Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The Great Ant War of 2009

I returned to Vegas, Monday night after being gone for almost 3 weeks. To my husband's credit, the dishes were done.

Tragically, there were many strange smells coming from the fridge and kitchen.

I investigated to find several unidentifiable bags of produce. And chicken breasts I had not put into the freezer. Nothing like raw chicken sitting in the fridge for 3 weeks. EEWWW.

I contemplated just throwing a grenade in the fridge and starting over on the groceries.

There was also a bag of potatoes that were beginning to compost on my kitchen floor. Not pleasant, I tell ya.

But worst of all was the ant invasion. It was like D-day all over again. Little rows marching all over my house. The paratroopers were the worst.

Did you know that the scientific name for the Thief Ant is Solenopsis Molesta. Such a menacing name. The little Black Ant is called Monomorium Minimum. Nothing minimum about an ant invasion. And the False Honey Any is called Prenolepis Imparis. Very imparing when bugs are crawling up you arms and legs while you try to blog.

To be fair, the invasion had begun before I left, but I had managed to hold the line, so to speak. It was a daily fight, but somehow I managed.

I was concerned about leaving my post at the front. But it was one of those things that was left undone when I left in such a panicked hurry.

And so today I must gird up my loins and go forth to battle. Armed with cleaning supplies and bug spray.

At least for now, we have managed to maintain a perimeter of the downstairs and they haven't managed to break through the lines to the uptairs.

It is completely unacceptable that they keep crawling on me and my laptop. The horror.

You know what they say "War is helk".

10 comments:

Kristina P. said...

Oh no! We used to get ants in our condo when I was in college, all the time. It was the worst! Hope you get rid of those little, uh, ants.

TisforTonya said...

there's a great product out there... maybe it's called "grants kills ants" - or maybe it isn't, I'll have to ask M.O.T.H. - the point being that it's GREAT! It's a little syrupy stuff in a dropper that you leave out on little squares of waxed paper and the ants LOVE it... so they take it home to the queen, and it kills her. I like to imagine that it kills her slowly and painfully because I really hate the little buggers!!!!

I'll let you know if I was wrong... errrmmmm... "mistaken" - because being "wrong" would be just impossible!

Allison Barnes said...

Good luck!! DO you have a bug man?? I have a good one if you want his number... he is only $20 a month!

Barbaloot said...

Gross! I had one of those awhile back...I used Scrubbing Bubbles cuz I had no bug spray. It worked really well, minus the dead creatures I had to vacuum up. Ew.

Homer and Queen said...

Welcome to Vegas huh? I grew up here and we always called them "piss ants". Pretty ladylike huh? I hate those things! We have the BIG black ones in the backyard...stinky 'taters...ew.

Smart Helm said...

Good luck. Sounds like ur gonna need it!

Melissa's husband always thought it was weird that I vacuumed up ants. It works and I don't have to touch them. Win Win.

April said...

I like spraying them with hairspray. Then they can't move. I know from experience that if you find their nest you can poor bleach down it and it work better than gasoline. We just had our own invasion and I was out of gas!

Kris said...

I just have the little sugar ants. I don't know their real names. This year they found my pantry and finished off a package of Dum Dums. Really they just ate all the candy and left the wrappers. Laura was sad when I promiesed her one and had to admit that all of them were clean sticks with the wrappers still on. I sprayed everything and now they are in Helk.

Dennis and Diana said...

Cure. Spread out cornmeal. The little bugger take it back to their nest and can't digest it and it kills them. I've also heard that the artificial sweetner Nutra Sweet kills them too. Just sprinkle it around where they are sure to find it. Makes you wonder if it kills ants what does it do to us???

Eliza said...

Ugh. I hate ant invasions. Good luck.