Grass bugs - a threat to garden plots

Why does cilantro smell like bugs?

Coriander (cilantro, kishnets, klopovnik, koliandra) is an annual spicy-flavoring vegetable crop.
Its name comes from the Greek word “koris”, i.e. bug, obviously, for the bug-like smell of its unripe fruits and young leaves, which remains on the hands for a long time if they are crushed a little. Despite its very specific smell, coriander firmly takes its place as the world leader among spices. The secret of this success is simple - fresh cilantro in combination with other herbs and especially garlic, simply magically transforms.

And dry coriander seeds acquire a pleasant aroma and a slight cool pungency, because during the drying process, the aldehyde trans-tricedenol-2, which, in fact, is the “culprit” of that very smell of bedbugs, . Moreover, dry coriander seeds have the amazing ability to fit into almost any dish, adding a completely unique flavor note to each.

The smell of cilantro and bug is caused by the same substance. Decylaldehyde. This smell serves to repel predators from bedbugs and pests from cilantro.

What does cumin smell like?

This question can be answered when we figure out which plant seeds we are talking about. I did the following experiment: I went to markets and shops and bought what was sold as 'jeera'. We got 5 different samples. Store product: cumin is sold both as cumin and cumin. Market: one sample turned out to be cumin, others - some other plants of the Apiaceae family; whether Bunium persica (jeera) is among them is not clear

The smell and taste of the meat became disgusting. What happened with me?

I don’t know if I had coronavirus or not. In general, I have COPD and all sorts of diseases such as acute respiratory infections are not at all uncommon for me. In May I was seriously ill with something, but I treated myself and seemed to be cured. In July I was admitted to the hospital with my underlying illness, where I was tested for Covid, the result was negative. Now, after reading here about people’s situation with taste sensations after Covid - it’s very similar to what I have. But the main thing is that there is no solution to this problem. I suspected that there might be problems with my stomach, I took Omez, I thought it wouldn’t get worse, but it didn’t help me. Apart from meat, all foods of animal origin have the same taste to a greater or lesser extent. People write that coffee and toothpaste and the smell of sweat have the same sensation, but I don’t have that, thank God. But! It’s not convenient to talk about this, but still, in the toilet, when you’re walking around, I also feel this crap. And now both food and shit have the same stench—it’s some kind of nightmare!

3 4 · Good answer

How to remove bed bugs?

Good afternoon, Maxim and Ekaterina!

Read on the Internet, there is a lot of information about this. In general, everything depends on the insects themselves and their experience with various drugs. It happens that after processing they can turn white, as they lose their chaetin layer due to chemistry. It happens that there was a small dosage of the drug, and the insects resisted, thereby developing resistance to this drug. I advise you to understand the topic a little and choose the right organization or method for processing.

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The best remedy for bedbugs?

Hello! As I understand it, household bugs mean so-called bed bugs.

Today, there are quite a lot of means to combat dead parasites. Let's consider the most popular versions of several Internet resources at once.

1) GEKTOR is safe for people, animals and the environment. According to the manufacturers, this powder destroys even those bedbugs that other similar products cannot cope with. Price from 650 rubles.

2) INSECT CONTROL - fights not only bedbugs, but also fleas, ants, cockroaches and flies. Available in microcapsules containing toxic substances. Reviews are contradictory, but there are enough positive ones. Price from 950 rubles.

3) ENPIRE - The manufacturer promises that bedbugs will be eliminated within 24 hours. It has a pleasant citrus smell and can even be used in children's institutions (this is again according to the manufacturer). Available in 100 ml bottles, diluted with water. Price from 900 rubles.

4) ZONDER - The composition contains a considerable amount of chemical elements, but has positive reviews. Price from 1300 rubles per 100 ml. Divorces with water.

And there are about two dozen more such drugs that can be named. All promise to get rid of the problem, they differ in price, composition, country of origin and release form (powder, gel, etc.)

There are also folk remedies. You can easily find information about them yourself, because... There are quite a large number of such funds. I will only say one thing: reviews of such improvised means of fighting insects are very contradictory and no one will give you a guarantee of 100% results. It’s better to spend money once, but certainly get rid of the problem.

Good luck! I would be glad if I could help.

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How to get rid of bedbugs forever?

There are two ways to get rid of bedbugs in your home: traditional methods and professional chemistry. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. It is also necessary to properly prepare for processing and observe the necessary safety measures.

Traditional methods

The most common folk remedies against bedbugs are:

• turpentine;
• ammonia;
• kerosene;
• camphor oil;
• tea tree oil;
• tincture of wormwood.

