The title only summarizes only a few of the bugs we have come across and ultimately killed. Ants, bees, gnats, grasshoppers, and moths are some of the others. We live in a 15th century house without screens and nooks and crannies in every room so we get exposed to many more of the outside elements than the average person. It feels like every flying critter has found a way into our home. While it had rained for a few days before we arrived and spot showered during our first week here, but not since then . So now that it’s been dry and hot for the last three weeks the mosquitos have reared their ugly heads and stingers.
Since we don’t have central air and rely on a sole fan, the screen-less windows need to be open during the day to get some fresh air into the house. Fritz has become very strategic in keeping the sun from heating up the rooms while getting a cross breeze. But once the sun goes down and the lights get turned on, the doors and windows must close (why oh why don’t Europeans use screens?). In the process, we often trap some mosquitos into the house who then find their way to me. This last week the mosquitos were especially bad and I have the welts to prove them. Not only does the itching drive me crazy and keep me awake at night, but the mental work it takes to not scratch them makes me break out in sweat in an already warm house. Even when one isn’t around, I still can’t help but flinch and check every 5 seconds to make sure there isn’t one on one of my ankles.
As for the ants…they seem to have made a nice home for themselves in the kitchen around the sink. Each morning we have to wash the dish rack of both live and dead ants only to find it infested again within hours. Fritz has sprayed the heck of the kitchen, but there’s always more coming. At one point, I thought I was on the set of Antz (the movie) trapped on a green screen with hundreds of ants marching towards me.
Luckily with the help of various allergy pills and the constant application of domeboro, tea tree oil, and toothpaste the itching has been kept to a minimum. Negroni’s have also been proven to help.
I want to end this post on a more pleasant note and leave you with some pics of flowers blooming around the house.
Anna's Travel Blog 