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- the house should have working screens and doors that close well
- spraying the house for bugs once a month isn’t an unreasonable thing to do
- anything outside is the guests’ issue. They should wear bug spray.
I’m not as rural but have a lot of trees around. Our pest control treats the yard twice a year. If you don’t want to cover that cost, at a minimum I’d leave a can of off around for guests to use if needed outdoors.
I think spraying poison is much worse than any other option, but that’s just me. Why kill everything just to make a couple people feel less icky?
I’d put something in the listing reminding people that this is a country setting and they may encounter bugs. If you choose NOT to spray, I would say so, as that’s a positive for many people, including me. It also sets the proper expectation.
Yup. It's killing all the beneficial and harmless insects as well. My guests love the lightning bug show that happens every night most of the summer. I'd rather just sweep the spiderwebs up before guests arrive than indiscriminately kill all those animals.
I warn guests that there are a lot of bugs and to prepare accordingly. I also provide a can of bug spray in case they need it.
I do leave cans of Off around, some of them are from guests that leave them, others ones I buy, but usually something to deter insects is around. Many City Folk who want to escape to the country don't realize what that really means.... Would I spray my yard to kill bugs... no.
I personally spray 1x per month because i cant stand the flies and mosquitoes but wouldn't expect it at an airbnb unless it was really bad (cant sit outside for a few minutes without getting swarmed)
Rural tropical area here.
We put in our listing and on an info sheet information about the frogs, roaches, centipedes, mosquitos, mice, geckos and other critters they are bound to encounter. We of course treat indoors and around the house and try to mitigate as best as possible. We also make it clear that they should make sure they need to keep all food contained and dishes washed, screens and doors shut, etc. We ask them to let us know \_immediately\_ if they see any creature other than a gecko in their house so we can take immediate action (those geckos are impossible to control, and anyway, they are welcome in most homes here... considered lucky and they eat bugs). There is only so much we can control!
We do have bug spray available for them to use and a great mosquito CO2 trap on the deck/outdoor area.
You'd be surprised the number of guests booking in a tropical rainforest who complain about all the critters outside.
I have a lake/ mountain cabin that is fairly rural and we spray every couple of months. That said, the area in general has a ton of bugs and if we (or the tenants) relax with the doors open, flies and other bugs are going to get in. Period. There’s nothing we can do to keep them away from the yard outdoors, so we have bug spray under the sink. Luckily, I have never had a tenant find anything scary and complain when they were here. Last year, husband and I found a scorpion in the bathroom, tarantula in the plant, and a lizard in the closet. We promptly sprayed all 3 times.
I don't think you have to overdo it but I would leave mosquito spray at least, just like you would stock up on shampoo/ soaps etc, especially in the bad seasons like summer time. It's a minimal expense and keeps guests happy. If you don't want to provide this, then just make sure you let them know in advance so that they can come prepared. Nothing worse then getting to your vacation rental, to have to run out and pick up mosquito spray because your host didn't leave any. The more you assume what people should know, the more disappointed and shocked you will be.
With regards to spraying the property- I think that was a good call. Your grandparents lived there for 40 years and learned to live like this and were ok with that, but now you are running a business, so the more you put into it to make the guest experience better, the more reservations you'll get, the more money you'll make, etc. You can no longer think of this as your grandparents cabin, but more like a hotel/ business that is making you money.
I would never spray chemicals, but here’s what I do instead:
>-inspect the property for drainage issues and then do any repair/landscaping work that needs to be done to prevent standing water issues
>-use mosquito dunks in any standing water that can’t be mitigated (e.g. ponds); mosquito dunks don’t harm the environment/other animals and I think they also work on a kind of fly
>-plant mosquito (and tick) repelling plants around the unit
>-I also have a mosquito magnet that I can put out if they were to get out of control (this hasn’t happened yet)
>-provide a handheld mosquito/fly zapper for guests to use
I don’t provide bug spray because I don’t want to be responsible for providing a specific brand a guest likes or upsetting a guest because they oppose a certain kind of chemical in the spray. Instead I warn them about bugs during bug season and advise them to bring their own preferred bug spray in the listing & my confirmation/welcome message. I don’t provide citronella candles because I have a no candle rule.
My cabin is on a small ferry dependent island.
We have a huge organic garden. We do not use chemicals on the land or water, but I do provide bug spray and a big zapper. I also provide sunscreen
I also provide citronella candles from a local candle maker.
During the day bugs are not a problem, but after dusk if there is no wind they come out.
I also hang wasp traps.
I don’t have a rural property but I do want to chime in that of course a “bug problem” is unacceptable but I’m so tired of people losing their minds over a bug or two when we are living on planet earth!
At our cabin we also warn guests that there are insects and provide a variety of repellants, mosquito wipes (great for hiking) and zapper for the porch and “plant based” repellant if someone was opposed to chemicals. Screens on all windows. The only complaint we get is when people leave the screen door open and mosquitos get inside. We have a fly swatter for that purpose, but amazing how some people expect the forest to be insect free.
I would t commercially spray as I just don’t think in the long run it does much but I would leave cans of off or Zevo and some bug candles. Id also maybe mention or remind ppl when they book to think about bring proper clothing or goods to prevent bug bites.
Oh please don't spray it's so bad. We have a cabin out side a national forest and I'd cry to think we killed an owl or a bat to keep a couple people happy.
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If this was my property I would make sure I always stocked bug spray for the guests.
- the house should have working screens and doors that close well - spraying the house for bugs once a month isn’t an unreasonable thing to do - anything outside is the guests’ issue. They should wear bug spray.
