I remember Thanksgiving Day while I was deployed to Operation Desert Shield which eventually changed to Desert Storm. Remember Desert Storm? Hard to believe its been twenty years. They wanted us to feel right at home when we celebrated. The meal was bountiful and we all appreciated the efforts put forth by our dining facility team. They even went in and hung fly strips in advance to capture those pesky critters anxious to share our meal with us. When it came time to eat, the fly strips were still hanging there and they were completely filled with flies. Still, I think those flies told all their friends about Thanksgiving because even with the fly strips, I had to swat with one hand and eat with the other. I felt like someone who had been denied food for weeks hovered over my plate guarding it. But they were determined little buggers. You know what? To this day, I cringe when a fly is buzzing around. Gives me the shivers just to think about 'em. Luckily, our son is extremely stilled in the use of a plastic swatter.
Well, later, in 1993, during Operation Restore Hope in Mogadishu, Somalia, those flies came back or if they didn't, they sure had relatives because Somalia was full of them. And in Somalia, I also had to deal with another determined critter. A loved one had mailed me a package. It was the best feeling in the world to receive a package from home. It wasn't always fresh baked goods. After all, they had to travel a long long way...fresh from home wasn't guaranteed to be fresh once it reached you. But even the store bought stuff warmed my heart. It meant someone at home cared enough to buy it, box it up, put an address on it, go to the post office, and pay the postage. It made you feel loved. In one box I received, there was a bag of trail mix. I love trail mix. I mean who doesn't love trail mix, right? I sat there on a big rock there in the middle of Hell central, the enemy just beyond the perimeter going to town on my nuts, M&M's, and raisins. Mmmm... All of a sudden, something was crawling on my hand. It was a black ant. I shook it off and looked where I was sitting. Was I on an ant hill? No. Those little determined demons had somehow found a way into my box even before I opened it and they had taken over my trail mix. Well, try not to be grossed out, but I kept eating the trail mix. As I said, I love trail mix. Besides, I was bigger than they were. What nerve. That trail mix was sent to me. The box hadn't been labeled "To African Ants, Tent City, University Compound, Mogadishu, Somalia."
Well, that was all a long time ago. Today, I figure I shouldn't have to worry about bugs. We get the occasional spider in the house, and in Arizona, we even had a snake (long story). I'm not bothered by spiders (or snakes for that matter). Its the little fly like critters that bug me, probably because of what I experienced so long ago. I have my kid to chase down the flies that sneak in and my husband deals with the big stuff...like wasps. I love his spray and run technique.
No, what is bugging me lately is the fruit flies. After all, I've been good. I've been exercising and eating healthy. Why are these blasted black dot little bugs flying around my kitchen? UGH! They were flying around me this morning as I drank my smoothie. Why our house? The maids just came yesterday. The trash has been emptied. Are they after my bananas?
So, today, I went looking for a solution to my problem and I found this link... http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf/Pest_Control/Flies/Getting-Rid-of-Fruit-Flies.html
I am trying the apple cider vinegar method. This in itself should show my level of determination as I am allergic to vinegar. Even the smells bother me. I held my breathe and filled a small Tupperware container with vinegar. Then, I covered it with plastic and poked holes in it. We will see what happens... The only down side to this method is I now have to hold my breath every time I go into the kitchen for something. Hey, I would have tried the red wine method, but I like to drink my wine...not feed it to the bugs.
Just as an update, the vinegar method caught only two flies. We later tried filling the plastic covered container with smooshed banana. In total, this method caught eight fruit flies and had absolutely no smell. : )
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