Fire ants 2, me 0
So for the past couple of years I’ve spent a few days in south Texas brush country – enjoying friends, hot weather, and a huge dose of gracious hospitality. It’s always a treat, with one exception. This is fire ant territory. Now there are several kinds of fire ants, and I respect the boundaries encouraged to avoid the large, threatened species of fire ants (that pack a bite bad enough to send you to urgent care). Those ants are actually pretty reserved, they want to do their work and you to leave well enough alone.
OK, so ALL ants want that. But the little, red fire ants in the area have determined that EVERYWHERE is their territory. And for whatever reason, when people step on their territory, they have favorites, those whom they look the other way for. I am not one of those people.
Last year, I had bites that looked like these all over my digits and ankles. They itch, burn, swell, weep, and generally don’t heal for weeks. My wounds are healed now, but I did my part to research what I need to do differently next time:
- don’t wear open toed shoes (bummer in the heat, but doable)
- don’t step on their mounds (I LOOK, but they must be everywhere!)
- fire ants do not like cinnamon. A perimeter of cinnamon around areas you are sleeping can help. (aha!)
So this is progress. And I plan to bring enough cinnamon next time to dose my feet and all around my tent to keep out the territorial insects. That is, until last night’s dream:
I dreamed last night that I put down the cinnamon, and was having a grand time with friends nearby when I looked over at my carefully poured powder perimeter. The ants were frolicking in the cinnamon, and to my astonishment, laughed at me: “Fool!” they said in their tiny ant voices, “You chose the cheap, false cinnamon, cassia bark! We love the stuff! It is true cinnamon, the Ceylon cinnamon that is abhorrent to us. HAHAHAHAHA!”
I guess I better bring both kinds, just in case. And stop listening to Sam’s “true cinnamon” rant.
12 comments Monday 27 Apr 2009 | m. | Rants
I bet E.O. Wilson has these kinds of dreams EVERY NIGHT.
Sometimes I wonder if E.O. Wilson has a big scary ant tattoo on his back.
Sometimes I PRAY that E.O. Wilson has a big scary ant tattoo on his back. He would be even more awesome than before, if that were possible.
I think the fire ants from Texas and the black flies from New Zealand should be taken to a remote speck of island somewhere and fight each other to the death. The winner could keep the island and be allowed an occasional sacrifice to be determined by Donald Trump.
O my gosh.My two girls got bites all over them and they are 10 and 8 and my ten yr old is always itching and she all ways complains and askes to go to the hospital o yeah i almost for got that her name is leionna and she is in 5th grade.My 8 year old has them all over and they are getting even bigger and she is in 3rd grade o yeah and her name is alanna and she is always itching too and is always asking to go the doctor too!I am freaking out about this and i just dont know what to do.
Don’t worry – they do go away, they just aren’t comfortable. Try hydrocortizone – and wear closed toe shoes wherever you expect they might be.
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it doesnt happen when you name a starting opening day playerthen announce to the world that he cant and wont be allowed to face left handed pitchers
If not the best, he was certainly the coolest. Him, Greeny, Pedro and Tino in the same team I have to lie down.
Nice work, Dr. Ferguson. But, I am left wanting to know more at the end about Chimerica. What is Americas commitment real to China and vis-a-versa? The Neocons who still have influence in Obamas Admin., what will they have to say about that? This film was good, but it definitely needs a sequel.
Indeed, it was. Will probably get a link up here at some point. Thanks go to Dutch for asking me to come on once again.