Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Invaded

Last Thursday, my house was invaded. 

While in the midst of my usual morning routine, I grabbed Kaci's Flinestones' sour gummy multivitamin out of the cabinet and spotted two ants on the countertop. I looked left to open the fridge and ants were seriously everywhere. Zillions on my fridge, the cabinet, the floor, the island, the countertops, even the dishwasher. It was disgusting.

At first, I freaked out. Insects are nasty. Then, I called my hubby to come home and lead the massacre. A few hours later, we were completely bug free and I could breathe again. 

I have an insect issue. Bugs give me the willies. But, I hate killing them. I mean, each ant is a mommy ant's baby and I feel terrible about ending lives. 

Are you a bug smasher or do you call someone else to do the dirty deed? Do you feel bad about killing insects? 

Pretty Tough Tuesday: Check out Part Four of my interview with fastpitch phenom, Angela Tincher. 

Amazing Giveaway: Don't miss Kelly Parra's Secret Fates Giveaway. Tons of authors and tons of free books. Happy Release Day, Kelly! :) 

Have a great day, everyone! :) 

26 comments:

Marianne Arkins said...

LOL... I am so the same way! I can't tell you how absolutely awful I felt spraying the carpenter ants we found ... they were grabbing their little eggs and larvae and being good parents. I really just wanted to let them go.

**sigh**

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Marianne! Awe.. They were grabbing the eggs? So sad. I would have wanted to let them go too.

Alyson Noel said...

My husband and I are both terrible at killing insects! We find all sorts of inventive ways to catch and free them!
But this summer when we were invaded by termites, I'm ashamed to admit I broke out the bug spray . . .though if it's any consolation, I felt HORRIBLE when I saw what I'd done!

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Alyson! I know exactly what you mean. :) Sometimes I flush bugs convincing myself they can swim. :) Termites.. Yikes! I think termites are an exception.

Dru said...

I don't like bugs or insects. I will smash them. The only ones I won't do anything to are the ladybugs.

PJ Hoover said...

If my husband is there, he gets to do the killing. Otherwise, I have learned to be brave (for the children) and smash them (the bugs, not the children) myself.

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Dru! Ladybugs are the best bug. :) So cute.

Hi, PJ! :) LOL

Sheri Perl-Oshins said...

If I can catch the bug and set it free outside, that is what we do here. Except flies and mosquitoes. Those, I kill...

And of course, if you have an infestation, well, then you kind of have no choice. We had an ant problem once and an exterminator came out and said they are looking for water to feed the queen, so he told us to buy this ant bait. We laid it out and watched as the amazing ants immeidately formed two lines. One going into the bait, and one going out with yellow "food" on their backs. Eventually the lines got thinner and thinner until there weren't any left. It was hard to kill a creature so industrial.

Brooke Taylor said...

I hate killing anything--but things that could hurt me--like spiders or things that spread bad stuff like mosquitos & ticks are squashed with as much dignity and swiftness as I can.

I have great shame for a wasp masacre I participated in when I was just a wee child. I still remember all the bodies.

Chelsea said...

Ha, I feel the same way. I haaate bugs, but I hate killing them, too. Most of my other family members don't share the same foreboding when it comes to insect deaths, however. I'll try to get them to throw them outside or something, but that doesn't always happen. Especially when it comes to spiders.

Kaitlyn said...

I am a beast at killing insects. I have no fear of any but crickets I don't know why but they creep me out. My mom and little brother hate them too so we make my Daddy kill them.

You can borrow Let It Snow if you want once I am done it in a day or so. No reading tonight after finishing Paper Towns. Bed early for PSATs.

Suzanne Young said...

OMG. I HATE ANTS!!!!!!!! UGH! I get them here and I freak! I have a bug guy on speed dial because my husband can't kill a spider. haha.

Stay brave! :)

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Teri! Me too sometimes. :)

Hi, Sheri! They are smart little bugs. Mosquitos are on the kill list here and since they bite, I don't feel so bad.

