Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Ok, many of you know me and that I live in Australia. A fantastic country. Except we have every deadly creature you can think of. Spiders that can kill you, the most lethal snakes, crocodiles, very big sharks,

We also have ants. Lots of them;  Australia is really the cover for the biggest Ant colony ever. And most are horrible:  we have inch ants, that tear flesh off you, jumper ants, that can be lethal. Fire ants, great little critters. And a new type that I have discovered " Cindy Antum Bedum". I found this species a year or so ago when I woke up in the middle of the night covered in ants in my bed.

I am a clean woman. I generally shower twice a day. I clean my house. I am in fact house proud. I wash my bedding weekly. More often if I've been lucky, that hasn't happened for a while :P.

I woke up last night again covered in ants. There is no real way of describing how you feel waking up in your bed covered in ants. I'll start with saying it is unpleasant. You can use your imagination to go further. I levitated to the shower, scattering insects along the way. They seemed reluctant to leave me, I then found their trail and sprayed poisons over them. I was conscious of going into the front garden naked, as my next door neighbour has just started to talk to me again after finding me in my nightie in my garden several months ago when my security alarm went off; but I did and I sprayed enough carcinogens to blight the next several generations who will occupy the area.  I changed my bedding. I tried to go to sleep.

Today I have trails of ants to vacuum up.

Why me? I'm not there Aunty.

Anyone else had this problem, and I don't mean the bad puns.

Cindy

Gosh hon,
I had all sorts of problems in my life to date. Ants in and on anything that has something sweet in it, oh yeah.

Am guessing those critters just though you the sweetest thing about yet, honey pie :-)

Didn't you at least enjoy for a moment getting tickled by lots of significant OTHERS??

Giggle,
Axelle

I've had ants in the kitchen, ants in the bathroom, but never ants in my bed.

One thing I learned from my ex: most of the time, the ants were just thirsty. They were going for the small amount of wetness at the bottom of the sink or in bowls and cups on the drainboard. We started to leave the garden hose on a slow drip in the back yard, and that took care of the problem.

Somehow, I don't think that is going to work for you...

I woke up last night again covered in ants.

Ants in your bed?  :icon_blink:  That would drive me completely nuts!!! We have ants where I live, red lil' devils that bite... I've seen them around the building and garden area and people have complained about getting them in their places, but luckily none have made into my apt. except a couple of strays that came in on my clothes from the garden

I was conscious of going into the front garden naked

That will get you arrested quicker than most anything where I live

Sorry that happened to you Sis  :-* :-* :-*

Hugs

- Virginia

Oh they had a trail from the front garden under the front door directly to my bed and back again. Arch we have had a wet winter for Aus so that should not be the problem and I don't use 'sugary' body lotions or soaps. It was a horrible feeling, I'm laughing it off to deal with it, but I'm a bit reluctant to go to bed. I have put down kilos of ant kill powder around the house today, probably kill me before the ants.

They were tiny, not to gross people out but they were in my ears, my bottom ??? my pubes, I felt foul.

I'm trying to laugh it all off but it was horrible.

Sorry

Cindy

Yikes, just reading that made my skin crawl.

Sorry to hear about the ant attack, Cindy.

Julie and I have been waging a major battle with them in our home this summer, mostly in the kitchen. We try to always keep it free of food and enticements, and with ant traps. These aren't any normal ants- their kharmacized marauders.

Let me explain. My lovely wife, Julie, has taken on the task of repairing and completely renovating our backyard hot tub. In so doing, she located a significant colony in the insulation of our spa. Of course, Julie destroyed their little ant Las Vegas hotel. In so doing, she set off a terrible, bad kharma plague of the critters who are seeking a new hang out.

What she didn't realize was that these weren't ordinary ants-they're giant, hot tub deprived monsters!

