Spring Has Sprung!
I know this for sure and it’s not the crocuses nor the daffodils nor even the allergies that drive this point home: it’s the ants. I get them once a year on one countertop and it heralds the true start of spring in my home.
It is the annual event that speaks the loudest; it tells me it’s time to get out the spring/summer clothes from the attic; time to plant the vegetable garden; time to get Advil Sinus and Allergy pills. It is when I know I can start wearing white shoes and when I can put away the car window scraper and the snow shovel. Time to buy the pansies; replace the batteries in the smoke alarms and time to become more religious about poop-scooping.
I am not fond of ants and I can’t help but wonder why they make their annual pilgrimage to my kitchen? Why that one countertop? Why not the cat food bowls that are frequently left on the floor for my nibblers? Why not a countertop near the food? Is there something about the Blue Willow china pattern that turns them on? They choose the area where only my dishes are stored, not the cookie and treat cabinet area.
Of all the places in my kitchen that could attract ants, this one area that they love is the cleanest, non-food, non-crumb area in the whole room, unless, they are coming in for a drink. The sink is located next to this ant-appealing countertop.
Today I had 17 ants.
Tomorrow a few stragglers will appear too but now I’m ready for them. I have stuffed bay leaves in every crevice I can find near the area where they are entering from behind the backsplash of this really, honest to goodness, pristinely clean and soap-smelling area of the counter.
I have gone under the sink and spread more bay leaves and used ½ can of Raid Ant and Roach killer. I have rewashed everything on every counter and swept and washed the floor. I have fed the dogs outside! I will not even attempt to make supper tonight with the thought of an errant ant coming by for a visit. The cats might just be on an enforced fast, if not, that’s the speed in which they’ll have to eat as I refuse to leave a dish on the floor for more than 28.7 seconds.
I really dislike the little buggers but when they come, I know that the nice weather is soon approaching and that as long as they're coming in for dinner we'll be eating out.
I know this for sure and it’s not the crocuses nor the daffodils nor even the allergies that drive this point home: it’s the ants. I get them once a year on one countertop and it heralds the true start of spring in my home.
It is the annual event that speaks the loudest; it tells me it’s time to get out the spring/summer clothes from the attic; time to plant the vegetable garden; time to get Advil Sinus and Allergy pills. It is when I know I can start wearing white shoes and when I can put away the car window scraper and the snow shovel. Time to buy the pansies; replace the batteries in the smoke alarms and time to become more religious about poop-scooping.
I am not fond of ants and I can’t help but wonder why they make their annual pilgrimage to my kitchen? Why that one countertop? Why not the cat food bowls that are frequently left on the floor for my nibblers? Why not a countertop near the food? Is there something about the Blue Willow china pattern that turns them on? They choose the area where only my dishes are stored, not the cookie and treat cabinet area.
Of all the places in my kitchen that could attract ants, this one area that they love is the cleanest, non-food, non-crumb area in the whole room, unless, they are coming in for a drink. The sink is located next to this ant-appealing countertop.
Today I had 17 ants.
Tomorrow a few stragglers will appear too but now I’m ready for them. I have stuffed bay leaves in every crevice I can find near the area where they are entering from behind the backsplash of this really, honest to goodness, pristinely clean and soap-smelling area of the counter.
I have gone under the sink and spread more bay leaves and used ½ can of Raid Ant and Roach killer. I have rewashed everything on every counter and swept and washed the floor. I have fed the dogs outside! I will not even attempt to make supper tonight with the thought of an errant ant coming by for a visit. The cats might just be on an enforced fast, if not, that’s the speed in which they’ll have to eat as I refuse to leave a dish on the floor for more than 28.7 seconds.
I really dislike the little buggers but when they come, I know that the nice weather is soon approaching and that as long as they're coming in for dinner we'll be eating out.
posted by mary bishop | 9:08 AM
11 Comments:
Hey BKing...!
It doesn't kill them but they hate the smell. I also used ant killer under the sink and soft scrub with bleach that I trickled down behind the old backsplash that's separating from the wall...maybe the ants are responsible for that.
I don't get ants in the spring, I get wasps. Not in the house, thankfully, but no matter how many times we knock down the nest, they always come back.
Supposedly ants don't like mint either. Between the two, it seems like people should be sensible and just have an herb garden right next to the kitchen windows. :) Of course, there's also the ant beer trap - but not so good with the four legged friends floating around. Ants have very rudimentary body structures. They can drink the beer, but they can't handle the gasses - so something good and carbonated in a saucer that they can drown in - or croak thanks to their inability to burp and fart. Okay, so it might be an old wives' tale, but I've never had the opportunity to try it. :)
Do ant farts smell?
I looked it up: Most animals, birds, fish and insects pass gas. The average person passes gas about 10 to 15 times a day (some just do it more quietly than others).
One side note: methane is an odorless gas. The odors that sometimes result when people or animals belch or fart are caused by other compounds made during the digestion process. So don't blame the methane.
taken from here:
http://www.microbe.org/news/gassy.asp
---
I am still on ant patrol. I found one heading towards the toaster - if the word gets out the crumb-filled toaster will be teaming with these g d little buggers!
I've heard that the male ant farts way louder and much smellier than their female counterparts. Their appearance in your home merely reflects a particularly smelly one. All the other ants are actually running for safety. All you need to do to get them to retreat is have your DH or other male friend fart in their general direction.
Of course this is all acurate and true. Really it is!
(Get an exterminator if you get big ants...the little ones are tough to get rid of. Make certain there isn't any rotten wood that they are colonizing in, if so replace it.)
Un PC joke: Why do farts smell? For the benefit of the deaf.
It's been a whole day surveillance with 4 or 5 squirmishes and numerous squishes, but I think I might have won the ant battle.
And the whole house smells like Raid so if ants did fart and the farts did smell I wouldn't know.
a test...haven't been able to comment for hours and I'm going crazy
Hi Mary-
I see you all over the blogosphere...I had to come and see your site too...Truth be told..I have not read anything yet...just wanted to say hi... :)
I look forward to reading your stuff..
My mother would love the NAME of your blog...too funny!
Bradley
Bradley Egel said...
I see you all over the blogosphere
...........
Oh, you said it in public. True, I'm a girl who gets around.
A blogaholic who needs to hire a cook and cleaning service...so I can play bloggo!
I didn't know about the bay leaves. I'll try them. I didn't know ants couldn't fart. I'll have to start blaming some other insect. Or just the male ants. It is ALWAYS so educational, stopping in here.
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