Wednesday 22 May 2013

Night time visitors

Last night was one of those nights when despite being tired and having walked for a few hours in the morning, I just couldn't get to sleep. I have entrenched insomnia and some nights, I know I am not going to go off.

Jumping out of bed I made my way in the moonlight to the kitchen for a small tipple of a liquer in some milk. Sounds disgusting but it usually works - (tut tut I hear you say) well, needs must and all that jazz and quite frankly, I'm long past caring.

Anyway, I was sitting up in bed reading a book and having a drink (like you do) and saw something black near the skirting board. I had previously seen a small dead spider in the same place and thought nothing of it. A few minutes later, it seemed to not only move but was larger - which was odd, as I knew it was dead and only small.

Eventually I gave up and got out of bed, got a small torch, and put on my glasses to investigate. The black moving part was a large bunch of ants, who had (and still were) snaking their way along the bottom of the skirting board to 'feast' one presumes, on said spider. By now, I was wide awake again and telling the ants in no uncertain fashion just what I thought of them.

I was blowed if I was going to wander out to the garage in the middle of the night to get some ant powder so investigated in the kitchen and brought some salt back. I gave the whole heaving mass plus stragglers a good dollop. They stopped dead in their tracks and I was just about to turn away when they exploded out of the salt and ran in all directions.

Moving swiftly back to avoid them running onto me and up into my nightie, I then spent about 10 minutes squishing them with the spoon handle I had brought with the salt! I don't like killing things but there was no way I was going to get to sleep wondering how many more of the wee beasties were coming in.

After about 10 minutes or so, I had sorted them out and returned to bed with my book and booze. Eventually I went to sleep and slept through until 8.00 am.

10 comments:

  1. We are in ant season right now..a spray with white vinegar does the trick, as well as any spray cleaning solution....did you fall asleep after all that excitement?

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  2. Didn't want to use any of the above as I have a 100% wool carpet and wasn't sure what anything else might do. Thanks for the tips anyway (I can use them elsewhere).

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  3. Diatomaceous earth sops them as well and is non toxic ( but white)

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  4. Ha!! Well thats one thing to do when you cant sleep!! Thanks for the tip about nytol but sadly I have tried them and they dont work for me X

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  5. We get liquid Nippon in a tube, its about a pound in Wilko. A few drops on a bit of card and they love it, they take it back to the nest and it kills the lot, usually 2 doses does the trick.

    Tia maria and hot milk for me :-)

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  6. We often have an ant problem but we seem to be on top of it; they never get upstairs - oh, you are in a bungalow, aren't you? I loathe them (not as much as the rooks, mind you!) and though I will never hurt a bee or spider I have no compunction about sending them to their doom if they enter my home!!

    Hope you managed to sleep after all the excitement. I had insomnia from the day my firstborn arrived until.... a few years ago. About 35 years. Not good. Even now I can be up til all hours quite happily if I am engrossed with something.

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  7. I sympathize with you, I have no trouble going to sleep, it is staying that way for more than 3-4 hours that gets me.

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  8. The little buggers won't cross talcum powder - I cannot stand ants!
    Rose H
    x

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  9. I don't know how you got to sleep after all that, I would have lain there itching and scratching!!

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  10. Thank you for all your comments: Compostwoman, never heard of that but will give it a read, Anne, you did try the Nytol in the blue box - the green doesn't work and it can take a week or two to kick in, Karen, thanks for that,Pam, yes I know that can be a problem for some people, you have my sympathy, Rose H, talcum powder eh, well I didn't know that either, thanks, Sue, I think the liquer and milk helped!
    Lynne, it must be nice to feel happy doing something so am glad that helps for you. Reading and a drink seems to help.

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