Get rid of insects and pests using chilli as the heatwave sparks breeding frenzy
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Temperatures continue to soar across the UK and while many Britons will be enjoying the sun in their gardens, they might notice there are more pests around.
Insects such as mosquitos, flies and wasps are more likely to breed during a heatwave.
This could put garden plants at a higher risk of being attacked by insects over the next few days.
Fortunately, there are some ways to deter pests from your garden.
Chilli seeds can be used in a homemade repellent
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Laura Harnett from Seep eco-cleaning products shared advice on how to make a natural insect repellent.
This can be done by using chilli that is left over from any cooking.
She said: "Next time you use a hot chilli in your cooking, don’t throw away the tips or any seeds you don’t want to include."
The expert explained the seeds can be combined with water to make a concoction sure to turn flies away.
"Simply fill your re-usable spray bottle with water, add the seeds and chilli remains," she continued.
"Leave for 24 hours for it to infuse and it will create a potent pesticide that’ll help to protect your plants from bugs and flies without using harmful chemicals.”
Parts of the UK will experience temperatures above 30 degrees this week.
This will likely encourage insects to be more active and breed more quickly, according to experts at Diamond Pest Control.
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Flies are more active during a heatwave
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"Insects are more active during warm weather," they said in a post.
"They spend more time out in the world instead of hiding away like they usually do.
"The heat also affects UK insects in other ways. Many UK insects are able to breed more during heatwaves.
"The high temperatures work as a type of incubator for their eggs. This means that the lifecycle of various insects speeds up and they can breed faster."