure not to apply it in the most noticeable places. And now I’ve been living peacefully for a month now. There are no old cockroaches left, and I am no longer afraid of new ones.
You can use both chemicals and folk remedies, the main thing is to start exterminating the Prussians immediately after their appearance. Cockroach chalk Mashenka has been used for several decades to successfully remove red cockroaches.
Many owners of infested apartments believe that Mashenka is the one who will most effectively deal with mustachioed insects.
Insects that occupy an apartment usually plunge the owners of the premises into shock, because the family of pests multiplies quickly.
Without taking immediate action, unexpected “tenants” will fill the entire home, threatening to displace the inhabitants.
Most often, cockroaches encroach on the territory, attracted by the large amount of food and moisture necessary for life.
Chalk Mashenka is a small gray pencil.
The weight of the bar is about 20 grams, but this is enough to treat a small room against cockroaches.
- deltamethrin;
- gypsum (helps keep its shape and not crumble during use);
- zeta cypermethrin (insecticide).
The packaging of the chalk is waterproof, which allows it to be stored for a long time without losing its properties that are harmful to the Prussians (provided that all storage rules required by the manufacturers are followed).
The active ingredients of the drug are the latest pyrethroids, which act only upon contact.
It is enough for an insect to run over the product applied to the surface so that a few particles of the toxic substance remain on its limbs.
From the extremities, insecticides certainly enter the oral cavity, then into the intestines (Mashenka chalk also tends to be absorbed through the body).
The poison spreads in the body of the barbel instantly and begins to act. First, a malfunction occurs in the nervous system, after which important organs for life stop functioning.
The death of the Prussians occurs after complete paralysis. This happens literally a few hours after the insecticides penetrate the body of the mustachioed “tenant.”
Another significant plus is that an infected cockroach can spread a toxic substance, because it manages to return to the nest, where it comes into contact with several fellow tribesmen.
The insecticide particles continue to act, infecting other longhorned beetles along the chain. Mass death of red “neighbors” occurs 3-5 days after exposure to the pencil.
When the home is not heavily infected, it will take about a month to completely exterminate the Prussians. During this time, several treatments may be necessary, this will significantly increase efficiency.
Home preparation
Be sure to paint stripes on door frames and even window frames. It is also important to block all approaches to objects attractive to cockroaches:
- kitchen stove;
- trash cans;
- dining table;
- refrigerator;
- kitchen sink;
- bedside tables with food supplies.
Often new “guests” enter an apartment cleared of cockroaches, especially if they are infested with pests.
You can stop all attempts by barbels to develop new territories by applying cockroach chalk around all cracks in the walls, ventilation ducts, and pipes.
Such prevention will allow you to keep your home clean for a long time, and by making it a rule to regularly apply the product, whiskered insects will probably no longer bother you.
Is chalk against bedbugs and cockroaches “Mashenka” dangerous for humans?
People working or working with pyrethrins and pyrethroids (including cypermethrin) sometimes develop tingling, burning, dizziness and itching.
How can I be exposed to Deltamethrin or Zeta-cypermethrin? Of course, the percentage of these substances in Mashenka chalk is very small, and you are unlikely to want to treat yourself to chalk, but touching the chalk with your bare hands or inhaling its fine dust while you are treating surfaces with it can negatively affect your well-being.
When these substances come into contact with the skin, they can cause a tingling, itching, burning or numbness sensation in the area. These sensations usually go away within 48 hours. However, any insecticides will cause irritation if they come into contact with the eyes. Inhalation of dust in which they are present can cause headaches and dizziness. Although it is not common, there have been cases of people experiencing nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and muscle contractions after handling household insecticides. But you don’t need to be too scared: Deltamethrin and Zeta-cypermethrin in the Mashenka chalk have low toxicity when touched or inhaled.
Many people who have heard that insecticides are carcinogens ask, can Deltamethrin contribute to the development of cancer? Data from animal studies indicate that Deltamethrin does not cause cancer. Specifically, the US Environmental Protection Agency classifies Deltamethrin as an unlikely human carcinogen by all routes of exposure. Studies were conducted using laboratory animals that confirmed that Deltamethrin did not cause birth defects in dogs and rats that ate it during pregnancy.
The use of Mashenka chalk in places where small children live
Although children may be particularly sensitive to pesticides compared to adults, it is currently unknown whether children are particularly sensitive to Deltamethrin and Zeta-cypermethrin. However, studies in rats showed that young rats were more sensitive than older rats when they were both fed these insecticides.
Is chalk dangerous for pets?
Mashenka chalk can cause illness in dogs and cats if they eat it or lick the treated surface. It can cause vomiting, drooling, coordination and muscle tremors. If any amount of crumbled crayon accidentally gets on their skin, it can sometimes cause skin sensations that lead to biting, scratching, or licking the area touched by the substance.
In studies on animals that ate Mashenka chalk, it was found that chemical poisons were eliminated from the body within 2 days. In a rat study, Deltamethrin was poorly absorbed through the skin. The small amount that was absorbed through the skin left the body within 24 hours.