Bugs

The last post is one of my favorites. This one not so much. My least favorite part of Thailand is the bugs, or maybe it’s the weather. No, this week, it’s the bugs. Last night had an invasion of the main mow (excuse the spelling and sound it out), the name according to one of my kids. They come after it rains and they come in swarms, attracted to light and are really really gross. Twice I got swarmed when I was in training, literally thousands of these flying insects entered my bedroom from who knows where. They die quickly, but it is miserable until they do. Your only defense is to turn off the light and leave and come back about an hour later. A dead mess on the floor, but at least not flying in your face. So…new town, new house, I would get a few but not too bad. Especially once my screen was put up on the wall with holes in the living room and even better after Thom and Zach screened the major openings in the kitchen and bathroom. I still get bugs, but not as many. Last night, working on my computer, I see a few flying around, and a few more. They were coming under the door from the kitchen into the living room. I sealed it with one plastic bag, they still came, I sealed it with 2 plastic bags, they slowed to a trickle, but still the number was growing rapidly. I looked around…and then I saw them, coming through the crack in between my front doors. There was my tookay, happily eating them, but only one of my 3 tookays was there, and he could not keep up. A valiant effort. I really wasn’t ready to call it a night. So I did battle. My mosquito zapper was pretty effective, dying bugs everywhere. They come in as larvae (I am making this up, but I think it is accurate) in pairs and scurry around together. All of the sudden one runs off quickly, sprouts wings and flies away. I spent way too much time at war with the bugs, but I was able to finally finish my job for the evening. I swept up most of the mess and finished in the morning. No dishes done that night, wasn’t going in the kitchen with lights blaring announcing a new battle. I figured it was better to deal with the ants in the morning.

When I opened the front door in the morning, this was the mess that greeted me. So, most did not make it in!