Hi, Brooke! :) Wasps sting and hurt - that's okay.

Hi, Chelsea! Yuck spiders. :)

Hi, Kaitlyn! Good luck with the PSATs. :)

Hi, Suzanne! LOL. Thanks. :)

Carrie Harris said...

Yeah, I was a bug pacifist until I took a drink once and got a mouthful of ants. And it wasn't even sitting out that long. After that, it was WAR!!! LOL

Diana Dang said...

Oh my gosh, this summer the ants were everywhere! It was pretty nasty too, always crawling around on the kitchen floor. I was disgusted and only killed the ones in my presence. Lol, I wasn't going out of my way to find their nest!

Beth said...

haha, my old math/spanish class was infested with flying ants...my teacher would spray all this stuff, which he stage-whispered to us was fairly illegal (not the stuff-just to be spraying it in a public classroom.) dead bugs would fall out of the ceiling, his keyboard could be turned upside down and the ants would fall like dandruff.
im not squeamish about killing bugs, really, but i avoid it if at all possible. i dont mind daddy long-legs spiders, even tho they sometimes roost in the kitchen or bathroom, and yell at kids who squish them for no reason, outside.
ew, once i got in the shower and saw a moth, and tried to just let it be, but it decided halfway through it was scared of water and flew right at me- freaked me out. that one did bother me, but usually i just let bugs be.

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Carrie! OMG! Gross!

Hi, Diana! Yuck.. It must be the year of the ants. :)

Hi, Beth! Urgh.. Bugs falling out of the ceiling? Classrooms seem to be a place for bugs to hang out. Every classroom I worked in had some sort of bug issue. Yuck.

Justin The Teen Librarian said...

I try not to kill any insects, but when they get in my house I kind of freak out. I don't do well with spiders in my bedroom and ants near my food....which, by the way, is this a Jersey thing? I've never had ants in my house, but ever since I moved to Jersey there are ants everywhere! And I live on the 2nd floor! How did you get rid of them?

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Justin! Is it a Jersey thing? Hmm.. But, what an interesting question. :) The ants are back in my daughter's room, so if you find out how to get rid of them, let me know. :)

Unknown said...

i hate insects too. and look at it this way: they were trespassing on your property so you had every right to eliminate them! :)

happy weekend!

Justin The Teen Librarian said...

Yeah, our house has been invaded as well, but we don't want to do the pesticide thing due to the baby growing in my wife Haley's belly. I've heard that mint will drive them away and I've tried that but, I guess I didn't use enough.

Anonymous said...

Bugs creep me out. I mash 'em myself, but I have to admit, I do feel guilty. I know, survival of the fittest, and all, and they're icky and germ-carrying, but . . .I still feel bad for killing things.

I NEVER kill spiders, though -- don't want to bring that karma down on me!

I catch them and release them outside.

YA Book Realm said...

Ohh my god! I'm one of those people that scream and freak out whenever I see any form of insect! There was one insect that I wasn't afraid of and that was a butterfly. But that all changed up until last night when I had a nightmare where a HUGE butterfly landed on my face and suffocated me with it enormous wings. I wonder if the dream was anyway related to me having to take the PSATs this morning.

Anyway, there are these huge ants I saw in my backyard once and it was scary. These were no ordinary ants they looked like they were on steroids or something. They were pretty big for your average ants.

Keri Mikulski said...

Hi, Virginia! Good point. :)

Hi, Justin! Let me know if the mint thing works. :)

Hi, Devon! :) Karma and spiders?

Hi, YA Book Realm! Yikes. Good luck with your PSATs. :)

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

Thanks so much for sharing about Secret Fates and the happy release wishes, Keri! That is so nice of you!

Alea said...

I feel bad too! I won't kill ladybugs. I do kill box elder bugs and spiders though because they are totally creepy. I just wish they would stay outside! I just couldn't go to sleep knowing they were in my room and could pop into my mouth or ear at any time!!!