Thursday, May 8, 2008

This Is War!


Not only does springtime signify the beginning of migraine season, in Reading it also marks the start of ant season. Ever year for the twenty years I’ve lived in my house there have always been two weeks around this time of year that the tiny variety of ants think they should dwell inside. No, not all of them, just a random handful. Sorry but to me any ant inside the house is one too many. After all, I don’t poke around in their abodes. They should stay out of mine.

Bixby loves ant season. He’s the great hunter of the house. He stalks relentlessly, often swatting, until finally he traps them beneath his paw. I think he likes the way their squirming tickles. Occasionally I let him play with one but generally I squash them. Bix really hates when I do that. He sits and stares with his sad little cat face.

Yesterday, I came home to find him in full stalk mode. In the living room. Nope, never had ants there before and I am not putting up with it. I don’t care if it’s only for another week they have to go. Since it’s spring and the boys are shedding their winter coats I already vacuum more than once a week. Ants on the carpet, however, are cause to vacuum at least once a day if not twice. Hm yes, twice is much better.

So today, before I left I announced that I was officially declaring war and that all intruders had until I got home at five to vacate the premises. I know, I know, didn’t work since ants aren’t known for following orders issued by humans. On my way home I stopped for both internal bait traps and external perimeter spray. And no, I don’t feel at all bad. They were warned.

And now for something completely different – a question. Ever sit next to one of those incredibly rude individuals whose music you can hear in spite of the fact that they are wearing earphones? I did this morning. If that in itself weren’t bad enough, today’s occurrence including singing. Normally, I’d give my best death glare at that point but the guy was so incapable of carrying a tune it sounded like he was singing an entirely different song. He was so bad I actually felt sorry for him. Not sorry enough to prevent me from laughing openly of course, after which he switched off the music, removed the earphones and pouted at me. There goes my reputation of being the nice one.

5 comments:

Anny Cook said...

Ants... well for the fire ants we had in Houston, we sprinkled their nests with powdered TIDE. Worked like a charm.

barbara huffert said...

Ooh great suggestion. And much less harmful to the rest of the environment than chemicals.

Unknown said...

Thankfully we have rid ourselves of fire ants but we have green ants that are vicious little bastards and all of them should die - other than them I like ants as they are industrious

Molly Daniels said...

No ants, but we have camel crickets in the basement. We place the glue mouse traps in strategic places which cuts down the population pdq. They're actually harmless, but my kids don't like them.

Phoenix said...

We have the handful ants too. My cat doesn't care but it freaks me out because then I start imagining infestation. What if they get comfy and decide to stay?!

And no camel crickets though in the same state as Molly. We have these pin point sized beetles. I don't know what they are or what they feed on, but I either find them on the bathroom floor or on the wall. Only have 7 or so but I kill them and then another one shows up a couple days later. Argh.