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Friday, March 19, 2010

Home Invasion!

Yes, we have been invaded. The little monsters took over the kitchen. I woke up last Sunday to find my kitchen bench turned into a black wriggling mess! We had ants…


The traditional Sunday morning pancake making was put on hold as I had a quick shower and raced to the supermarket. I bought ant baits, ant granules and outdoor insect spray. By the time I got home my youngest son was out of bed. He hadn’t even noticed the ants! I enlisted his help. Together we laid the baits, sprinkled the granules around the house and sprayed the spray around every window, vent and doorway. The bastards hardly noticed.

Eventually their numbers began to diminish. By Sunday night I was convinced we had beaten them. By Monday evening I realised they had won the first battle.

Back to the supermarket I went to get indoor spray. I sprayed the kitchen bench (who cares about where the food is prepared in times like these?). I sprayed on the sides of the bench and on the floor along the bench. I sprayed the doorways. I took immense satisfaction in watching those black wriggling insects die.

Tuesday we were ant free.

On Wednesday evening they had returned. Can you believe it? This time they made their way up the ducted heating vent in the kitchen and were busy scaling the kitchen wall. I grabbed the spray and attacked. I must have looked like the ultimate mad woman, spraying wildly around the vent and up the wall while chanting “die, die, die!” It’s a shame my son’s friend had come home with us after football training…

It’s now Friday evening and, so far, the ants have not come back. I have a sneaking suspicion there is an ants nest under the house, probably under the kitchen. However I have no intention of crawling under there to check it out. Instead I’ll make sure the can of spray is always within reach!

8 comments:

  1. Has it been really dry there? Whenever we go through a long dry spell my kitchen gets invaded with sugar ants. It usually happens once a year without fail. I assume they are looking for water? It is amazing how fast they come. You go to bed ants free and wake up to swarm.

    What I usually do is bomb the kitchen.

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  2. Oh!
    I seem to get fruit flies every year. I try not to have anything that can't be put in the fridge.
    And you are not the only one with a big can of Raid in the kitchen just in case.

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  3. Something sweet going on in your kitchen? Tough things to rid yourself of...in Florida we have red ants that live in the grass. We're always putting down ant killer. I sympathize :)

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  4. I can just see you, spray can in hand, and a crazed look in your eye. Hope you win the battle, but if you have a nest, it won't be long before they come back.

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  5. I have heard that the smell of mint will repel ants, but I haven't tried it myself. Our ant problem usually isn't too bad.

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  6. Martha - actually we recently had heaps of rain!
    Ardeth - I don't usually leave much on the bench top - luckily I'd put the new loaf of bread in the freezer!
    becky - they didn't even get into the sugar bowl, just covered the clean bench! go figure!
    Joy - yep that was me - the crazy sprayer! Haven't found the nest yet...
    Brenda - Hmmm maybe I will have to get some mint plants..

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  7. We get ants during rainy weather too. It IS rather annoying. Sorry. I'm also sorry that it's taken me so long to sign on as a follower. It's due to my computer ineptitude and bad memory. I was sure I'd done so long ago. And you've been such a sweet follower. Count on me from here on out! Your writing is very rich and enjoyable.
    xoRobyn

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