# I pit Ants **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 25, 2006, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835 "2006-03-25T05:38:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/41 "2006-03-29T03:29:18Z")
> [@LunaV](#): > > I went to see her first thing this morning, having gotten no phone call over the weekend. I walked in and first thing she asks is if I’ve washed my sheets. WTF?\*\* No, you fucking cunt, I adore sleeping on ant corpses.\*\* I’m sorry, I know this was, and continues to be horrible, but this was too funny. I wish you’d have said it out loud to her! If I were a sig line kinda girl… I hate apartment managers and management companies. They do the least amount possible. But sure are Johnny on the Spot when it comes to collecting rent aren’t they? I hope you get some sort of satisfaction from them. I hope you call so much that their voice mailboxes fill up and they can’t get any other messages. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/42 "2006-03-29T14:45:47Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > Well, it could be worse. You could have [Ant Ninjas](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=233911) out to assassinate you. :eek: Oh, I feel for you…I really, really feel for you! This just provides more evidence that they plan on slowly taking over the world! ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/43 "2006-03-29T14:49:55Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > I’m sorry, I know this was, and continues to be horrible, but this was too funny. I wish you’d have said it out loud to her! If I were a sig line kinda girl… Thanks! I do hope I get a chance to. I’m not one to wish misery on anyone, but if she were to ever encounter what I did, I’d have a huge smile on my face. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/44 "2006-03-29T16:02:59Z")
I say we nuke your apartment building from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/45 "2006-03-29T17:08:13Z")
Gah, this seems horrible. Had I been in your shoes, after talking to management (then going over their heads and talking to the parent company), I would document everything and contact my local authorities (don’t know for sure is it’s the housing department or what, that’s why I’m not being specific). If they don’t fix an emergency situation to make you feel safe and comfortable in your home, I would arrange to have all my rent sent into escrow so they wouldn’t get it until the situation is resolved. If you do that properly, they can’t evict you and will be forced to address the problem. Can’t you get very sick if you get too many bites? I don’t live in an area that gets fire ants much if at all. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/46 "2006-03-29T17:31:15Z")
**LunaV** , it’s too late this year but next year you might want to plan a little vacation in [Ashburn, GA](http://www.fireantfestival.com/) during March. 😃 \ Miss Fire Ant \ ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/47 "2006-03-29T19:07:25Z")
> [@LunaV](#): > > :eek: Oh, I feel for you…I really, really feel for you! > > This just provides more evidence that they plan on slowly taking over the world! Well, I’m better now. I don’t work there anymore, for reasons unrelated to the ants. My eye suffered no lasting damage either. At least they haven’t invaded my bedroom, yeech. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/48 "2006-03-30T05:20:13Z")
There’s one thing that confuses me. Why on earth would fire ants crawl into a bed? I mean, there’s nothing to eat there, no way to make the tunnels and chambers that they need to have their disgusting little ant nurseries and all. I mean…HUuuurrruuuhhh? PS. I HATE the little buggers too, although I was only in Texas for 9 months, and moved back home to nice safe snakeless, fire antless Alaska directly after. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/49 "2006-03-30T14:11:08Z")
> [@PinkMarabou](#): > > Gah, this seems horrible. Had I been in your shoes, after talking to management (then going over their heads and talking to the parent company), I would document everything and contact my local authorities (don’t know for sure is it’s the housing department or what, that’s why I’m not being specific). If they don’t fix an emergency situation to make you feel safe and comfortable in your home, I would arrange to have all my rent sent into escrow so they wouldn’t get it until the situation is resolved. If you do that properly, they can’t evict you and will be forced to address the problem. See, I would have liked to have done something along these lines, but this is my first apartment and I didn’t know what I could do. I thought about contacting the owners of the apartment complex to let them know how unhappy I was with the manager’s indifference and unwillingness to help with the problem. She was flat-out rude about it! I just don’t want to be seen as taking things to the extreme (“Let’s sue the bastards!”) yet I don’t want to be seen as a pushover. Would a nice long, descriptive letter (with pictures of my bites and my room) sent to the parent company be a proper thing to do? > [@](#): > > Can’t you get very sick if you get too many bites? I don’t live in an area that gets fire ants much if at all. Yes, you can. Different people have different reactions to their venom - some people will be in the hospital with just a few bites, others can get stung repeatedly with little effect. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/50 "2006-03-30T14:12:15Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > **LunaV** , it’s too late this year but next year you might want to plan a little vacation in [Ashburn, GA](http://www.fireantfestival.com/) during March. 