These components are diluted with water and used to wipe furniture and surrounding objects. Particular attention is paid to places where parasites may live.

Important! Folk remedies repel bedbugs due to their pungent and unpleasant odor. However, they do not kill insects. Typically, parasites move to new places to avoid discomfort. As a result, the effectiveness of traditional methods remains questionable.

Application of professional chemistry

Products for home treatment can be purchased at many stores. In this case, it is important not only to properly prepare solutions for treatment, but also to prepare the room. To do this you need:

• remove food and hygiene items to protected areas;
• move furniture away from the walls, providing maximum access to the habitats of parasites;
• cover with polyethylene all things that may be damaged by moisture;
• close windows and doors.

Features of bedbug physiology

The bloodsucker has a smell - it's true.
Moreover, it is quite persistent and not particularly pleasant. Trying to remember what bedbugs smell like, many compare the “aroma” of the pest with the smell of fresh raspberries, cognac, cilantro, sour jam or fermented rotten fruit. But the characteristic peculiar amber can be felt in the apartment if the population of parasites is extensive and has been living in this area for a long time. One or more specimens cannot release enough pheromones for the human sense of smell to sense their presence. The structure of the insect includes special glands in which a special secretion of an unpleasant, sickly-sweet and tart odor is formed and released. In adults, odorous sacs are located in the metathoracic part of the peritoneum, and larvae have them on the abdominal segments.

In terms of the chemical composition, the bedbug's secretions are a biological mixture of toxic substances that are destructive to other insects - this is the bloodsucker's natural weapon. Specifically, in the bed (domestic) variety of the bug, the secretion includes unsaturated aldehydes in combination with elements of the alkanes class - para-tridecane. This substance belongs to the category of hydrocarbons and, when mixed with oxygen in a free state, a certain aroma is formed. The insect releases stinking “clouds” especially actively in some cases:

• During reproduction. The more individuals that have reached sexual maturity in the colony, the more often they copulate and emit pheromones.
• When danger occurs. A disturbed nest of pests in this way gives an alarm if a person discovers it.

In addition, insects use secretory secretions for intraspecific interaction. That's why a bedbug smells - it's its communication style and signaling method to satisfy the most powerful instinct of all living on Earth - the survival instinct.

Why chili peppers make your mouth feel hot, but mint makes you feel cold?

Andy Branning is a qualified chemist and teacher.
Founder of the blog Compound Interest, where, using infographics, he explains the chemical reactions that we encounter every day. Cilantro, mint and chili pepper are perhaps the main summer seasonings; without them it is difficult to imagine Georgian cuisine, Mexican cuisine, drinks and desserts. But many people find cilantro soapy and chili peppers too spicy. How to neutralize the spiciness of pepper if you overdo it with the sauce, and is it harmful to burn your tongue? Why does menthol make your mouth feel cold and what transformations do these familiar seasonings undergo in our mouth?

Why does cilantro smell like bedbugs to some and not to others?

There are many people in the world who find cilantro to have an unpleasantly soapy or even metallic taste. The reason is the chemical composition of cilantro leaves, but other factors may also determine how you feel about cilantro.

The chemical composition of the essential oils of cilantro leaves shows that they contain about 40 different organic compounds, with 82% being aldehydes and 17% being alcohols. Aldehydes are predominantly made up of 9-10 carbon atoms and are largely responsible for the aroma of cilantro leaves, but also for the soapy taste that some people experience.

The aldehydes present in cilantro, as well as similar ones, are commonly found in soaps and lotions. Interestingly, the same substances are released by stink bugs when disturbed. So when some people say “cilantro smells like bedbugs,” they are spot on. It is not surprising that such people find the taste and smell of cilantro unpleasant.

But it’s not just the chemicals in cilantro leaves that cause a person to taste soapy, smell like bugs—and, as a result, dislike cilantro. It is believed that genetic predisposition is to blame, so it is understandable why not everyone experiences such antipathy. Scientists point to certain genes that determine sensitivity to aldehydes. Moreover, not one gene, but several, is clearly responsible for this effect.

It is also likely that those people who like cilantro were raised to like the taste of cilantro. With constant use of the product, the brain can form new, positive associations. The aldehyde flavor of cilantro will be reduced if the leaves are finely chopped before eating: research has shown that this speeds up the breakdown of aldehydes in the leaves by enzymes.

How to find bedbugs if you smell them

If you smell the smell of bedbugs in your apartment, the first thing you need to do is carefully inspect the entire room where the odor is present. You need to search:

• Whitish, translucent insect eggs, the size of a grain of rice.
• Brown empty skins.
• The parasites themselves.
• Pest larvae that look the same as adult bedbugs, but are smaller in size and lighter in color.
• Stubborn brown dirt on objects and surfaces.

