Small, Medium, Large

They come in all sizes - some are almost microscopic - others vary - extra small, small, medium, large and extra large - just like tee shirts. If they bite you, you experience a hot stinging sensation. They seem to appear when you least expect them and often go about their unwavering chores and duties when you are away on vacation. They are inside and outside here, in Borrego and often attack a desert gardener ferociously. They are extremely active during this time of year and we are trying to cope with them, at present. I've found them before, in my vegetable garden, entering the tiny crack in a melon or covering some gooey unknown. Sometimes, they run along the top of a hose or other times, swarm in the thousands when I have disturbed a nest with a trowel or shovel. I've always ignored them before and never used insecticides in the garden, thinking that they MUST do some good - perhaps loosening soil or harvesting weeds. The big black varieties, seen in the desert, I am sure do not harm much and actually cut down weeds. They leave many hills and underground tunnels. In spring, you will often see a " fairy ring " of green grass, marking their abode. Many old tunnels will collapse under foot, if you step on one, similar to rodent tunnels. By now, you have guessed I'm talking about ANTS!

We went away for a few weeks and returned to find hundreds of ants in the kitchen. During summer, if we leave for a period of time, we leave the swamp coolers on timers to keep the interior of the home moist and to keep the indoor plants healthy. I believe ants like this type of environment because several times, after a vacation, we have experienced the same problem...but never before, this acute. These ants are voracious feeders. They bite through sealed plastic to get to the food in the package. They have a taste for almost anything but seem to prefer dry dog food, crackers, honey, cheeses, meats, fish or oily products. Looked at under a lens, they appear to have a multicolored body - red and black. Their bite, in every way, is as fiery as the garden ants! To combat them, we bought two different types of ant traps available at the Center Market or Ace Hardware. The ants completely avoided the ant traps on stakes and, at first, skirted the little plastic igloo traps. I thought the traps might have been lacking in moisture so I added a few drops of water to each trap. Now, they are actively feasting. We have tried this technique before and it has always worked. If all goes as planned, within a few days the ants will disappear as if by magic. In the meanwhile, all potato chips, honey, crackers, cheese and snacks are in the freezer for safekeeping.

If all else fails, we will call Earl Pratt, the person who solves Borrego bug problems!