I'm worried about that too, bringing in pests from outdoors, and I have a timber wolf that has a long thick coat, she probably brings in a few hitch hikers every time she goes out and comes back in. I keep her anointed with k9 Advantage. I think I'll be spraying my yard and around my outdoor garden as well this year. Also, for you tent growers.....
Make sure your intakes are covered with pantyhose to keep bugs out
Never go straight to your garden after coming in from outdoors if you have been in the woods, doing yard work, gardening, etc. Leave your shoes AND socks in the garage, strip off down to boxers if thats acceptable at your home, and then go shower, leaving the boxers in a hamper in a room other than your tent, before you visit your grow areas.
Apply insecticides to your lawn every two months in the active seasons.
Make a habit of bathing your pets regularly and apply a month long protection against critters
I'm sure there are a couple I have forgotten, everyone pitch in with tips to keep the bugs outside.
I dont know how many of you are aware of this but: This is a VERY valuable thread to have BOOKMARKED for quick/easy access in times of need. Also a good quick readthrough, lots of preventative tricks, and eradication methods. >>> >>>>
https://www.rollitup.org/bugs/335046-grizzlys-guide-pulverizing-pests.html <<<< <<<
\/ \/
I know that it's good to mist the tops of leaves, and undersides every once and a while (while being aware of your lights and the possible disaster). It's also good to keep fans blowing a lot of air around/on your plants.. it's hard for flying insects to come in and land and lay eggs on a leaf thats constantly being rustled around! Wind, and water are probably the most natural AND easy methods to keep the bugs off your leaves..
I have also heard of using like an inch of two of sand, on top of your soil... apparently this makes it like almost inhabitable to insects that try to burrow beneath the surface... it just sucks for them
I'd do this if you have issues, but I'm not having any so I'd like to see when my soil is dry
Neem oil is has a wide range of natural uses on bugs too. That's something to check out, but that's a very basic thing I'm sure most have heard about.
Last thing! Go with
sterilized soils if you can! Save a little hassle! Most quality soils will be sterilized, like Fox Farms, or happy frog... I made the terrrrible
lazy mistake of running out of Fox Farms soil, and finding some bag laying out back... I used a few hand fulls of this miracle grow type stuff, and a few weeks later I had HUNDREDS of
tiny white bugs crawling on my soil when I watered. Then they were burrowing back down to feast on my ROOTS! Symphillids! Little fucking nasty mother fuckers, god it pisses me off to think about it! I was actually using a blowtorch on the surface of my soil as a method of erradication... sweet sweet smell of burning symphyllids does bring a smile to my face though