Places that need to be visited first are:

• Mattresses or sofa cushions on all sides.
• Seams of bed linen, “insides” of pillowcases and duvet covers.
• Storage drawers in the bed.
• The side of upholstered furniture facing the wall, its bottom.
• Bedside tables.
• The space around baseboards, door frames, and window frames.
• Cabinets and closets where clothes that you have already worn at least once after washing lie and hang.
• The space under carpets, behind picture frames and photographs.

It is advisable to look for bedbugs during the day in natural light. If it is not enough or you need to look around some secluded place, use the flashlight on your phone.

How to remove the heat from chili peppers?

There are many varieties of chili peppers: cayenne pepper, habanero, jalapeno, serrano. All of them are sharp and burning due to specific substances present in them to varying degrees.

The hot character of chili peppers comes from substances called capsaicinoids; Different types of these chemical compounds are found in different types of peppers, but the main one among them is capsaicin. Dihydrocapsaicin is another similar substance that is found in significant levels in peppers. The proportions of these two substances can vary, determining differences in varieties of chili peppers, but together they make up 80-90% of the total concentration of capsaicinoids in it.

When chili peppers enter your mouth, capsaicinoids attach to receptors in the lining of your mouth, which respond to the friction with an intense burning sensation in your mouth. However, these substances do not damage tissue. If you taste chili regularly, the receptors will exhaust their safety margin, and you will gradually adapt to the hot pepper. Pain stimulates the production of endorphins, which act as a natural pain reliever in the body and even create a “feel good” feeling.

To this day, people argue about how to soften the heat of chili. The long hydrocarbon tail of the capsaicin molecule makes the substance insoluble in water, but it readily dissolves in alcohol and oil. It turns out that the percentage of alcohol in beer is unfortunately too low to affect the chili. Milk is the best way to extinguish a fire from chili: it contains the protein casein, it is lipophilic, and therefore can envelop fatty capsaicin molecules and successfully remove them, preventing them from further irritating the receptors of the oral mucosa.

Why does mint make my mouth feel cold?

The familiar sensation from mint or mint-flavored products such as chewing gum or toothpaste is that it feels cool in your mouth. It's not just what you think: it's the result of exposure to one of the chemicals contained in mint. Its name is most likely familiar to you: menthol.

Above we discussed capsaicin, the main “hot” substance in chili peppers, and how it causes a burning sensation by binding to receptors in the lining of the mouth. Menthol acts in a similar way by binding to receptors that are responsible for detecting cold. It doesn't actually lower the temperature, but rather tricks the nerve cells into feeling like your mouth is colder than it actually is. And this message is transmitted to the brain.

Wormwood for bedbugs: what is the effectiveness

It has long been established that wormwood helps against bedbugs, but they are afraid not of the grass itself, but of its smell. The rich spirit forces parasites to stay away from the source of the aroma, since their delicate sense of smell is greatly irritated by the fragrant herbal miasma. And here lie the main secrets of the effectiveness of the fight against parasites:

• The fresher the plant, the brighter it smells.
• Only sexually mature individuals tend to leave; the plant has no effect on eggs and larvae.
• In case of severe hunger, the insect will overcome its aversion to grass and go hunting.

It turns out that artemisia acts on the “here and now” principle. It will scare away the pest, perhaps it will even leave, but numerous offspring will remain and hatch safely in due time. Therefore, the answer to the question whether wormwood helps against bedbugs is rather positive, but you need to be prepared for the fact that the result will be temporary.

Supporters of the constant presence of wormwood in the apartment will be disappointed. Firstly, the residents of the apartment themselves cannot bear the stupefying, heavy wormwood amber for more than a couple of days, and secondly, with the end of summer, the fresh grass will also run out. You can, of course, prepare bunches of the plant for future use, but its effectiveness will not be the same.

The main distinguishing characteristics of parsley

Parsley is a small herb of the Apiaceae family that produces seeds in the second year of the growing season. From the Latin name of the species Petroselinum is translated as “mountain celery.” It is grown in a one- or two-year culture. The root is taproot, cylindrical. The leaves are dissected two or three times, have a bright green color with a characteristic shine on the outside.

Petroselinum crispum (P. curly) is the only representative of its species. Has three varieties:

• common (Petroselinum crispum var. crispum);
• Neapolitan (Petroselinum crispum var. Neapolitanum);
• root (sugar) (Petroselinum crispum subsp. Tuberosum).

