Personal Pest Control: Absolutely Victorian
It may seem hard to believe but in Victorian times there was actually personal pest control. The devices that were created at the time worked, but were limited to those who could afford them.
It may seem hard to believe that hand fans were not created, originally, to cool the user, but to keep flying insects away. Flies and mosquitoes have been around much longer than humans. Fleas were here long before us as well. In Victorian England biting flies, fleas, mosquitoes and even lice and bed bugs were extremely common.
Necessity is the mother of invention and so from Victorian times we have a few modes of personal pest protection. The first to come from that era is a fly and mosquito trap that employed the same principles of Fly paper, which was already in use and often home made. The item resembled a broom handle that was spread with a “sticky” mixture, the same stuff used on fly paper. This was placed in a stand and at the bottom of the stand was a funnel like scraper. Once the “stick” was full the owner would raise the “cup” and discard the dead insects. Replace the cup, spread the sticky stuff, repeat. The other trap was like a mouse trap, when a number of flies were inside, the trap the door would close and then the sides could be pushed together to squash the flies. Ingenious, right?
A table fan could be used to “shoo flies” away from where your family was eating. Wind it up and the blades would spin as well as rise and fall. This did nothing to kill insects, but it was portable and could be used anywhere. Although these are ingenious devices, my personal favorite is for personal fleas.
The flea trap was a pendant that was worn around the neck. The flea trap was crafted of ivory or silver and contained honey or blood as bait. The fleas entered via small perorations in the pendant. The aristocracy wore these pendants as ornamental jewelry; which means that Victorian era aristocrats had fleas.
Rest assured pest control in Arizona has a better plan for your “personal” pest control. The first step is your free inspection. Trained professionals do a thorough home inspection and base your personal plan on their findings as well as the odds of other local pests that may enter your home. Pest prevention is far better than waiting until you already have a problem.
Chandler AZ –
Termite Control Arizona
2040 S ALMA SCHOOL RD, STE 1
CHANDLER, AZ 85286-7075
(480) 582-1219
