I’ve noticed that there are a lot more insects here in the South than in the Southwest. Not only have I seen a lot more bugs outside, I have seen way more that have made their way indoors than I am used to/comfortable with.
I am not at all opposed to the occasional creepy crawler – given they are encountered outside, where they should be, or that they are not freakishly large or are poisonous. Usually, if I find one inside, it’s not a huge deal - the bug either gets squashed or shooed outside. When I find insects in greater numbers, with increasing frequency, or that exceed the size of my big toe, that’s when I start to get nervous.
A few days ago, I crushed a spider with a back-end so bulbous it actually made a “pop.” Other recent visitors include a couple of crickets, some flies, a moth and other spiders of varying shape and size.
I’ve been finding ants around the house, two or three at a time, in our apartment during the past few days. Not thinking much of it, I smooshed them and went about my business.
- Here they are – the pesky little ants!
Saturday night, I was cleaning up after eating dinner and as I approached the trashcan to throw away a paper towel, I saw it. Along the door trim and baseboard was a long line of ants. Not the big kind, the teeny-tiny ones. I followed their trail, which led up the trim of the closet door to where the wall meets the ceiling and all the way around the living room to their entrance point, the back door. Their sole destination: a freshly opened 12-pound bag of cat food in the kitchen closet.
I grabbed a bottle of Windex and started spraying with fervor. (Later I discovered, according to several pest control websites this is one of the more effective methods of killing ants.) Then, I lugged the heavy and expensive bag of cat food to the Dumpster and tossed it.
Two ant traps, lots of Windex, and a can of bug spray seem to have subdued the infestation. I think it’s time to invest in a large, well-sealed Tupperware for the kitty kibble.
Tags: ants, bugs, infestation, insects, pests
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