In the first year of development, the plant forms a rosette of leaves and a root, in the second year of vegetation - an erect, branched stem from 30 cm to 1 m with a peduncle. The inflorescences are complex umbrellas with small white or yellowish-green flowers. The seeds of the plant are used for propagation. Essential oil is obtained from them, which is used in cosmetology and the perfume industry.

• 
  Parsley root

• 
  Neapolitan parsley

It is grown for greens, root crops, and in mixed culture.

Curly parsley is used fresh, dry or salted. This is one of the few spices that retains its aroma after heat treatment.

The peculiarity of the plant is its sweet, spicy aroma with a tart taste, which is imparted by the essential oil. All parts of the plant contain it in one quantity or another.

• The highest percentage is in seeds (up to 7%).
• Leaves and stem contain up to 0.3%,
• roots – up to 0.1% apiol (parsley camphor).

On a note . Essential oil of curly parsley is included in the list of narcotic substances in Russia. Government decree prohibits its use in the production of dietary supplements.

Herbs similar to parsley

When buying parsley for greens, it can be confused with some herbs. This is not surprising, because they all belong to the same family. In addition to parsley, cilantro, celery, and lovage have dissected leaves of a similar shape. Spicy plants can both smell and stink at some stages of development.

Externally, a bunch of cilantro is difficult to distinguish from parsley

Cilantro

Cilantro is a green herb that is most often confused with parsley. Their leaves are very similar. On a shelf in a supermarket you can't tell at first glance. To the touch, cilantro leaves are more delicate and small. You can distinguish greens by the aroma exuding from the mashed stem.

Plants in the garden bed are easy to identify in the second year of life. Coriander seeds are round, larger than those of parsley. The stem is less leafy, the flowers are pink.

On a note . Cilantro is the colloquial name for coriander (Coriándrum sátivum). its leaves are used as herbs, its seeds are a well-known spice. In some places, cilantro is called Chinese parsley, sowing kishnets, kishnishi, kinji, shlendra, kashnich, kolyandra.

Cilantro is a source of many beneficial substances that has a beneficial effect on the human body. It contains a large amount of vitamin K, which affects the overall composition of the blood, normalizes the functioning of the excretory system and liver, and can minimize the effect of certain types of toxins.

It differs from parsley in its unpleasant odor during flowering. Because the plant smells like bedbugs, it is not popular on European tables and is most often called a herb similar to parsley with an unpleasant odor.

Celery stalks are widely used for making fresh juice.

Celery

Celery is a herb from the Apiaceae family. The most famous vegetable plant is celery (Apium graveolens) - an aromatic plant with a negative calorie content.

Cultivated as an annual or biennial plant. The leaves are twice pinnately dissected. It has a tall (up to 1 m) branched stem, the root is very thick and spherical. The inflorescences are an umbrella with greenish-white flowers.

Juicy green stems are used to prepare fresh juice, a trend in recent years. Seasonal greens not only replenish the body with nutrients, but also help get rid of extra pounds. Celery is number one on this list.

Leaves, stems and roots are used for food. The latter are valued for their low calorie content (half that of potatoes) and unusual sweetish taste. Soups with roots do not differ in taste from meat broths. The leaves have a specific aroma and are used as a seasoning. The stems are juicy and crispy - the basis of freshly prepared drinks. They act as an antiseptic, remove toxins, and enhance the breakdown of cellulite deposits.

Lovage

Almost every garden grows a spice that vaguely resembles parsley.

Lovage is the name of a genus of perennial grass of the Apiaceae family, which is represented by the species Lovage (Levisticum officinale). In Russian it has many synonyms: love-grass, lyubets, lyubchik, love and love potion. It grows in the wild only in Iran and Afghanistan, and is cultivated everywhere. It has a powerful stem up to 2 m high, branched in the upper part. The root system is developed, with a thick root. The leaves are large, shiny, dissected into obovate or diamond-shaped lobes. The flower is small with a yellow tint.

What does wormwood look like from bedbugs?

Perhaps many remember this tart, bitter-spicy aroma in the house of their village grandparents. The dense herbaceous smell, clearly associated with a hot summer meadow, belonged to bitter wormwood, whose bunches were hung in rural houses by local residents. It is this variety of plant that is so unloved by blood-sucking parasites and other small pests for its heavy, pungent and fragrant aroma. If you want to know which wormwood helps against bedbugs, look at the photo of this plant if you can’t see it “live” or buy a package of dried herb at the pharmacy (in addition to repelling properties for insects, it is also quite medicinal for people).

This unpretentious culture grows wherever it sees fit. There is a bizarre silvery coating on its surface, and wormwood bitterness, the most bitter of all plants, is associated in religion with human sins, apostasy from God and eternal suffering. In Latin, wormwood means “artemisia,” in honor of the discoverer of its healing properties, the goddess Artemis.

