wishes for a good killing frost

15 years ago

I thought I lived too far north for this. Last night, probably due to some construction at a house down the row, a flying cockroach got into my apartment. What a large dark moth, I thought, until he landed on the wall above my lamp. He seemed attracted to the light, to the tops of the curtain rods, and to (gulp) me. He also seemed to notice that I noticed him; as he lounged atop the curtain rod he turned his little disgusting head and wiggled his feelers in my direction. I had no weapons at my disposal except some soapy water in a spray bottle, and spritzing him seemed to slow him down some. After about 90 minutes of chasing and hiding (on both our parts), I managed to trap him under a large mug and some cardboard, and transfered him outside. He flew right back to my shoulder. I flicked him away and he landed on the other shoulder. I flicked him away really hard and ran back into the house shuddering. He was too large to consider squishing; if I'd stepped on him, the resulting displacement would have been larger than my shoe, and I cannot stomach that idea.

I may have to move to Greenland.

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Comments (8)

pamven
15 years ago
The mere thought makes my toes curl...........
janetm_md
15 years ago
YUCK and I thought those 17 year cicadas were bad a few years ago!
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Josh
15 years ago
If this is your first experience with one of those creatures you are fortunate indeed. Just hope it wasn't a female laying eggs atop your curtains. I've read that the paper bags brought home from market often have a hidden hitch-hiker or the eggs. Another reason for using our own cloth bags. josh
Mrobbins
Original Author
15 years ago
...are immediately going into the tub with some hot water and bleach. Thanks for the tip.
calliope
15 years ago
I am laughing at your reaction. If you've ever lived in the south, you get used to aeronautic bugs of huge proportions. They are disgusting, aren't they? I mean, just to look at and know their guts are white. I read somewhere that those weren't guts but eggs. Yuck.

As for killing frost, go wash your mouth out! Not for awhile, puleese.
andie_rathbone
15 years ago
Welcome to my world! When I first moved to Texas, I was camping out in the new Dallas house with rented furniture before DH could close up his office & come down with the moving van. I had been out to dinner with a friend & came home, switched on the kitchen lights & there in the sink was the biggest big I'd ever seen. I thought it was some kind of a mutant! I grabbed the little water sprayer thing & washed it down the garbage disposal, the hair standing on teh back of my neck.

Th next day at work I was telling some people at work about this giant bug & one of the secretaries - a Texas native - just looked at me with total disdain & said, "That would be a roach." My first call that morning was to Orkin to sign up for a monthly plan
wandaredhead
15 years ago
Welcome to my world. LOL!!

As andie said, we are on first name basis with the Orkin man.
Josh
15 years ago
I just use Borax sprinkled under sink and on floor of linen closet in bathrooms (where there is access door to bathroom water pipes)... plus under bookshelves which hold potted plants and around back of washer where pipes enter house...in other words near any water source or dampness.

Years ago I tried monthly pesticide service but odor of spray was worse aggravation to me than insects...when I complained they offered odorless spray which was okay but I still worried about potent pesticides. Plus I still had occasional insect visitor. If it was cold and wet they said bugs trying to get warm/dry. If hot and dry, the explanation was they came in looking for water. LOL Always willing to make extra trip but it just meant more pesticide all over my baseboards.

So I cancelled service and we started using Borax recommended by County Extension Service. Works well...I still occasionally see a half-dead slow moving roach but I can deal with that. If you have pets be sure Borax used in inaccessible places only. Doesn't work on spiders and I sometimes have those tiniest of black ants on windowsill in kitchen but they are easily dealt with by rubbing alcohol/water solution in spray bottle...josh

wishes for a good killing frost

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pamven

janetm_md

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wishes for a good killing frost

Comments (8)

pamven

janetm_md

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