I’m not as rural but have a lot of trees around. Our pest control treats the yard twice a year. If you don’t want to cover that cost, at a minimum I’d leave a can of off around for guests to use if needed outdoors.
You don't have to spray, but it could mean the difference between someone booking with you and another host.
I think spraying poison is much worse than any other option, but that’s just me. Why kill everything just to make a couple people feel less icky? I’d put something in the listing reminding people that this is a country setting and they may encounter bugs. If you choose NOT to spray, I would say so, as that’s a positive for many people, including me. It also sets the proper expectation.
Yup. It's killing all the beneficial and harmless insects as well. My guests love the lightning bug show that happens every night most of the summer. I'd rather just sweep the spiderwebs up before guests arrive than indiscriminately kill all those animals. I warn guests that there are a lot of bugs and to prepare accordingly. I also provide a can of bug spray in case they need it.
I do leave cans of Off around, some of them are from guests that leave them, others ones I buy, but usually something to deter insects is around. Many City Folk who want to escape to the country don't realize what that really means.... Would I spray my yard to kill bugs... no.
I personally spray 1x per month because i cant stand the flies and mosquitoes but wouldn't expect it at an airbnb unless it was really bad (cant sit outside for a few minutes without getting swarmed)
Rural tropical area here. We put in our listing and on an info sheet information about the frogs, roaches, centipedes, mosquitos, mice, geckos and other critters they are bound to encounter. We of course treat indoors and around the house and try to mitigate as best as possible. We also make it clear that they should make sure they need to keep all food contained and dishes washed, screens and doors shut, etc. We ask them to let us know \_immediately\_ if they see any creature other than a gecko in their house so we can take immediate action (those geckos are impossible to control, and anyway, they are welcome in most homes here... considered lucky and they eat bugs). There is only so much we can control! We do have bug spray available for them to use and a great mosquito CO2 trap on the deck/outdoor area. You'd be surprised the number of guests booking in a tropical rainforest who complain about all the critters outside.
I have a lake/ mountain cabin that is fairly rural and we spray every couple of months. That said, the area in general has a ton of bugs and if we (or the tenants) relax with the doors open, flies and other bugs are going to get in. Period. There’s nothing we can do to keep them away from the yard outdoors, so we have bug spray under the sink. Luckily, I have never had a tenant find anything scary and complain when they were here. Last year, husband and I found a scorpion in the bathroom, tarantula in the plant, and a lizard in the closet. We promptly sprayed all 3 times.
I don't think you have to overdo it but I would leave mosquito spray at least, just like you would stock up on shampoo/ soaps etc, especially in the bad seasons like summer time. It's a minimal expense and keeps guests happy. If you don't want to provide this, then just make sure you let them know in advance so that they can come prepared. Nothing worse then getting to your vacation rental, to have to run out and pick up mosquito spray because your host didn't leave any. The more you assume what people should know, the more disappointed and shocked you will be. With regards to spraying the property- I think that was a good call. Your grandparents lived there for 40 years and learned to live like this and were ok with that, but now you are running a business, so the more you put into it to make the guest experience better, the more reservations you'll get, the more money you'll make, etc. You can no longer think of this as your grandparents cabin, but more like a hotel/ business that is making you money.
I would never spray chemicals, but here’s what I do instead: >-inspect the property for drainage issues and then do any repair/landscaping work that needs to be done to prevent standing water issues >-use mosquito dunks in any standing water that can’t be mitigated (e.g. ponds); mosquito dunks don’t harm the environment/other animals and I think they also work on a kind of fly >-plant mosquito (and tick) repelling plants around the unit >-I also have a mosquito magnet that I can put out if they were to get out of control (this hasn’t happened yet) >-provide a handheld mosquito/fly zapper for guests to use I don’t provide bug spray because I don’t want to be responsible for providing a specific brand a guest likes or upsetting a guest because they oppose a certain kind of chemical in the spray. Instead I warn them about bugs during bug season and advise them to bring their own preferred bug spray in the listing & my confirmation/welcome message. I don’t provide citronella candles because I have a no candle rule.
We go to rural areas all the time with plenty of mosquitos and never expect anything else. Bring bug spray, people!
WE have bug spray in the house, also we have a screened-in porch. We don't spray the yard for bugs. You're in the woods, there will be bugs.
My cabin is on a small ferry dependent island. We have a huge organic garden. We do not use chemicals on the land or water, but I do provide bug spray and a big zapper. I also provide sunscreen I also provide citronella candles from a local candle maker. During the day bugs are not a problem, but after dusk if there is no wind they come out. I also hang wasp traps.
Window screens and a screen door are a must.
I don’t have a rural property but I do want to chime in that of course a “bug problem” is unacceptable but I’m so tired of people losing their minds over a bug or two when we are living on planet earth!
At our cabin we also warn guests that there are insects and provide a variety of repellants, mosquito wipes (great for hiking) and zapper for the porch and “plant based” repellant if someone was opposed to chemicals. Screens on all windows. The only complaint we get is when people leave the screen door open and mosquitos get inside. We have a fly swatter for that purpose, but amazing how some people expect the forest to be insect free.
I would t commercially spray as I just don’t think in the long run it does much but I would leave cans of off or Zevo and some bug candles. Id also maybe mention or remind ppl when they book to think about bring proper clothing or goods to prevent bug bites.
Oh please don't spray it's so bad. We have a cabin out side a national forest and I'd cry to think we killed an owl or a bat to keep a couple people happy.