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthebigblogtheory.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fthem2.jpg&hash=d1c4915693f4c8e9d2704cccef700fc1e805b25a)

It's Nature, red in tooth and claw, if you push in one place it's just going to bulge in another place.  Silly humans, thinking they got's some power or something.  There are 5,400 species of mammals, and over one million species of insects, with an additional hundred thousand species of spiders.  It's a war and we're losing.  Any sort of thinking that we are somehow masters and mistresses of the universe is wrong.  Bugs are.

First thing I would do is sprinkle a healthy dose of diatomaceous earth (DE) around the perimeter of your house and anywhere you know ants have created a path.  DE is a white powder harmless to humans and animals but lethal to insects with an exoskeleton.  These insects walk over the DE and it abrades their exoskeleton.  It's like dragging your body over shards of broken glass.  Once the exoskeleton has been abraded, the bugs begin to dehydrate and die.  It's like draining the water out of them.  Also, when the ants walk over the DE, they pick up some of the DE on their skin and when they go back to the nest, they pass it on to other ants and spread it through the nest.

You can usually find DE at a farm supply and some home centers.  Some companies make DE with a bug killing agent in it.  Problem is ants can sense this and avoid it (and it's harmful to humans and animals.)  You have to get them to walk over the DE for it to be effective.

One problem is DE has the consistency of baby powder and you can imagine what would happen if you sprinkled that all over your floors.  It actually tracks worse than baby powder and it can transfer to everything.  So I would place the DE with that in mind.

I put DE near the corner of the house where I thought they were coming in (closest to the hot tub) but I didn't get under the deck, which is adjacent to the kitchen.  But I did notice right after spreading it we didn't have ants in the house for a while.  However rain will wash DE away over time.  I just need to repeat the process and crawl under the deck to spread it there too now that they have found our kitchen their one stop shop again.

Proper use of the word exoskeleton in a sentence makes me so hot.

Quote from: tekla on September 03, 2011, 08:36:03 AM
Proper use of the word exoskeleton in a sentence makes me so hot.

Meet me out back, by the dumpster, tonight.  10PM.  Don't be late.

Quote from: Julie Marie on September 03, 2011, 08:20:23 AM
First thing I would do is sprinkle a healthy dose of diatomaceous earth (DE) around the perimeter of your house and anywhere you know ants have created a path.  DE is a white powder harmless to humans and animals but lethal to insects with an exoskeleton.  These insects walk over the DE and it abrades their exoskeleton.  It's like dragging your body over shards of broken glass.  Once the exoskeleton has been abraded, the bugs begin to dehydrate and die.  It's like draining the water out of them.  Also, when the ants walk over the DE, they pick up some of the DE on their skin and when they go back to the nest, they pass it on to other ants and spread it through the nest.

You can usually find DE at a farm supply and some home centers.  Some companies make DE with a bug killing agent in it.  Problem is ants can sense this and avoid it (and it's harmful to humans and animals.)  You have to get them to walk over the DE for it to be effective.

One problem is DE has the consistency of baby powder and you can imagine what would happen if you sprinkled that all over your floors.  It actually tracks worse than baby powder and it can transfer to everything.  So I would place the DE with that in mind.

I put DE near the corner of the house where I thought they were coming in (closest to the hot tub) but I didn't get under the deck, which is adjacent to the kitchen.  But I did notice right after spreading it we didn't have ants in the house for a while.  However rain will wash DE away over time.  I just need to repeat the process and crawl under the deck to spread it there too now that they have found our kitchen their one stop shop again.

Just what I have done, I remember now your problems, whatever you do don't have a hot tub!!!

I'm very much a let live person, unless I'm being invaded. I'm about to go to bed and have been searching the house, I been feeling itchy all day. Ugh

Cindy 

And what about change door for tight one

Kia Ora Cindy,

::) There are a number of reasons as to why they were in your bed= 1) If you've eaten or drank something whilst sitting in bed =2) Your natural body odor  "sweat" =3) the washing power/liquid you used for your bedding or nightwear 4)  A random search for food... ->-bleeped-<- happens  ;) ;D

::) Why not feed them outside...Find out what species of ant it is and what food source they prefer and feed it to them outside and gradually move the food source away from the house...That's the best environmentally sound  pesticide free solution...[providing their are an indigenous species]...