😃 \ Miss Fire Ant \ Are these people demented?! :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/51 "2006-03-30T14:39:30Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > There’s one thing that confuses me. Why on earth would fire ants crawl into a bed? I mean, there’s nothing to eat there, no way to make the tunnels and chambers that they need to have their disgusting little ant nurseries and all. I mean…HUuuurrruuuhhh? That’s their general foraging behaviour; after all, they don’t know there’s no food there until they look, and when you’re an ant, the horizon isn’t very far away. So they spread out as randomly as possible, then when they find something, drop a pheromone trail to lead the others to it. I’ve come home to find they’ve mapped a path all the way through our house’s main corridor, into the kitchen, up the leg of the ironing board, across the top of the board, down onto the kitchen surface and into a coffee mug to get at the dried sugar in the bottom. And all just with a combination of random walking and pheromone dropping. It’s nifty, although I can totally see why the OP wouldn’t be inclined to appreciate this miracle. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/52 "2006-03-30T15:51:07Z")
I met a traveler from an antique land Who said, Six vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. And on the pedestal these words appear: I am Ozymandius: King of Ants! ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/53 "2006-03-30T16:56:34Z")
> [@LunaV](#): > > See, I would have liked to have done something along these lines, but this is my first apartment and I didn’t know what I could do. I thought about contacting the owners of the apartment complex to let them know how unhappy I was with the manager’s indifference and unwillingness to help with the problem. She was flat-out rude about it! I just don’t want to be seen as taking things to the extreme (“Let’s sue the bastards!”) yet I don’t want to be seen as a pushover. > Would a nice long, descriptive letter (with pictures of my bites and my room) sent to the parent company be a proper thing to do? > Yes, you can. Different people have different reactions to their venom - some people will be in the hospital with just a few bites, others can get stung repeatedly with little effect. Well, I wouldn’t go as far as suing, but I think you need to be heard by someone. I would definitely write a letter and send photos and see what happens. I would also mention that the manager was very impolite to you about the entire situation. It could go either way though, they might be really mean to you in the future or go out of their way to be nice. I would give the owner a call and keep it polite. Tell them your concerns with not only their workers, but possible reinfestation. I know when I’ve lived in apartments, if there was any mention of a bug infestation, they went out of their way to take care of the problem. It’s bad press for them should word of mouth get around too far. I really hope they don’t come back. I had the itchies for a whole day after reading this thread! ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/54 "2006-03-30T17:10:57Z")
> [@LunaV](#): > > Are these people demented?! :eek: 😃 They have a Fire Ant Festival and a statue of a big peanut. What do you think? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/55 "2006-03-30T22:58:48Z")
> [@PinkMarabou](#): > > I know when I’ve lived in apartments, if there was any mention of a bug infestation, they went out of their way to take care of the problem. It’s bad press for them should word of mouth get around too far. > > I really hope they don’t come back. I had the itchies for a whole day after reading this thread! I intend to write a letter. They should know not only about the infestation problem, but about the manager’s callous attitude towards the incident. Their solution was to spray, not find out where it’s coming from and block that up. I know the ants will find another way in, but at least I wouldn’t have to worry about that particular spot. I submitted a very descriptive rating on [apartmentratings.com](http://apartmentratings.com). Hopefully others will see it and rent elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/56 "2006-03-30T23:55:29Z")
Death to ants! > [@LunaV](#): > > I submitted a very descriptive rating on [apartmentratings.com](http://apartmentratings.com). Hopefully others will see it and rent elsewhere. As someone who has used [apartmentratings.com](http://apartmentratings.com) when looking for apartments, I thank you. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/57 "2006-03-31T01:05:18Z")
I’m with **Rysdad**. Every time some wimp whines about our snowfall, I think of fire ants, palmetto bugs, 112% humidity with 102° F temperatures, and hurricanes and smile beatifically to myself. ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/58 "2006-03-31T13:25:18Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > I’m with **Rysdad**. Every time some wimp whines about our snowfall, I think of fire ants, palmetto bugs, 112% humidity with 102° F temperatures, and hurricanes and smile beatifically to myself. That’s what I love about living in Ohio. We get the occasional tornado or flood, but they’re rare (at least towards Columbus). We don’t have monster bugs, sweltering heat with humidity, and not many animals that are dangerous. Yeah, we get snow, which you probably get more than we do, but it’s nothing serious and you can get around just fine. I wish we had more than 4 weeks of spring and 4 weeks of fall, but other than that we have pretty textbook perfect seasons. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a fire ant in person, not sure I want to either! I hope everything works out for you **LunaV**. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/59 "2006-03-31T13:59:14Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Howdy. Bob Gasket. Pleased to meet you. That’s fucking hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835/60 "2006-03-31T22:20:13Z")
I’m watching the National Geographic channel. Some moron is laying in a fire ant hill and getting all bit up for the camera. What is wrong with some people? Does he really need to be on TV that badly? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-ants/349835.md?page=2)