I have been organizing, cleaning, making sure my life is in order before I start another big writing project. Today was the bug man.
In Florida, we have cockroaches. A while back, I saw a couple of them, and freaked out. (In Illinois these bugs are not common because we have a horrific winter that kills all bugs, and the spirits of those who do not like winter!) So, I researched about the bug and then armed with the information, I went to the store. Spent tons of money on all sorts of chemicals and found a great bug bomb and put it around my house. Never saw another one. Then, after 3 months you are to pick it up and all bugs should be dead. I am assuming so. But, to be on the safe side, I had the bug man come out and spray. Yes, I do overkill when it comes to bugs. I also get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet, so there is no way I want to step on a bug in the middle of the night. When I saw the couple of bugs, I left all lights on in the house during the night because I read they are nocturnal.
While the bugman was here, we talked about bugs (he told me I will never be rid of cockroaches, they live here -- so, now I know Florida has cockroaches, geckos, and alligators). I took him to a window I have, and asked if those little dead bugs were gnats. (I saved them so he could tell me what they were). He said no, harvester ants. Okay, I have never heard of harvester ants. They only ants I thought existed were carpenter ants where they eat your wood or sugar ants that can be found in the kitchen. Well, now there is the harvester ant. Great, another bug to keep my eye out for!
I have found a homemade remedy to keep the geckos from entering my house. Simply mix lemon juice and water together and spray around the perimeter of the entrances. I haven't had any troubles with those little lizards since I have been using the lemon/water. You should have seen me trying to get one out one day, chasing it around the house. But, I did win.
Reminded me of another time. I was living in my sister's house until it sold (she had moved to Arizona) and I had two cats with me. She lived out of town and in back of her house was a corn field. One night I had a taco party, and after my guests left, I was cleaning up. During harvest, mice had a tendency to make it inside the house. Well, you can imagine my cats and the mice. With tacos, there were little pieces of cheese that I was sweeping from the floor when a mouse came over. That set the scene in motion -- there I was with my broom trying to get rid of the mouse, my cats were trying to get at the mouse, and if anyone could have seen us -- there was the mouse running around the round glass top table, then me with the broom, then the cats -- around and around. Finally, I was able to shoo the mouse out the back door. And keep the cats indoors.
They were quite the cats. One morning I woke up and thankfully, I am one of those people who do not jump out of bed because that particular morning my cats were so proud. They were on the floor meowing for me to wake up, and when I did I saw ---- they lined the floor around the bed with dead mice. They thought they brought me a treat! Needless to say, the mice were swept up and taken outside in the garbage can.
I guess you never know what to expect with animals and bugs....
Until tomorrow...have a great day....
No comments:
Post a Comment