When it comes to aerating the soil ants come a close second to worms, in some place they even do better than worms...

Metta Zenda :)

I forget to add "You might have spilt something on your "skin" and not washed it off completely"

But look on the bright side...It could be worse...It could be bedbugs-they are making a come back in many parts of the Western world...

If they are little tiny things, they may have been pharaoh ants. For the last couple of years I was living in my last place, I had a problem with them. Do you use body lotion? They may have been attracted to that. Pharaoh ants like sweets and fats. They liked dry cat food, so I periodically had to move the food bowls. These ants LOVED the cream I used in my coffee--I once left an unwashed cream bottle on the counter for a few hours, and the ants were frantically drowning in it, in droves. Ick. Almost made me give up coffee; it's hard to get the bottles squeaky clean.

Quote from: Arch on September 03, 2011, 04:22:59 PM
If they are little tiny things, they may have been pharaoh ants. For the last couple of years I was living in my last place, I had a problem with them. Do you use body lotion? They may have been attracted to that. Pharaoh ants like sweets and fats. They liked dry cat food, so I periodically had to move the food bowls. These ants LOVED the cream I used in my coffee--I once left an unwashed cream bottle on the counter for a few hours, and the ants were frantically drowning in it, in droves. Ick. Almost made me give up coffee; it's hard to get the bottles squeaky clean.

Kia Ora Arch,

::) Place the cat's food bowl in a dish of water=moat around the food bowl- you can actually buy pet food bowls with a moat tray attached ...

::) If you can't buy them in your area -go into business with a person who mold's  plastic, make your own "Sir Arch's Pet Food Moats" and sell them...I'm sure they'll be popular... 

Metta Zenda :)

Quote from: Cindy James on September 03, 2011, 10:45:01 AM
Just what I have done, I remember now your problems, whatever you do don't have a hot tub!!!

I'm very much a let live person, unless I'm being invaded. I'm about to go to bed and have been searching the house, I been feeling itchy all day. Ugh

Cindy

If all else fails you can always build yourself a screened in bed.  Some 1x2 slats, some aluminum screen (many ants can chew through fiberglass screens) and a staple gun.  At least you'd be able to sleep without the ants.

Quote from: Julie Marie on September 03, 2011, 08:20:23 AM
First thing I would do is sprinkle a healthy dose of diatomaceous earth (DE) around the perimeter of your house and anywhere you know ants have created a path.  DE is a white powder harmless to humans and animals but lethal to insects with an exoskeleton.  These insects walk over the DE and it abrades their exoskeleton.  It's like dragging your body over shards of broken glass.  Once the exoskeleton has been abraded, the bugs begin to dehydrate and die.  It's like draining the water out of them.  Also, when the ants walk over the DE, they pick up some of the DE on their skin and when they go back to the nest, they pass it on to other ants and spread it through the nest.

You can usually find DE at a farm supply and some home centers.  Some companies make DE with a bug killing agent in it.  Problem is ants can sense this and avoid it (and it's harmful to humans and animals.)  You have to get them to walk over the DE for it to be effective.

One problem is DE has the consistency of baby powder and you can imagine what would happen if you sprinkled that all over your floors.  It actually tracks worse than baby powder and it can transfer to everything.  So I would place the DE with that in mind.

