It started on Satuday, about 15 minutes after our exterminator company closed for the day. So after I spotted the first 2 or 3 ants, I promptly cleared off all the counters, washed any lingering dishes that were in the sink, and put out every possible home remedy I could think of. Right now, just about every inch of counter space in our kitchen is covered with Cinnamon sticks, Cloves, Boric Acid, Black Pepper, Red Chili Powder, and Vinegar. I squished every pesky little ant that had the bad luck of coming within my line of sight. Needless to say, the kitchen is closed until further notice!
My severe ant phobia can be traced back to my childhood when I was ravaged not once, but twice by fierce, unrelenting Texas Fire Ants. They are more commonly known as Red Imported Fire Ants, orginating in South America, and introduced into the US in the 1930's from a Cargo Ship that docked in Mobile, Alabama. They are now most common in the southeastern states so I pretty much grew up knowing to beware fire ants.
Wikipedia accurately describes the most common way in which people are attacked - which, incidentally, is what happened to me *both* times: a person accidentally steps into a mound, causing the ants to immediately attack by swarming up the person's legs. It happens so fast that you don't even realize it.
So it happened to me twice. The first time, I went out into our front yard where my dad was mowing the lawn. As I stood on the lawn, I suddenly felt my legs burning, only to look down and launch into an all out panic at the sight of hundreds, maybe even thousands of ants all over my legs. They were all over - from my feet up to my thighs. I screamed in pain while my dad ran to the water hose and sprayed them off. But the damage was done - for nearly a week I had welts all over my legs. Poor me - I was a mere 5 years old!
The second time these cursed critters attacked me was during a family outing to Galveston, TX (I think it was the same year!). While we were all enjoying the beach, I had the misfortune of accidentally stepping into another mound of fireants. Same story, different day. I had itchy, painful welts for a week.
So....I *really* hate ants. And it doesn't help that we get this crazy ant invasion just about every year, right around this time of the season. Gross.
Tomorrow's exterminator visit can't come soon enough!