It seems that my neighbor has this thing about bugs. Just the other day I had to rescue a poor moth that had made the mistake of venturing into her kitchen. Actually, she wanted me to kill the poor thing, but I managed to get it out of there in one piece before any damage was done to anyone. Tonight I found her in the hallway with a flyswatter, on a crazy killing spree, mindlessly whacking at any poor little flying thing within reach. When I confronted her, she claimed that they would crawl into her apartment during the night, and she couldn’t sleep with insects inside. Apparently, she thinks the sweet little things are “creepy”. I’m telling you, it was a total horror show. OK, she was drunk, but still - this still seems like fairly loony behavior. I only shiver to think about what she does to the poor bastards when I’m not around to intervene.
Is there anything I can do about this? I’m finding it hard to relax knowing that mass insecticide is taking place just across the hall, probably on a daily basis. I suggested that she might want to see a psychiatrist about the problem. She responded by acting like I was the one who was nuts. It’s strange, really, she seems like a nice person in most respects, very pleasant to her fellow humans. Sadly, however, her empathy clearly doesn’t extent to the insect realm.
What to do? Is there any way I can warn the bugs about the danger? With brains the size of a molecule, I suspect they won’t take notice if I post a note by the front door of the building? Can I get my neighbor committed to the loony ward? Will the police respond if I call?
Every one of those creepy, crawly, flyey things would suck your fluids dry and leave you a dessicated husk if they could. Not only that, their lifestyle is Communistic!
The proper context for insects is “far away from me”, and specifically “not inside my apartment”. If I see any that have invaded my space, I will try to kill them, and I will encourage the kitties to do the same. If they’re big, scary bugs, the OP might hear my screams when I find them.
Fly swatters are too much work for little return. Bug bombs are a little too over the top because they go a bit too far into slash-and-burn territory. I prefer fly paper. It’s passive, it does the job, and you get to see the little vermin squirm. One down, 20 billion to go.
Yeah, I bet that’s what Og says when his neighbor reprimands him for tossing those tsunamis and earthquakes at those villages. Come on - the bugs are just bugging around doing their bug business. They do no harm. And then, out of the blue - BLAM! - a swatter in the face. It’s just heartbreaking.
For outdoor use, I like the fly strips. They come in a little cardboard tube; use the string to cut the wax, then pull to unfurl the strip. I’ve tried the liquid traps too; they work well, but smell funky and are impossible to dispose of neatly.
Of course a carnivorousplant would want insects released in the house! It’s probably nice to catch and eat your insects in the air-conditioned comfort of your home in this heat.
I didn’t know that the Dalai Lama had an account here.
Your neighbor does not have a psychological problem with regards to bugs. You, however, are going to worry yourself into an early grave if you don’t turn down the sensitivity level significantly. There is such a thing as too much empathy.
Obtain some white maggots from a fishing tackle shop.
Cook a small quantity of brown rice.
Place a small quantity of the cooked rice in your mouth.
Take a generous double handful of live maggots.
Walk up to your insect-hating neighbour as if to talk, but pretend to cough and choke.
Allow the rice to tumble conspicuously out of your mouth into your cupped hands (on top of the maggots.
Collapse to your knees and drop the contents of both hands on the floor in front of you, continuing to spit out bits of rice.
Look up imploringly at your neighbour and croak “he…lp… me!.. please!”