I put DE near the corner of the house where I thought they were coming in (closest to the hot tub) but I didn't get under the deck, which is adjacent to the kitchen.  But I did notice right after spreading it we didn't have ants in the house for a while.  However rain will wash DE away over time.  I just need to repeat the process and crawl under the deck to spread it there too now that they have found our kitchen their one stop shop again.

hey thanks for that info


.. i use boric acid which works great too

Quote from: Amazon D on September 03, 2011, 04:45:57 PM
hey thanks for that info


.. i use boric acid which works great too

Kia Ora Amazon,

Quote from Wiki

"Based on mammalian median lethal dose (LD50) rating of 2,660 mg/kg body mass, boric acid is poisonous if taken internally or inhaled in large quantities. However, it is generally considered to be not much more toxic than table salt.[4] The Thirteenth Edition of the Merck Index indicates that the LD50 of boric acid is 5.14 g/kg for oral dosages given to rats, and that 5 to 20 g/kg has produced death in adult humans. The LD50 of sodium chloride is reported to be 3.75 g/kg in rats according to the Merck Index.
Long term exposure to boric acid may be of more concern, causing kidney damage and eventually kidney failure (see links below). Although it does not appear to be carcinogenic, studies in dogs have reported testicular atrophy after exposure to 32 mg/kg bw/day for 90 days. This level is far lower than the LD50.[5]
According to boric acid IUCLID Dataset published by the European Commission, boric acid in high doses shows significant developmental toxicity and teratogenicity in rabbit, rat, and mouse fetuses as well as cardiovascular defects, skeletal variations, mild kidney lesions.[6] As a consequence, in August 2008, in the 30th ATP to EU directive 67/548/EEC, the EC decided to amend its classification as reprotoxic category 2 and to apply the risk phrases R60 (may impair fertility) and R61 (may cause harm to the unborn child).[7][8][9][10][11]
At a recent European Diagnostics Manufacturing Association (EDMA) Meeting several new additions to the Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) candidate list in relation to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals Regulations 2007 (REACH) were discussed. The registration and review completed as part of REACH has meant the current classification of Boric Acid CAS 10043-35-3 / 11113-50-1 as of 1 December 2010 will be listed as H360FD (May damage fertility. May damage the unborn child.) [12] [13]

D E's a safer approach if you are going to put "powder" in and around your house...

However, I've use Boric acid for both cockroaches and ants, however if you are going to use it, make it into a liquid "bait" [for ants] and put into non target animal proof containers ...You can find how to make up bait solutions on/in our friend the bible "google"...

Metta Zenda :)

build yourself a screened in bed

Sounds like a vacation in hell.  Crawl into your ant free cage at night while all around you the walls are moving.  Nope.  I don't like it.  Not one little bit.

Quote from: tekla on September 03, 2011, 06:38:27 PM
build yourself a screened in bed

Sounds like a vacation in hell.  Crawl into your ant free cage at night while all around you the walls are moving.  Nope.  I don't like it.  Not one little bit.

So waking up with ants crawling all over your body is better?  Or do we just skip the trip down under?

I'm beginning to wonder if the people who sent criminals to the island penal colony also sent along a few critters to make things interesting.

From The Naked Jungle:

"You're talking about an enemy that's twenty miles long and two miles wide! That's forty square miles of agonizing death! You can't stop it! Don't be a fool, Leiningen!!!"

Okay, I probably misquoted, but I'm too lazy to track down the scene.

  I have a unique experience with the fire ant.  I camped down in Florida 4 times and got stung 3 of those times.  The first time I got bit by one ant and it left an itchy welt that lasted 2 weeks.  The second was by a swarm up both legs when I got up and sat on my cot feet on the ground.  That time small red welts that lasted only 2-3 hours.  Third time, swarm up one leg, the ten minute burn, no welts whatsoever.  I've been warned it may be anaphylactic shock the next time. 
  Joelene

Some people really like those pesky creatures...

Bullet ant ritual - awesome! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VarqiOM4-Fg#)

Quote from: Arch on September 03, 2011, 10:14:30 PM
From The Naked Jungle:

"You're talking about an enemy that's twenty miles long and two miles wide! That's forty square miles of agonizing death! You can't stop it! Don't be a fool, Leiningen!!!"

Okay, I probably misquoted, but I'm too lazy to track down the scene.