This is a perennial from the Asteraceae family, with a short, branched, woody root, which makes the plant especially tenacious. Farmers suffer from its dominance in fields and vegetable gardens, but the grass feels truly at ease in abandoned places, along roadsides, in meadows and forest edges. It can reach a height of up to 2 meters; it begins to bloom in the second year of life, acquiring multi-branched straight stems from numerous shoots of the main trunk. A pronounced spicy aroma and extraordinary bitterness are the distinctive qualities of wormwood.

A house plant similar to parsley (common chervil)

Vaguely reminiscent of parsley is another home plant - common chervil (international name Anthriscus Cerefolium Hoffm) - a herbaceous annual with more elongated leaves. The plant originates from the Caucasus and Central Asia, but today is widespread in the southern and middle latitudes of Russia, Europe, Moldova, Crimea, the USA, Australia and the New Zealand archipelago.

In Russian it has synonyms: snedok, zhurnitsa, kupyr.

Valued for its aromatic and taste qualities. The smell is reminiscent of anise, the taste is a cross between parsley and parsnip. Widely used in French cuisine. Chervil leaves go well with all green herbs. A characteristic feature is the ability to enhance all tastes. Add to dishes at the end of cooking or before serving.

• 
  Chervil

• 
  Chervil openwork

Greens are used fresh or frozen. Dried leaves lose their aromatic properties.

Weed similar to parsley

Weeds and plants similar to parsley can be poisonous. These are buttercup, poisonous vekh, corysh, popularly referred to as Dog parsley, Fool's parsley, Fool's chervil, Poisonous parsley or Znoiha. The genus is represented by Common Kokorysh (Aethusa cynapium) - a one- or two-year-old poisonous plant. It has a branched stem empty inside, growing to a height of 80-100 cm. The leaves are deeply pinnate, with a triangular outline. The leaf blades are diamond-shaped with incised lobes.

The fruit is wide ovoid with keel ribs.

The plant is odorless. It differs from parsley in the waxy coating on the top of the leaf and the structure of the wrapper. It is found in all regions of the European part of Russia on light, rich soils of wastelands, near dwellings, in gardens and in summer cottages.

The toxic properties of the plant are not supported by scientific research, so in the literature there is information about both the toxicity of the cory and its complete harmlessness. Some sources (English Wikipedia) provide information about the toxic effects of Znoika on the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals, manifested by inflammation of the mucous membranes. Dried fool's chervil is not poisonous as some of the toxins are destroyed by drying.

Industrial chemicals

Substances that repel insects are called repellents. Effective repellents that can repel house bugs for a while are available in almost every home. Chemicals that irritate the sense of smell of bloodsucking insects are:

• denatured alcohol;
• acetone;
• turpentine;
• kerosene;
• acetic acid.

Most of these products were used back in the days when modern insecticidal preparations were not invented. As a rule, thanks to their competent use, it was possible to prevent the proliferation of bedbugs in a person’s home.

But all chemicals with a pronounced odor not only irritate parasites, but are also unpleasant to human perception. It is unlikely that anyone would want to be in a room that constantly smells of kerosene or vinegar. Therefore, the use of such means is recommended if it is possible to move to another place for a while.

Wild herb similar to parsley (creeping buttercup)

In the wild you can find a herb similar in appearance to parsley.

Creeping buttercup is a representative of the Ranunculaceae family, growing in wet meadows, forest bolts, vegetable gardens and summer cottages located in the lowlands. Perennial, has a thick, succulent, pubescent creeping stem with thickened internodes.

The lower leaves are tripartitely divided, unequally toothed, on petioles. The upper ones are seated on the stem, tripartite, elongated.

The flowers are relatively large (diameter 2-3 cm), regular in shape, with five petals of bright yellow color, collected in inflorescences.

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  Ranunculus flower

• 
  Creeping buttercup leaves

Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) is a poisonous weed. When eaten in large quantities, it causes severe poisoning and death of domestic animals. After drying, the weed loses its toxic properties.

Medicinal wormwood

Externally, it is a tall, strong stem with a large number of fluffy branches and silver-green leaves. Wormwood also has flowers - small yellow ones, arranged in groups.

The plant releases a pungent aroma only if you rub the leaves with your fingers. At the same time, you can hear a bitter smell, which many may not like.

To combat bedbugs, it is necessary to cut the stems of wormwood during flowering to a height of about 30 cm. Tie them into bunches and spread them around the perimeter of the summer cottage. You can also prepare a concentrated decoction, which can be used to combat bedbugs not only on the site, but also in the country house.