I remember that movie, didn't one guy fall asleep in his boat and got eaten? Then the ants crossed the river on leaves? Damn getting itchy again :laugh:
Cindy

Quote from: Joelene9 on September 03, 2011, 11:02:26 PM
  I have a unique experience with the fire ant.  I camped down in Florida 4 times and got stung 3 of those times.  The first time I got bit by one ant and it left an itchy welt that lasted 2 weeks.  The second was by a swarm up both legs when I got up and sat on my cot feet on the ground.  That time small red welts that lasted only 2-3 hours.  Third time, swarm up one leg, the ten minute burn, no welts whatsoever.  I've been warned it may be anaphylactic shock the next time. 
  Joelene

Unlikely, your immune response has changed from an inflammatory response to an adaptive. You have become desensitised. Which is good.

Cindy

Quote from: Julie Marie on September 03, 2011, 09:50:42 PM
So waking up with ants crawling all over your body is better?  Or do we just skip the trip down under?

I'm beginning to wonder if the people who sent criminals to the island penal colony also sent along a few critters to make things interesting.

Well South Australia was never a penal colony, it was free settled, but the fire ants are an import as are cane toads, fortunately we don't have either in SA at the moment. Cane toads were the classic mistake they were brought in to control some other critter, but they have no natural predators here so they just went wild and are everywhere in the northern parts of Aus.

You have to do the trip down under on day 'cos even with all of our too friendly critters it is a gorgeous place.

Cindy

Quote from: Cindy James on September 04, 2011, 02:06:26 AM
I remember that movie, didn't one guy fall asleep in his boat and got eaten? Then the ants crossed the river on leaves? Damn getting itchy again :laugh:

One of the great B movies, with some terrific quotable lines...and Eleanor Parker is just fantastic in anything.

Who was the lead?  Didn't 'they' set fire to the bush and destroy all the ants, I think it is at least 30 years since I saw that. Thanks Arch for making me itchy again :laugh:

Cindy

QuoteWho was the lead?

Charlton Heston, tall and grimy and glowering.

They beat the ants with sticks, burned them, and finally flooded them. Great fun.

Oh Thank you,

A Charlton Heston - B. It must be a better movie than we give credit for since I still remember seeing it and enjoying it, as you do as well :laugh:.  Wonder why there hasn't been a remake? Brad Pitt would suit.

Cindy

But who could replace Eleanor Parker?

I like Heston in Secret of the Incas as well. Raiders of the Lost Ark was a shameful ripoff but a much better movie.

Ooh, we had better get back on topic...

Oh dear, I had never caught on to the HF = CH, and it is so obvious when you mention it. Same plots new stunts and thank goddess for CGG. Eleanor Parker was an actress and had a tried and true CV as an actress. CH was never an actor, I'm not sure where he came from (and no I'm not going to Google him.) I'm liking the discussion :-*,  The only one at the moment would be Resse Witherspoon. Meryl Streep would be awesome but too old, sadly. I'm struggling to think of good actors of either gender. Daniel Craig can act.  Female actors I'm lost for. May I suggest for many people reality TV has destroyed the concept of acting. People do not seem to differentiate acting and being a public fool/nuisance. As we know there is a difference.

Hugs

Cindy

Ant problems? Call in the French... They will gather them up, dip them in chocolate and serve them with wine, bread and cheese



*Sorry, I'm a messed up individual*

Anyone  who cannot tell her tampon from a boot is seriously worried.


Kiss and Thanks, Sis

Cindy

Put pieces of artificial sweetener in the house. The ants are attracted to sweet things, and they will eat the sweetener. Since the sweetener is about 100-800 times sweeter than normal sugar, they will eat incredibly much of it (thinking they just found the BEST FOOD EVER!!!1!!1one), so much so that they eat themselves to death.

Another way is to take a piece of cloth, tie a string around it, dip the cloth in syrup, and then drag it on the ground away from your house. They will follow the sweet scent of the syrup, and thusly walk away from your house. The concentration of sugar will make them make that syrup-path into their main path.